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There’s nothing better than warm cornbread muffins topped with butter! This easy cornbread muffins recipe is made with sour cream, butter, and whole milk for the most tender, moist texture. They’re simple to make and the perfect side for chili, BBQ, or holiday meals.
Looking for more muffin recipes? Try my popular blueberry muffins, banana blueberry muffins, blackberry muffins with streusel topping, cranberry orange muffins, and monkey bread muffins!
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Pin It“Best corn muffin recipe I have ever tried. Light and fluffy with a high crown. It made 14 muffins. I only used 1/2 cup sugar and they still tasted great. They look beautiful too!”
— Doreen
What I Love About These Cornbread Muffins
- They’re so moist thanks to sour cream and butter—truly the secret to soft, tender muffins.
- The buttery, golden edges get perfectly crispy in the oven… it’s the best bite!
- Super easy to make and they go with everything—my favorite chili recipe, BBQ, fried chicken, sausage and peppers, or even Thanksgiving dinner.
- Kid-approved! My boys gobble these up, especially when I top them with a dollop of whipped butter (yum).
For something festive, I also love baking my cranberry cornbread or cozy pumpkin cornbread during the holidays.
Ingredients in Cornbread Muffins
All-Purpose Flour – For structure and balance with the cornmeal
Fine Ground Yellow Cornmeal – The star of the show! Gives the muffins that classic texture and corn flavor
Granulated Sugar – Just enough for a hint of sweetness
Eggs – Help bind everything together and add richness
Sour Cream – Makes the muffins extra moist and tender
Whole Milk – Adds moisture and helps create a smooth batter
Unsalted Butter, Melted – For richness and buttery flavor
Baking Powder & Baking Soda – The combo gives a nice lift and a fluffy texture
How to Make Cornbread Muffins
1. Start by preheating your oven to 400°F and generously spraying a muffin tin—get the inside of the cups and the top of the pan so nothing sticks.
2. In one bowl, lightly whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, then add sugar and whisk again until a little frothy. Pour in the melted butter, then stir in the sour cream and milk until smooth.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix just until everything is combined—don’t overdo it! Scoop the batter into the muffin tin, filling each about ¾ of the way full.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool slightly, then pop them out and serve warm with whipped butter. So simple and so good!
Recipe Tips & Variations
Don’t overmix! Mix the wet ingredients well on their own, but once you add the dry ingredients, gently fold everything together until just combined. This keeps the muffins tender, not tough.
Avoid overbaking. Check your muffins around the 15-minute mark. Overbaking will dry them out, and we want them soft and moist inside with crispy edges.
Use good-quality ingredients. Real butter, whole milk, and fresh eggs make a big difference in flavor and texture.
Make it your own! Swap some of the sugar for honey, stir in fresh or frozen corn kernels, or add shredded cheddar and jalapeños for a savory twist.
No sour cream? You can substitute Greek yogurt or buttermilk—they both add tang and moisture just like sour cream does.
Pro Tip: Try baking at 425°F for 5 minutes, then drop to 400°F—this kickstarts the rise and creates bakery-style domes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let them cool for a few minutes, then use a soft silicone spatula around the edges of the muffin and down into the tin. Lift up and the muffin will pop out of the muffin tin.
Cornbread is popular within southern cooking thanks to Native Americans who have been using ground cornmeal for thousands of years.
European settlers, especially those who resided in the south, learned how to work with corn to make unique dishes from the Native Americans. They eventually started to add it to bread and other items.
Leaving out the sugar will give you a more savory cornbread muffin, which some people prefer, especially when serving with chili, BBQ, or anything already rich in flavor. The texture will still be soft and moist thanks to the sour cream and butter.
Yes, just like my cranberry cornbread and pumpkin cornbread, you can absolutely bake this batter in a skillet or baking dish instead of a muffin tin!
Here’s how:
Cast Iron Skillet: Preheat the skillet in the oven with a little butter or oil so the edges get crispy. Pour in the batter and bake at 400°F for about 20–25 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Baking Dish: Use an 8×8 or 9×9-inch dish, greased well. Bake at 400°F for around 25–30 minutes.
More Muffin Recipes
If you make these cornbread muffins, let me know how you served them! Leave a comment and review below—I love hearing from you.
And don’t forget to tag @sugarandcharm if you share them on Instagram. Happy baking!
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Easy Cornbread Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin Tin
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 cup fine ground, whole-grain yellow cornmeal, MUST be fine ground!
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, lightly hand whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk eggs for 20 seconds.
- Add in the sugar to the eggs and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds.
- Add in melted butter and continue to whisk.
- Add in the sour cream and milk and whisk.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently mix until combined.
- Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Make sure to spray the inside of each muffin tin and the top of the pan too. Be generous with the spray!
- Using a cookie scooper or ice cream scooper, fill each greased tin 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes in a 400 degree oven.
- Remove and let them cool slightly before taking them out of the muffin tin.
- Serve warm with whipped butter!
Notes
- Use fine ground cornmeal for the best texture—coarse cornmeal will make the muffins gritty.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined to keep the muffins soft and tender.
- Avoid overbaking or they’ll turn dry. Check them around 12 minutes and remove when a toothpick comes out clean.
- These muffins are best served warm or at room temperature with whipped butter or a drizzle of honey.
- To store, place cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5. Warm in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best corn muffin recipe I have ever tried. Light and fluffy with a high crown. It made 14 muffins. I only used 1/2 cup sugar and they still tasted great. They look beautiful too!
Hey we’re so easy to make and we’re so delicious I added honey to mine oh so good. Definitely will be making them again.
Thank you for this recipe
So so so delicious! Just slightly sweet, creamy, and crumbly! We couldn’t find any corn meal that specifically said “Fine Ground” but I took my chances with a standard Quaker Corn Meal and they turned out great! I’m at a higher elevation (5,200 ft) and cooked them for 14 minutes, I think they could’ve gone 12-13 but they were still delicious. Thanks so much for the recipe!
So happy you liked them Madison! Thank you for leaving a sweet review too!! Appreciate it 🙂
ALMOST PERFECT: Three things:
1) I used 1 1/3 cups fine cornmeal and 1 2/3 white flour bc I wanted that corn taste but not crumbly
2) I would add another 1/4 of salt next time, maybe a 1/2. I felt like it missing a little bit of a tangy “bite”
3) I cooked them in a gas oven for only 12 minutes bc we used a mini muffin pan. My 6’5” boyfriend ate them whole 😆😳
I’d make these again with these slight tweaks. I reviewed 5 recipes. I like this one 🥰