Description
Homemade jalapeno cornbread muffins with cream cheese filling blend southwestern spice and comfort. Creamy centers and spicy edges make these muffins a perfect side dish or snack you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsps powdered sugar
- 1 tsp lime juice (optional)
- 1 cup (240 ml, 8 fl oz) buttermilk
- ⅓ cup (80 ml, 2.7 fl oz) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (130 g, 4.6 oz) yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup (125 g, 4.4 oz) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60 g, 2.1 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup (50 g, 1.8 oz) granulated sugar
- 2 jalapenos, finely diced
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Cream Cheese Preparation: Whip softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and lime juice until luxuriously smooth. Chill the mixture to intensify flavors while assembling remaining ingredients.
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Grease a muffin tin or line with paper cups for easy release.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Thoroughly blend dry components to ensure uniform distribution.
- Wet Ingredient Integration: Vigorously whisk buttermilk, vegetable oil, and eggs in a separate vessel. Gently fold wet mixture into dry ingredients, stirring minimally to prevent overworking the batter.
- Flavor Enhancement: Fold diced jalapenos and shredded cheddar cheese into the batter, ensuring even dispersion of spicy and cheesy elements.
- Muffin Assembly: Deposit a base layer of batter into each muffin cavity, then carefully center a dollop of chilled cream cheese filling. Cover the filling completely with additional batter, creating a hidden creamy core.
- Baking Process: Transfer muffin tin to preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes. Monitor for golden-brown tops and test doneness by inserting a toothpick near the muffin’s edge.
- Cooling and Serving: Rest muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm, optionally drizzling honey or accompanying with a complementary dish like hearty chili.
Notes
- Manage Jalapeno Heat: Remove seeds and membranes from jalapenos to reduce spiciness while maintaining pepper flavor. Wear gloves when handling peppers to prevent skin irritation.
- Prevent Filling Leakage: Refrigerate cream cheese mixture for at least 30 minutes before filling to maintain structural integrity and prevent spreading during baking.
- Achieve Perfect Texture: Do not overmix batter; stir just until dry ingredients are incorporated to keep muffins tender and prevent tough, dense results.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Substitute buttermilk with dairy-free alternatives like almond milk mixed with apple cider vinegar. Use gluten-free flour blend for celiac-friendly version. Replace cheese with nutritional yeast for vegan adaptation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg