These delicious, bold-flavored Jalapeno Cheddar Bacon Cornbread Muffins will astound your family, friends, and dinner guests whenever you make them. They combine a sweet corn muffin with spicy jalapeño peppers, sharp cheddar cheese, sweet yellow corn, and hickory smoked bacon to completely take ordinary Corn Muffins over the top. They’re perfectly served with Chili or as a tasty snack.
Cornbread is a popular menu item in the South due to its fantastic texture and lovely aroma. Cornbread batter can be baked, fried, or even steamed. I hear that steamed cornbread is more of a mushy substance, chewier, and more like cornmeal pudding than more traditional cornbread. Cornbread batter can also be baked into corn cakes with modifications or corn muffins if desired.
My Mom and her parents are what I would consider Southern Traditionalists when it comes to their cornbread recipe, an old-fashioned style Corn Pone made with white cornmeal and absolutely no sugar. This was breaking all the rules in her book and going for broke when I made it for the family a few years back– thank goodness it was a HUGE hit with everyone. Could you just imagine if I was an epic failure, and they hadn’t gone over very well that day? I don’t even want to think about it, do you?
I am definitely in love with the taste of jalapeño peppers, sharp cheddar, corn, bacon, and homemade cornbread, so this was a perfect combination all encased in a muffin tin — imagine my delight with the idea that you can combine all these wonderful ingredients in one place to make one of the yummiest non-traditional cornbread muffins you will ever taste. Below you will find my simple to make recipe with notes, tips, and tricks included
Jalapeño Cheddar Bacon Cornbread Muffins
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One and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
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One and 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
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One teaspoon of baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 and 1/2 cup buttermilk
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3/4 cup sweet cream or unsalted butter, melted
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3/4 cup sugar
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Three large eggs, room temperature
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One tablespoon of honey
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Six slices of crisp smoked bacon, chopped
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Two ears of corn, kernels removed, or 1 cup of frozen corn kernels
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1/4 cup minced red peppers
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Two jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
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1/2 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
Method for Jalapeno Cheddar Bacon Cornbread Muffins
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
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Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with oil or nonstick spray; set aside until ready to place the batter.
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Combine flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and kosher salt in a large bowl.
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Whisk together butter, sugar, room-temperature eggs, and honey in a large glass measuring cup or another bowl.
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Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients, stir using a rubber spatula just until mixed (do not over-mix ingredients)
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Add corn kernels, chopped crisp bacon, minced red peppers, jalapeño, cheese, and gently combine ingredients.
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Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tin by using a large scoop or small measuring cup.
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Place into oven and bake for 16-18 minutes (depending on muffin size) or until a tester or toothpick inserted in the center of cornbread muffin comes out clean.
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Remove from muffin tin from the oven, and place on a heat-resistant area. Cool cornbread muffins in the muffin tin on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before trying to remove them.
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Gently remove Jalapeño Cheddar Bacon Cornbread Muffins from the muffin tin, and serve immediately with butter.
Notes, tips, and tricks
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Half and Half or whole milk may be substituted for buttermilk if you do not have it on hand.
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Frozen corn may be substituted for the two ears of fresh corn. Use 1 cup of frozen (do not thaw beforehand)
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Jalapeno peppers should be fresh, never canned or jarred, since their use greatly affects flavor and texture.
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Pre-Packaged shredded Sharp cheddar cheese may be substituted for freshly grated sharp if desired or short on time.
Jalapeno Cheddar Bacon Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1½ cups All-purpose flour
- 1½ cups Yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups Buttermilk
- ¾ cup Unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup Sugar
- 3 large Eggs
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 6 slices bacon crisp and chopped
- 2 ears Corn kernels or 1 cup frozen
- ¼ cup Red peppers Minced
- 3 Jalapenos chopped, seeds removed
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with oil or nonstick spray; set aside till ready to place batter in.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and kosher salt.
- In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together butter, sugar, room temperature eggs, and honey.
- Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients, stir using a rubber spatula just until mixed (do not over-mix ingredients)
- Add corn kernels, chopped crisp bacon, minced red peppers, jalapeño, and cheese, and gently combine ingredients.
- Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tin by using a large scoop or small measuring cup.
- Place into oven and bake for 16-18 minutes (depending on muffin size) or until a tester or toothpick inserted in the center of cornbread muffin comes out clean.
- Remove from muffin tin from the oven, place on a heat-resistant area. Cool cornbread muffins in the muffin tin on a wire rack about 15 minutes, before trying to remove them.
- Gently remove Jalapeño Cheddar Bacon Cornbread Muffins from muffin tin, serve immediately with butter.
Nutrition
I made this and the guys loved it with there chili. I will make this again.
I have never made cornbread and love jalapenos Heidy! I can’t wait to try out this muffin recipe.
Cheers! Joanne
Thank you, Joanne! Have a great day!
I need to make some chili now just so I can try your Jalapeño Cheddar Bacon Cornbread! I haven’t had smoked bacon in cornbread. Sure like the sound of adding it!
I love your whole food approach. It is right up my alley. These muffins look perfect with a little spice to keep adding to the mix. Pinned