Making Mealtime Meaningful: Discover how we're giving back with the 12T Cares program →

Looking to spice up the usual cornbread recipe? Add some jalapeño for a kick and some cheddar for flavor that you’ll love.

These muffins are absolutely perfect as a side – pair them with chili, fried chicken, and all your summer barbecue favorites. Or, just enjoy them as a snack, they are definitely good enough to eat that way!

This recipe only makes 12, but we’d suggest doubling it for a bigger crowd – these muffins will definitely get eaten quickly!

Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins

(makes 12 servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (one stick) butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar (or honey)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 jalapeÒo, seeded and minced
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup fresh or thawed corn kernels (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Get a medium-size bowl and combine the butter, sugar, and agave nectar, then whisk the eggs and buttermilk in. If you donít have buttermilk on hand, then put a tablespoon of lemon juice in a measuring cup and fill it the rest of the way to the one-cup mark with milk. Let the mixture sit for five minutes, and youíll have buttermilk.
  3. In a separate bowl, sift the cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking soda together. Then add this mixture to the medium bowl of butter and sugar and agave, being careful not to over-mix. Stop mixing once you donít see the flour anymore, and then fold in the jalapeño, corn, and cheese.
  4. Grease a muffin tin and then add the batter to each of the 12 cups, filling each about 3/4 of the way. If there is leftover batter, spread it among all the cups ñ just make sure they are only almost filled to the top.
  5. Bake for 25 minutes, testing the center of the muffin with a toothpick. If the toothpick does not come out clean, put the muffins back in the oven for about five minutes.
  6. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Comfort of Cooking

Subscribe to 12 Tomatoes