These easy cornbread muffins are made with jalapeno cheddar for a real pop of flavor. Jalapeno cheddar cornbread muffins are a perfect side to serve with meals like chili and soups.
I put a little twist on my favorite cornbread recipe adding a little cheese and heat. They are so quick and easy to make, you can make them from scratch in less time than it takes to preheat the oven!
It’s an easy recipe kids can help make, too! They’re made with just a few simple ingredients, and are amazing with homemade chili, Mexican spaghetti or a taco soup!
They make a great appetizer on game day too, alongside my other favorite Mexican appetizers like guacamole and corn salsa. I love enjoying leftovers smothered with honey butter for an afternoon snack.
This is one of my favorite Quick Bread Recipes made with staple ingredients, and it’s so versatile! I’ve also got a classic cornbread recipe that is perfect for Thanksgiving with a maple syrup topping – don’t skip it.
We love all things jalapeño around here – Jalapeño Margaritas, Pico de Gallo, Creamy Jalapeño Dip…the list goes on! It’s the perfect way to spice up just about anything, especially breads!
Why You’ll Love these Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins
- Fast and easy to throw together
- Perfect with a variety of soups, stews and chili recipes
- An excellent addition to your game day line-up
- The perfect amount of heat, and can be customized
Cornbread Muffin Ingredients
- Butter – Use unsalted butter for this recipe. If you use salted, reduce the amount of added salt.
- Flour – Use all purpose flour and there is no need to sift it first.
- Sugar – I like to add some granulated white sugar to my cornbread for a little sweetness.
- Cornmeal – I like to use fine-ground cornmeal for my muffins for a really soft texture. You can use medium-ground, but the muffins will be a little more dense.
- Baking Powder – To help the muffins rise in the oven.
- Salt – A little salt helps to bring he other flavors, and sweetness, out. Decrease the amount of salt added if you are using salted butter.
- Milk – Milk binds the dry ingredients together. You can use skim, 1%, 2%, whole milk, vitamin D milk.
- Egg – Along with the milk, this helps to bind the ingredients and form a dough.
- Jalapeños – Seed and dice fresh jalapeños to add a bit of heat to each bite. Substitute canned or jarred jalapeños, drained, in a pinch.
- Cheddar – Use freshly grated, rather than pre-grated cheddar for the best melting qualities. I like to use a strong cheddar in these muffins, but you can also use mild. Substitute pepper jack or monterey jack
Variations
You can easily experiment with different additions in these savory muffins.
- Bacon – Cooked crumbled bacon or bacon pieces.
- Corn – Whole corn is amazing folded into cornbread muffins.
- Herbs – Thyme, parsley, oregano, green onion, tarragon.
- Brown Butter – Brown butter and allow it to cool for deeper, richer flavor.
- Adjust the Spice – These muffins are not overly spicy as jalapeños are on the milder end of chili varieties. If you like spicy food, feel free to add in a couple more peppers and if you are very sensitive to heat, you can make these just with the cheese.
How To Make Cornbread Muffins
- Prep – Preheat the oven and grease a muffin tin.
- Combine – Mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl and the wet in another. Slowly add the wet mixture to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the jalapeños and the cheese.
- Make – Fill the muffin tins all the way to the top with the cornbread mixture and add a jalapeño slice to the top of each one.
- Bake – Bake the muffins until cooked through.
Serving Suggestions
- I like to serve these muffins warm. If you are making them ahead of time you can heat them through in an oven on a low heat.
- Serve with my honey butter for an extra dose of sweet to match the heat.
Tips
- Want to double or even triple this recipe? Use the 1x2x3x tab in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post and all the measurement conversions are done for you!
- Spray the muffin pan with my favorite baking spray for a clean release!
Shortcuts
- Missing an ingredient? Use my Printable Baking Substitutions Guide.
- Create an organized pantry and you’ll always be ready for baking! Use my Baking Essentials printable to stock your pantry in full!
Frequently Asked Questions
These cornbread muffins will take around 30 minutes to bake. You may want to check them around 25 minutes as ovens can run at different temperatures.
The muffins should be firm, and when a toothpick is inserted it should come out clean. If it doesn’t pop them back in for another couple of minutes and check again.
How To Store
- Room Temperature – Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate – Place the cooled muffins in a container and they will keep in the fridge for up to 5 or 6 days.
- Freeze – These cornbread muffins freeze really well. Let them cool and then wrap them individually in foil and place in a freezer bag. They will keep for up to 3 months and can be thawed at room temperature.
Want more? Receive the best ideas directly to your inbox and connect on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
If you try this recipe, please come back to share using my 5 star rating in the comments below! Not only do I appreciate it, but I know readers do, too!
More Easy Quick Bread Recipes
Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter melted
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1½ cups milk
- 1 egg
- 2 jalapeños seeded and diced reserving 12 sliced
- ½ cup cheddar freshly shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease or line muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine milk, butter and eggs.
- Gradually add wet mixture into dry mixture until just combined.
- Fold in jalapeños and cheddar.
- Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, fill muffin tins to the top. Add a jalapeño slice to the top of each one.
- Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Julie’s Tips
Substitutions
- Butter – If you use salted butter, omit the salt in this recipe.
- Cornmeal – I like to use fine-ground cornmeal for my muffins for a really soft texture. You can use medium-ground, but the muffins will be a little more dense.
- Milk – You can use skim, 1%, 2%, whole milk, vitamin D milk.
- Jalapeños – Seed and dice fresh jalapeños to add a bit of heat to each bite. Substitute canned or jarred jalapeños, drained, in a pinch.
- Cheddar – Use freshly grated, rather than pre-grated cheddar for the best melting qualities. I like to use a strong cheddar in these muffins, but you can also use mild. Substitute pepper jack or monterey jack.
Variations
- Bacon – Cooked crumbled bacon or bacon pieces.
- Corn – Whole corn is amazing folded into cornbread muffins.
- Herbs – Thyme, parsley, oregano, green onion, tarragon.
How To Store
- Room Temperature – Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate – Place the cooled muffins in a container and they will keep in the fridge for up to 5 or 6 days.
- Freeze – These cornbread muffins freeze really well. Let them cool and then wrap them individually in foil and place in a freezer bag. They will keep for up to 3 months and can be thawed at room temperature.
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
