Chipotle chiles in adobo, fresh jalapeno peppers and sharp cheddar cheese combine to shine in this savory, slightly sweet, cornbread. Pair it with a pot of homemade pork and beans or a platter of BBQ ribs and corn on the cob.
If you’re not a fan of chipotle, leave them out, up the amount of jalapeno and add a pinch more sugar. The recipe is totally adaptable to just about anything you want to toss into the batter. Fresh corn kernals? Yep. Diced red onion? For sure. Cilantro & cumin? I think I’ll try that.
Adjust the recipe to your personal tastes. And maybe make a second batch to freeze for later. You’ll be glad you did.
The trick I learned when first making cornbread is to have a very light hand in mixing. Be sure to only stir ingredients until they are just combined. There is no need to beat the lumps to death. Just leave em in and you’ll have a lighter, airy cornbread or muffin.
Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread
Equipment
- 8 x 8 glass baking dish or muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups medium ground cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅙ cup organic granulated sugar
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ⅔ cup milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 4 Tbsp fresh chives finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp fresh jalapeno pepper seeded and minced plus extra thin sliced rounds for garnish
- 2 Tbsp chiles in adobo seeded and minced
- 1½ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- extra butter fo greasing the pan
- honey and whipped butter, for serving
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400°. Generously grease the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 glass baking dish or cups of a 12-cup muffin pan.
- In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pepper and salt.
- In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over low heat. Set aside to cool slightly for a few minutes. In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream, eggs. Add the melted butter and the minced chipotle chiles.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir until almost combined but with some lumps. Fold in the Cheddar and scallions, and stir slightly until just combined.
- Spoon the batter in 1/4-cup portions into the prepared muffin pan or pour into greased 8 x 8 glass baking dish. Top each muffin with a jalapeño slice for garnish, and bake until the tops are golden and the muffins are cooked through, about 18 minutes. If baking cornbread, allow to bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, with butter and honey.