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Cornbread muffins are tender, golden, and easy to serve when you want cornbread without baking a full pan. These have soft centers, lightly crisp edges, and just enough richness from buttermilk, sour cream, and melted butter.
I make these buttermilk cornbread muffins with my Cornbread Mix or a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix, so they’re simple to pull together for weeknight dinners, Sunday dinner, or a Thanksgiving dinner menu. Serve them with Collard Greens with Bacon, Southern Candied Yams, Southern Fried Cabbage, Baked Turkey Wings, or a bowl of chili.
Why You’ll Love These Cornbread Muffins
- Use homemade mix or Jiffy: Make them with a half batch of my homemade Cornbread Mix or one box of Jiffy corn muffin mix.
- Soft, not dry: Buttermilk, sour cream, and a short batter rest help keep the muffins tender instead of dense or crumbly.
- Easy to serve: Since they’re baked as individual muffins, they’re simple to add to Thanksgiving plates, Sunday dinner, BBQ meals, soups, chili, and weeknight dinners.
Ingredients That Keep Them Soft
The ingredients are simple, but a few of them make a big difference in the final texture. Grab the exact amounts from the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cornbread mix: Use my homemade Cornbread Mix (the one box amount) or one box of Jiffy corn muffin mix.
- Butter: Use butter to grease the muffin pan. It helps the muffins release more easily and gives the edges better flavor.
- Egg: Helps the muffins hold together and gives them a soft, tender texture.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a little tang. It also helps keep the muffins from tasting flat.
- Sour cream: Use full-fat sour cream for the best texture. It makes the muffins softer and helps keep them from baking up dry.
- Melted butter: Adds richness to the batter.
- Vanilla extract: Just a small amount rounds out the flavor without making the muffins taste like dessert.
How to Make Cornbread Muffins with Jiffy or Homemade Mix
Making this cornbread muffins recipe is simple. The main thing is to mix gently, give the batter a short rest, and bake the muffins just until they’re set.
Mix the wet ingredients
Add the wet ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Starting with the wet ingredients makes it easier to fold in the cornbread mix without working the batter too much.
Fold in the cornbread mix
Add the cornbread mix to the bowl and gently fold it into the wet ingredients. Stop once the dry mix is incorporated. A few lumps are fine, and they’re better than overmixing.
Let the batter rest
Let the batter sit before baking. This gives the cornmeal time to soften, which helps the muffins turn out fluffy instead of gritty or dense.
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Portion and bake
Grease a 6-cup muffin pan with butter, then divide the batter evenly between the cups. Bake the muffins until the tops are starting to turn golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Tips for Tender, Fluffy Muffins
- Use the right amount of mix: My Cornbread Mix recipe makes enough to replace two small Jiffy-style boxes, so use half of it for this muffin recipe.
- Do not overmix: Fold just until the dry mix disappears into the wet ingredients. A few lumps are okay.
- Rest the batter: This gives the cornmeal time to soften before baking and helps the muffins stay tender.
- Grease the pan well: Butter helps the muffins release from the pan and gives the edges a lightly crisp texture.
- Bake until just set: Pull the muffins when the centers are done and the tops are lightly golden. Overbaking is one of the quickest ways to end up with dry cornbread muffins.
- Portion evenly: This recipe makes 6 muffins, so divide the batter evenly to help them bake at the same pace.
Cornbread Muffins vs. Homemade Cornbread
Choose these cornbread muffins when you want individual servings, a shorter bake time, or an easy side for dinner plates and holidays. They’re especially helpful when you want everyone to have their own muffin without slicing a full pan.
If you need more servings, make my Homemade Cornbread instead. It’s a double batch of this recipe baked in a sheet pan, so it’s better for larger meals, Sunday dinners, Thanksgiving, or when you need cornbread to use in recipes like Cornbread Dressing.
Easy Flavor Variations
- Make them sweeter: Add a little honey to the batter or serve the warm muffins with honey butter.
- Add a little heat: Fold in diced jalapeños for a spicier muffin that works well with chili, BBQ, ribs, and soul food dinners.
- Make them cheesy: Add shredded cheddar for a savory version that pairs well with soups, stews, and Southern-style mains.
- Add corn: Stir in a small amount of drained corn for more texture and a stronger corn flavor.
- Double the batch: This recipe makes 6 muffins, so double it if you’re serving a holiday table or want leftovers for the next day.
What to Serve with Cornbread Muffins
These corn bread muffins work anywhere you’d usually serve cornbread.
- For a soul food or Sunday dinner plate, pair them with Collard Greens with Bacon, Southern Fried Cabbage, Southern Candied Yams, Baked Turkey Wings, or Slow Cooker Ribs.
- For a BBQ-style meal, serve them with Air Fryer Ribs, baked beans, coleslaw, or a simple green vegetable. The muffins give you that slightly sweet cornbread side without needing to bake a whole pan.
- For Thanksgiving, add them to your Thanksgiving dinner menu with Turkey Gravy, Cornbread Dressing, Southern Candied Yams, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, corn casserole, or your favorite holiday mains.
How to Store and Reheat Them
- Store: Keep leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Let the muffins cool completely, then wrap them tightly and freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm individual muffins in the microwave with a slightly damp paper towel to keep them soft. You can also reheat them in the oven until warmed through.
Cornbread Muffins FAQs
Yes. This recipe works with one box of Jiffy corn muffin mix or a half batch (one box mix instructions) of my homemade Cornbread Mix.
Dry muffins usually come from overmixing or overbaking. Fold the batter gently, let it rest briefly, and bake just until the centers are set.
No. A few lumps are normal. Mixing until the batter is completely smooth can make the muffins tougher.
Yes, but they’re best made the day you plan to serve them so they stay soft and tender. If you make them a day ahead, store them covered and reheat gently before serving. Day-old cornbread is usually better for recipes like Cornbread Dressing.
Yes. Let them cool completely, wrap them well, and freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
Cornbread Muffins
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Ingredients
- ½ Cornbread Mix, click for the recipe, or 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
- 1 tbsp Butter, for greasing the baking dish
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large Eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup Sour Cream, full fat
- 2 tbsp Butter, melted
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit
- Add the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl
- Whisk to incorporate
- Add the cornbread mix to the wet ingredients
- Gently fold in the cornbread mix (just enough to incorporate) into the wet mix. There will be some lumps and that’s ok. Let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes. The rest helps soften the cornmeal so the muffins turn out fluffy
- Grease a muffin pan with 6 slots with butter.
- Divide the cornbread batter across the slots in the muffin pan.
- Bake uncovered for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is starting to turn golden.
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Recipe Notes
- Use the right mix: Use 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix or ½ batch of my Cornbread Mix.
- Do not overmix: Fold just until combined. A few lumps are fine.
- Rest the batter: Let it sit 10 to 15 minutes so the cornmeal softens and the muffins bake up tender.
- Grease well: Butter the muffin pan to help the muffins release and give the edges better flavor.
- Bake until just set: Pull them when the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Need more servings? Make my Homemade Cornbread, which is a double batch baked in a sheet pan.
- Serve the same day: These are softest the day they’re baked. Use day-old cornbread for recipes like Cornbread Dressing.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
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