Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins

ByEric Jones
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Moist, tender, and packed with flavor (and a little kick), these Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins are loaded with jalapenos and cheddar cheese! They are perfect as a side dish, snack, or to pair with your favorite soup, beans, or chili.

overhead shot of cornbread muffins in a muffin pan

There is nothing like enjoying a southern meal with a side of cornbread, and these Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins are a certified hit! They are not only nice and fluffy, but every bite strikes the perfect balance of heat and sweetness, pairing jalapeños with sharp cheddar, honey, and brown sugar.

I’m a country boy, and I’ve always loved my grandmother’s cast iron skillet (paid link) cornbread. I’ve taken all the things I love about her version with a few tweaks, like swapping brown sugar instead of granulated sugar, using evaporated milk instead of buttermilk, and charring the jalapeños to enhance the smokiness.

muffin pan filled with jalapeno cornbread muffins

Ingredients you’ll need to make Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins: 

Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below

jalapeno cheddar cornbread muffin ingredients
  • Yellow cornmeal is the star ingredient. You’ll want a medium grain to give the cornbread that classic crumbly texture.
  • Another foundational ingredient is all-purpose flour. A 1:1 ratio of flour and cornmeal results in a light and fluffy texture. You can swap all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour.
  • You’ll want to add baking powder for a little rise in your muffins.
  • You’ll char fresh jalapeños on the stovetop for this recipe. Jalapeños will bring the heat, so feel free to remove the seeds for less kick. I also slice fresh jalapenos and place them on top of the muffins. You can substitute canned pickled jalapeños.
  • I added both brown sugar and honey for a hint of sweetness. Brown Sugar adds moisture and a molasses flavor to cornbread muffins.
  • I use evaporated milk instead of traditional buttermilk. However, regular milk, half-and-half, almond milk, or any unsweetened or dairy-free option will also work well here.
  • Butter adds flavor, and the olive oil adds moisture—the balance of both results in the perfect texture and crumb.
  • Eggs will serve as your binder.
  • And because I season EVERYTHING, you’ll need sea salt, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder.
  • You can’t have jalapeno cheddar cornbread without cheddar cheese, and I prefer sharp cheddar. I recommend shredding your own cheese rather than buying pre-shredded cheese because it melts better.

Handy tip: Substitutions

Another great thing about this recipe is that you can make it your own. Need a gluten-free version? Swap out the flour for a gluten-free option. Not a huge fan of cheddar? You could gouda, pepper jack, and even mozzarella. And if you want to lower the heat, simply remove the jalapeño seeds before adding the jalapenos to your mix. If you prefer the heat like me, be sure to leave those seeds in!

How to make Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins: 

Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F.

Char the jalapeños. Over an open flame on the stovetop, char the jalapeños. Char the jalapenos on each side for a few minutes until its skin is slightly burned. After allowing the jalapeños to cool, remove the charred skin, stem, and seeds (leave the seeds for more heat). Finely chop the jalapeños into small pieces and set them to the side. 

Combine the dry ingredients. Mix the yellow cornmeal, flour, and baking powder in a large bowl.

Combine the wet ingredients. Mix the eggs, brown sugar, honey, and evaporated milk in a large bowl with a hand mixer (paid link).

Combine all ingredients. Pour the cornmeal and flour mixture into the bowl of wet ingredients. Add the sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Blend using a hand mixer (paid link). Do not overmix. Fold in the chopped jalapenos and shredded cheddar cheese.

Grease a muffin pan. To prevent sticking, spray the pan with cooking oil or grease it with butter.

Pour and bake. Evenly divide the cornbread batter between the 12 muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Top each with a fresh jalapeño slice. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out crumbly but not wet.

one jalapeno cornbread muffin close-up

Recipe FAQs & Tips

Leftover cornbread muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze them, allow them to cool completely, then wrap each one individually with plastic wrap and foil and place it in an airtight container or plastic zip bag. They can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat:

Thaw the cornbread muffins (if previously frozen) and either bake them in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes until warmed or reheat them in the microwave in 30-second increments.

one jalapeno cornbread sliced and topped with butter

These cornbread muffins are easy to make, require just a few simple ingredients, and give you a sweet, savory, and spicy taste all in every bite.

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one jalapeno cornbread muffin close-up

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Muffins

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  • Author: Eric Jones
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 10 – 12 1x
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Description

Moist, tender, and packed with flavor (and a little kick), these Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins are loaded with jalapenos and cheddar cheese!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 fresh jalapeños
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 2 large organic eggs
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup raw unfiltered honey
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
  2. Char the jalapenos on each side over an open flame on the stovetop for a few minutes until their skin is slightly burned. Allow the jalapeños to cool, then remove the charred skin, stem, and seeds (leave the seeds for more heat). Finely chop the jalapeños into small pieces and set them aside. 
  3. Mix the yellow cornmeal, flour, and baking powder in a large bowl.
  4. Add the eggs, brown sugar, honey, evaporated milk, butter, and olive oil into a large bowl, then mix well with a hand mixer (paid link).
  5. Pour the cornmeal and flour mixture into the bowl of wet ingredients. Add the sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Blend with a hand mixer (paid link). Do not overmix.
  6. Fold in the chopped jalapenos and shredded cheddar cheese
  7. Spray or butter your muffin pan. Evenly divide the cornbread batter between the 12 muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Top each with a fresh jalapeño slice.
  8. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out crumbly but not wet.

Equipment

(paid link)

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Comfort Food
  • Method: Oven Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Calories: 226
  • Sugar: 8.4g
  • Sodium: 3360mg
  • Fat: 9.8g
  • Carbohydrates: 30.6g
  • Fiber: 3.8g
  • Protein: 8.2g

I'm Eric --- a husband, father, Louisiana native, and lover of Tex-Mex and double-stacked burgers. On this site, you'll find Southern recipes I learned from my grandmothers using simple, approachable ingredients.

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