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Muffins & Scones

Corn and Cheddar Muffins

Savoury muffins with sweetcorn kernels, sharp cheddar and a hit of chilli.

Prep15 min
Cook22 min
Yield12 muffins
LevelEasy

Savoury muffins live or die on seasoning, so these carry far more salt than a sweet muffin and a good sharp cheddar rather than a mild one. Whole corn kernels give little bursts of sweetness against the cheese. They're excellent split and buttered alongside soup.

Everything you need

12 muffins · 13 items

Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.

Method

6 steps · 37 minutes 0 of 6 done

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F and line or grease a 12-hole muffin tin. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and paprika together.

    For this step

    • 1 cup (160 g) cornmeal
    • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
    • 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
    • 1 tbsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp fine salt
    • ½ tsp paprika

  2. In a jug, whisk the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter until smooth.

    For this step

    • 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk
    • 2 large eggs
    • ⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter

  3. Stir the corn, most of the cheddar, the spring onions and the chilli into the dry ingredients first, so everything gets coated in flour and stays suspended.

    For this step

    • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1¼ cups (140 g) sharp cheddar
    • ⅓ cup spring onions
    • 1 red chilli

  4. Pour in the wet mixture and fold with a spatula until only just combined. Stop while it still looks a bit lumpy; overmixed cornmeal batter bakes tough.

    For this step

    • 1 cup (160 g) cornmeal

  5. Divide between the holes, filling almost to the top, and scatter the reserved cheddar over each one.

    For this step

    • 1¼ cups (140 g) sharp cheddar

  6. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, until risen, golden and firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then eat warm.

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Worth knowing

  • Coarse cornmeal gives a proper gritty bite; fine cornmeal makes a softer, more cake-like muffin. Both work, so pick your texture.
  • No buttermilk? Stir 1 tbsp lemon juice into 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Make it your own

  • Add 100 g chopped cooked bacon or chorizo with the corn.
  • Swap the cheddar for crumbled feta and add a handful of chopped coriander.

Storing & freezing

Airtight at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for 4. Reheat in a 160°C oven for 6 minutes; the microwave makes them rubbery. Freeze for 2 months.

Frequently asked

How many grams is a cup of grated cheese?

About 113 g per US cup loosely packed, so the 1¼ cups here is roughly 140 g. Grate it yourself if you can, since pre-grated cheese is coated in starch.

Can I use canned or frozen corn?

Both work. Drain canned corn well and pat it dry, and use frozen corn straight from the freezer without thawing.

Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.

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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.

Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.