Maple Cornbread Muffins (Cornbread Muffins With Corn)

These mini maple cornbread muffins are sweetened with a little maple syrup with an added burst of sweetness from corn kernels. They are perfect to serve for lunch or a midday snack!

Cornbread is such a warm, comforting food, and making it into little mini-sized muffins is perfect for little hands. Fold some corn kernels into the batter for a little extra natural sweetness or bake them plain for a fun lunch or side!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Here is what you’ll need to make these mini maple cornbread muffins:

• Flour: I used all-purpose flour for these muffins for the best texture.
• Cornmeal: The main ingredient to give these muffins that authentic “corn” taste!
• Corn Kernels: Optional add-in for a little added texture and taste.
• Milk: I used whole milk in this recipe, but dairy-free alternatives work as well.
• Egg: Used as a binder to hold the muffins together.
• Oil: I used extra light-tasting olive oil, but any mild-tasting oil works as well.
• Maple Syrup: For subtle added sweetness to the corn muffins.
• Baking Powder: Leavening agent to help the muffins rise.
• Salt: Used to balance the flavors in the muffins.

PROCESS

1. Add the dry ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined.
2. Whisk the wet ingredients in a separate bowl until combined.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Do not overmix.
4. Gently fold in the corn kernels until incorporated.
5. Pour the batter into a mini muffin pan.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS

Let the muffins completely cool and store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. To freeze, store in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag once cooled for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply microwave the muffins for 20-30 seconds, or until warmed through!

SUBSTITUTIONS

• Corn Kernels: The corn kernels add a little texture and subtle sweetness to the muffins, but they can be omitted or replaced with another vegetable.
• Eggs: You may replace the egg with a flax egg. To make a flax egg, combine 3 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed. Let the mixture sit in the fridge for about 15 minutes until it forms a gel-like texture.
• Milk: The milk may be replaced with a dairy-free alternative, such as coconut milk or oat milk.
• Salt: The salt is an optional ingredient and may be omitted. I find that including it helps preserve the freshness of the muffins at room temperature, but it is not needed.
• Oil: The oil may be replaced with equal parts melted butter.

RECIPE NOTES

• This recipe makes 20 mini muffins or 8 mini loaves. You may make regular-sized muffins by adding a few more minutes to the total bake time.
• Be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing may result in dense corn muffins.
• These muffins are not that sweet because of the small amount of maple syrup that is used. Feel free to adjust the amount of maple syrup used if you prefer a sweeter muffin.
• I like to use a silicone muffin pan to bake these muffins as they pop out easily without any sticking. You can also make them into mini loaves using a silicone mini loaf pan. If using a non-silicone pan, be sure to coat with a cooking spray beforehand. 

Here are some other bite-size lunch recipes that you may like!

• Cheesy Carrot Bites
• Savory Vegetable Muffins
• Broccoli & Cheese Bites