Corn bread or corn muffins are the perfect partner for many soups and stews. And these Chili Cornbread Muffins are no exception.
These muffins have a bit of a bite….the heat comes from the jalapeno peppers and the chipotle chili powder. Adjust the quantities for less … or more….heat.
Pour the batter into a cake pan or loaf pan for cornbread (adjust baking time accordingly); or use a standard muffin pan to make individual cakes.
I like to use my brownie pan to end up with square muffins.
This recipe can easily be halved if you just want a few muffins (but why would you?)
Chili Cornbread Muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes Baking Time: 15-18 minutes
Yield: 14-16 medium-size muffins
Ingredients:
235 g (1 ¼ cups) stone-ground cornmeal (fine- or course-ground)
200 g (1 ¼ cups) all purpose flour
3 tablespoons (45 mL) white sugar
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon (15 mL) baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
3-4 tablespoons chopped canned/pickled jalapeno chili peppers
1 small zucchini, shredded (approximately 1 cup shredded)
125 mL (1/2 cup) fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup (250 mL / 80 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
60 mL (1/4 cup) vegetable or grapeseed oil
375 mL (1 ½ cups) buttermilk (or a little vinegar/lemon juice in regular milk)
Chipotle chili powder
Method:
- Prepare a standard muffin pan with paper/parchment cups, or spray with a non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, chili powder, baking powder and salt.
- To the flour mixture, add the jalapeno peppers, shredded zucchini, corn, and shredded cheddar cheese. Toss to combine.
- Add the beaten eggs, oil, and buttermilk to the bowl and gently stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over-stir … leave the batter slightly lumpy.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared baking cups. Very lightly dust the batter with a little chipotle chili powder.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out dry.
Questions and comments are always welcome alex@chilipeppersandpears.com
