Honey Sweetened Corn Muffins (gluten-free option)
Though this type of cornbread has a more cake-like texture than its Southern counterpart, it is still not the same thing as your typical bakery corn muffin which will be much more akin to a quick bread or cake. I love this muffin paired with a soup or salad--and sometimes for breakfast--with a smear of strawberry jam. My husband likes to melt a little butter into the warm muffin--although the last time we ate these he said they don't even need it...and he skipped it! Bringing the cold ingredients to room temperature before mixing will prevent the melted butter or coconut oil from re-hardening once added. Removing the muffins from the oven as soon as they are cooked through is the key to keeping them moist.


Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup stone ground cornmeal
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour mix
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup (one 6-ounce cup) 2% or nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup milk (I usually use nonfat; 2% or whole will work well, too)
  • 1/4 cup honey (see note)
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. (You can use liners, but I find the muffins can stick to the papers.)
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour or gluten-free blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  4. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the yogurt, milk, honey, and melted coconut oil or butter and whisk to combine well.
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until just incorporated. The batter should be light and fluffy, so try not to stir too much and deflate the batter.
  6. I like to use my ice cream scoop to fill the 12 muffin cups easily and without mess. Then bake 10-12 minutes or until the muffins are just cooked through. As all ovens vary, check a few minutes early; they will cook quickly at the high oven temperature and over-baking will create a dry baked good.
  7. Serve warm with butter and/or your favorite jam, as desired. Once cooled, wrap and store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Gently reheat in the microwave. If you let them go a day or two and they seem dry, wrap in a damp paper towel and gently reheat in the microwave. This is my trick to freshen dried-out cornbread beautifully.

Notes

  • While I add 1/4 cup honey to make these muffins slightly sweet, you could use anywhere between 1 and 4 tablespoons, depending on your preference.

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