Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

Looking for a new cornbread recipe? Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins are great with a salad, BBQ or a bowl of chili. EASY to make and super soft with sour cream and cheese!

 

I often crave cornbread and request we go out for BBQ just to fill the need. It’s so bad that I order more BBQ just to get more cornbread. It is a real problem and now that the secret is out of the bag, hubby will know the ways of my tricky cornbread tactics.

These little mini-muffin cornbreads are the perfect two-bite option to serve with soups and stews, particularly chili or at any summer BBQ.

The cornbread is soft and sweet and a touch spicy. The pickled jalapeno is a little milder than a fresh jalapeno but while still having some bite. It is the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.

Did you know that while cornbread is typically thought of as Southern, its roots actually date back to the indigenous people of the Americas? ? It makes sense when you think about it, their main crop was corn.

They used a mortar and pestle to break down the kernels and to make all sorts of corn concoctions like grits, flour cornmeal and more; it was a cornerstone of their diet.

Today there are some pretty fancy cornbread recipes, but mine are all fairly basic. The only ingredient you might need to seek out is buttermilk. Or maybe I’m the only one who doesn’t have buttermilk on hand at all times?

Believe me, the “special” ingredient is worth it. People will rave over these Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins!

Why You’ll Love These Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

Perfectly soft cornbread muffins with just the perfect amount of spice from jalapenos- what’s not to love?

• Simple ingredients – The ingredient for these muffins is really quite shot- especially if you use a box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix.
• Versatile – Not only do these muffins taste great with all sorts of meals, you can also customize them to your liking.
• Perfect for spicy lovers – If you have a spice lover in your life, this is the cornbread recipe for them! Add extra jalapenos for an even better kick.

Ingredients

The simple ingredients of these tender muffins will have you wanting to make them over and over again! 

• Vegetable shortening – A muffin pan can be a hard pan to release your baked goods from. So we’re going one step further than nonstick cooking spray; we’re using shortening for greasing the pan.
• Jiffy cornbread mix – You really can’t beat the flavor and simplicity of Jiffy corn muffin mix. But if you’d prefer to go homemade, I have a homemade version you can make too.
• Eggs – Eggs will act as our binder. Any time a recipe calls for eggs, assume it is talking about large eggs unless otherwise specified.
• Buttermilk or heavy cream – I love the sharp flavor that buttermilk adds to these jalapeño cornbread muffins, but if you don’t have any, you could use heavy cream instead.
• Shredded cheddar cheese – I always prefer to grate my own cheese. The pre-shredded bagged version has an additive to prevent sticking. But that additive also prevents it from melting smoothly. 
• Sour cream – The sour cream adds to the tang and pairs really well with the spiciness of the jalapenos.
• Jalapeno brine – In other words, this is just the juice from the jar or jalapenos. It adds an extra kick of spice level to these savory cornbread muffins.
• Pickled jalapeno rings – I like to use these rather than fresh jalapeños simply because they don’t require any prep like cutting or de-seeding.

How to Make Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

These jalapeño cheddar cornbread muffins are surprisingly easy to make!

1. Prepare oven and muffin tin. Preheat the oven and use the vegetable shortening to grease a standard 12 cup muffin tin. 
2. Dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the Jiffy mix until large clumps fall apart.
3. Wet ingredients. Add the eggs, buttermilk (or cream, cheese, sour cream and jalapeno brine. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Add to pan. Spoon batter into muffin tins, filling 2/3 of each tin. Place a whole jalapeno slice(s) on the top of the batter.
5. Bake. Bake the muffins until the tops spring back when gently touched and are a puffy, golden yellow.

Variations on Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

We love these jalapeno cornbread muffins exactly as written, but there are plenty of ways you can make them your own.

• Add some sweet – A drizzle of honey or even a little maple syrup is the perfect accompaniment to these jalapeno cheddar cornbread muffins. It also helps balance out the spice.
• Add ins – Some green onions, chopped jalapeño or even red pepper flakes would all be great additions to this recipe, while also giving it a little different flavor.
• Cheese – Don’t limit yourself to just cheddar- pepper jack cheese or even an extra sharp cheddar cheese would taste great with this corn bread.

What to Serve with Cornbread

These warm muffins are great with just about anything. Good cornbread always tastes delicious with a little butter- especially honey butter. With the addition of jalapenos in these ones, I also like to add a dollop of cool sour cream.

Of course, this is a great recipe to serve with a big pot of chili. We also like to serve these at a summer barbecue with burgers and hot dogs. Here are a few other dishes that taste great with muffins too:

• Simple Chili
• Instant Pot BBQ Brisket
• Red Beef Chili 

Storage and Freezing

Storage: You can store any leftover jalapeno cornbread muffins in an airtight container. They don’t need to be refrigerated, so you can store them at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Freezing: If you’d like to freeze these muffins, you can certainly do that too. Wrap each muffin individually and then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Homemade Breads

• 2-Ingredient Dough Garlic Breadsticks
• Texas Roadhouse Bread Recipe with Cinnamon Honey Butter
• Everything Garlic Bread