Cornbread Herb Muffins
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Cornbread is by far one of my favorite comfort foods and for it being a favorite, I rarely make it!
We are actually having cornbread at our wedding we both love it so much! 🙂
These cornbread herb muffins come together super fast. You will quickly combine all dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another, combine them and pour into a muffin pan or cupcake pan. In 20 minutes, you’ll be taking a hearty cornbread out of the oven!
Fun fact: You can also make this recipe into a loaf by baking in a pan or in a cast iron skillet. Same ingredients, same cooking time! (18-20 minutes)
How to make cornbread muffins:
My first step is to add all of the dry ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl and gently stir the ingredients together. I used whole wheat flour but All-Purpose flour works as well.
Next, add the liquid ingredients: eggs, vanilla extract, melted butter and buttermilk. The ingredients get stirred together, then the fresh herbs get folded in.
Lastly, fill well-greased muffin wells 2/3 full and bake at 400°F for approximately 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. This recipe yields 12 regular size muffins.
The muffins will have a slight brown color due to the whole wheat flour and dark brown sugar.
If you use regular granulated sugar and All-Purpose flour they won’t be as dark. Also – the sugar is totally optional! If you are not a fan of sweet cornbread, leave it out!
What type of corn meal should I use?
One size fits all doesn’t apply to cornbread. Corn meal is available in a variety of grind sizes, ranging from fine to medium to coarse.
I recommend using a fine grain for this recipe in combination with the wheat flour; it gives the bread a subtle airy lift.
Different colors of cornmeal:
Blue cornmeal is light blue or even violet in color. It is ground from whole blue corn.
Steel-ground yellow cornmeal is the most common one you see in stores.
Stone-ground cornmeal retains some of the hull and germ which offers more flavor and nutrition to recipes.
White corn meal is made from white corn. You can use yellow or white for this recipe!
If you like these savory, slightly sweet muffins you’ll be sure to love these breakfast muffins or these taco egg muffins!
Herbs you will need for this cornbread:
- Chives
- Parsley
- Oregano
- Sage
- Thyme
- (You can use rosemary and basil too in places of any of those herbs too)
How to make chive butter:
I must say…the chive butter is not optional for this recipe! The buttery and herby flavor plays off of the savory and lightly sweetened cornbread muffin.
Take 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter (softened) and mix it with 3 Tbsp. chopped chives, 1/4 tsp salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix well either using a spoon or hand beater.
Then, roll it into a small log shape, wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until is sets up ~20-30 minutes.
If you are serving the cornbread muffins right away, make chive butter first so it is ready when the muffins come out of the oven!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!
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Cornbread Herb Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, fine
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (or All-Purpose)
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar* (optional for sweetness)
- 1 Tbsp. wheat germ (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted, melted and slightly cooked ((8 Tbsp.))
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the herbs:
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme, parsley, oregano, sage and chives. (Include 1 tsp. of each herb, chopped)
For the chive butter:
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted, softened ((8 Tbsp.))
- 2 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Make the chive butter: mix the softened butter with chives and seasonings. Roll into a small log, and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in fridge until butter hardens, about 20-30 minutes.
- For the cornbread: In a medium sized bowl mix the cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, wheat germ (if using), baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl mix the melted butter, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry and then fold in chopped fresh herbs.
- Prepare muffin tin by either spraying with non-stick cooking spray Spoon batter into each tin, filling about 3/4 high. Bake in a preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
To Make As A Skillet:
- Follow the same instructions but place cornbread batter into a skillet (cast iron preferred). Cooking time is a slightly longer than muffins: 20-25 minutes at 400°F.
Equipment
Notes
PIN THESE CORNBREAD HERB MUFFINS FOR LATER!
Ok – the homemade chive butter makes this recipe next level! My kids love cornbread muffins, and I’d love for them to get better acquainted with different fresh herb flavors, so I’ll need to try this ASAP.
Thank you so much Nancy! I hope the kiddos love this recipe!!
I love that you use whole wheat flour in these. I never make savory muffins like this but I need to bc they sound delicious! Your photos are lovely!
Thank you so much Karen! The whole wheat adds a hearty touch! 🙂
I’m always looking for new cornbread recipes, and this one looks wonderful! I am going to try it asap!
Thank you so much Jessica, I hope you love my version!
This is so flavorful and the chive butter sounds perfect on these.
Thank you so much Andrea!!
These cornbread herb muffins look amazing! They would work great for Easter dinner too or great for breakfast.
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Love this as a savory cornbread option! I have a sweeter cornbread recipe, I will love to add this one to the rotation.
Sweet cornbread is sooo good too, I will have to try yours! Thank you!