Delicious Blue Cheese & Chive Cornbread Muffins: The Ultimate Recipe for Flavorful Sides

Elevate your meal with these utterly irresistible Cornbread Muffins, featuring a sophisticated twist of subtle blue cheese and fresh chives. While they are a match made in heaven for my hearty Buffalo Chicken Chili, their versatile flavor profile ensures they complement a wide array of dishes wherever you’d typically serve a side of cornbread. Don’t be deterred by the thought of blue cheese; its inclusion is carefully balanced, adding only a delicate, tangy note that enhances, rather than overwhelms, the classic cornbread flavor. These muffins are designed to deliver comfort with a touch of gourmet flair, making them perfect for any occasion.

Cornbread Muffins scattered on counter, one split in half with butter on it.

One of the key elements that truly sets these cornbread muffins apart is the generous inclusion of whole corn kernels. This isn’t just about adding more corn; it’s about transforming the eating experience. With every bite, you’ll encounter delightful little pops of sweetness that contrast beautifully with the savory notes of the cheese and chives. This textural and flavor enhancement makes these muffins incredibly satisfying and memorable. The combination of moist crumb, sweet corn, savory cheese, and fresh herbs creates a symphony of flavors that will quickly make this your go-to cornbread muffin recipe.

Making cornbread muffins from scratch is a rewarding experience, transforming simple ingredients into a warm, comforting side dish that feels both homely and special. This recipe focuses on creating light, fluffy muffins with a perfectly golden-brown crust, ensuring every bite is a pure delight. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or new to the kitchen, these easy-to-follow steps will guide you to cornbread muffin perfection. Get ready to impress your family and friends with this elevated classic!

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Essential Ingredients for Perfect Cornbread Muffins

At its heart, this is a basic, yet incredibly delicious, cornbread recipe, elevated by thoughtful additions. You’ll find many typical ingredients essential for classic cornbread, forming a reliable foundation. However, it’s the blue cheese and chives that truly punch up the flavor, specifically chosen to complement robust dishes like my Buffalo Chicken Chili, while also making these muffins shine on their own. Each ingredient plays a vital role in achieving the perfect balance of taste and texture.

Ingredients needed to make Cornbread Muffins.

Whole Milk: The foundation of our wet ingredients, whole milk contributes essential moisture and a rich, tender crumb to the muffins. Its fat content helps create a softer texture and more flavorful result compared to lower-fat alternatives.
Vegetable Oil: Beyond adding moisture, vegetable oil ensures these cornbread muffins remain incredibly tender and moist even after cooling. It contributes to that desirable light and airy texture.
Large Eggs: Eggs act as a crucial binding agent, holding the muffin batter together and providing structure. They also add richness and contribute to the overall fluffy texture of the baked muffins.
Granulated Sugar: A touch of sugar is essential to balance the savory notes from the cornmeal and cheese. It also aids in achieving that beautiful golden-brown crust and enhances the overall sweetness of the corn kernels.
Baking Powder: Our primary leavening agent, baking powder is responsible for the muffins’ rise, ensuring they are light and airy, rather than dense.
Kosher Salt: Salt is a flavor enhancer, bringing out the best in all the other ingredients and preventing the muffins from tasting flat.
All-Purpose Flour: Providing structure and stability, all-purpose flour works in harmony with the cornmeal to create the perfect muffin texture.
Yellow Cornmeal: The star ingredient! Yellow cornmeal gives these muffins their distinctive cornbread flavor and characteristic slightly gritty, yet tender, texture.
Corn Kernels (Frozen or Canned): As highlighted earlier, these kernels are non-negotiable for those delightful bursts of sweetness and added texture. Frozen or canned (drained well) both work wonderfully for convenience.
Blue Cheese Crumbles: This is our special ingredient, offering a subtle yet distinctive tangy and savory note. It melts beautifully into the batter, infusing the muffins with a unique depth of flavor that pairs exceptionally well with chili and other robust dishes.
Chives (Diced + more for topping): Fresh chives provide a mild oniony flavor and vibrant green flecks, adding both taste and visual appeal. They contribute a fresh, herbaceous counterpoint to the richness of the cheese and corn.
Salted Butter (for serving + brushing the muffin tin): Real butter is key for greasing the muffin tin, ensuring a beautiful golden crust and easy release. It’s also indispensable for serving, adding an extra layer of deliciousness when melted over warm muffins.

If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, or simply prefer a more traditional cornbread muffin, feel free to omit both the blue cheese and chives. The base recipe is robust enough to stand on its own, delivering classic comfort. For precise measurements and detailed instructions, remember to use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to find the full recipe card. This will ensure you have all the exact quantities at your fingertips for baking success.

Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Cornbread Muffins

Creating these delightful cornbread muffins is a straightforward process, but paying attention to a few key steps will ensure the best possible outcome: light, moist, and perfectly flavored muffins every time. Let’s walk through the method, ensuring each stage is clear and easy to follow for baking success.

Preparing the Wet Ingredients

Begin by setting the stage for your batter. In the bottom of a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and vegetable oil. Whisk these ingredients together vigorously until the mixture becomes light and frothy. This aeration step is important as it incorporates air into the wet ingredients, contributing to the ultimate lightness of your muffins. A good whisking here ensures a smooth, uniform base for your dry ingredients.

Milk, eggs, and oil in a bowl ready to be whisked.

Milk, eggs, and oil in a bowl whisked together, adding the sugar, baking soda, and salt to the bowl.

Adding Sweetness and Leavening

Next, introduce the granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt to the frothy wet mixture. Whisk these in until they are well combined. The sugar will dissolve into the liquid, and the baking powder will be evenly distributed, ready to work its magic in the oven. This step ensures consistent leavening and seasoning throughout your muffins.

Incorporating Dry Ingredients

Now, it’s time for the flour and cornmeal. Gently whisk them into the wet ingredients. The key here is to mix *just* until the ingredients are barely combined and some lumps of flour still remain. This under-mixing technique is crucial to prevent overdeveloping the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense muffins. As soon as most of the dry ingredients are moistened, switch from your whisk to a rubber spatula to finish the mixing process, exercising even more care.

Folding in the Flavorful Add-ins

With the base batter almost ready, it’s time to fold in our stars: the corn kernels, blue cheese crumbles, and fresh chives. Add them to the bowl and gently fold them into the batter using your spatula until they are just evenly incorporated. The ‘folding’ motion helps to distribute these ingredients without overworking the batter. Remember, light hands lead to light muffins!

Flour and Cornmeal lightly whisked into the bowl, adding the corn, blue cheese, and chives, ready to fold them in.

All cornbread ingredient gently folded together, ready to be placed in a muffin tin.

Preparing the Muffin Tin

Before filling, prepare your muffin tin. Butter a standard 12-cup muffin tin generously. And I cannot stress this enough: USE REAL BUTTER. Cornbread has an affinity for butter, and brushing each cup with melted butter not only prevents sticking but also contributes significantly to a beautiful, golden-brown, slightly crispy exterior. This buttery coating adds incredible flavor and helps the muffins release effortlessly from the pan after baking.

Baking to Golden Perfection

Evenly distribute the prepared batter among the 12 cups of your buttered muffin tin. For an extra touch of freshness and visual appeal, you can top each muffin with a sprinkle of additional diced chives before baking. Bake the muffins in your preheated oven until they are beautifully golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, indicating they are fully cooked through.

Once removed from the oven, for an ultimate indulgence, I like to place a ½ tablespoon pat of salted butter directly on top of each hot muffin. Let the residual heat melt the butter, allowing it to soak into the warm, fluffy interior, adding unparalleled richness and a glossy finish. Allow them to cool slightly in the tin before transferring to a wire rack. These muffins are best served warm, allowing the flavors to truly sing.

Serving Suggestions and Pairing

As previously mentioned, my absolute favorite way to serve these delectable Cornbread Muffins is alongside my hearty Buffalo Chicken Chili. The tangy blue cheese and fresh chives create a perfect counterpoint to the spicy, savory chili. I particularly enjoy crumbling a warm muffin into the bottom of a bowl and then spooning the hot chili over the top; the muffin absorbs the rich broth and adds a wonderful texture. Beyond chili, these muffins are fantastic with any soup, stew, barbecue spread, or even as a standalone snack with extra butter and a drizzle of honey. Their unique flavor profile also makes them a great companion to roasted chicken or pork dishes.

Cornbread Muffins scattered on counter, one split in half.

Crumbled muffin in the bottom of a bowl with a spoon ready to be covered with chili.

Expert Notes & Tips for Fluffy Cornbread Muffins

Achieving perfectly tender and flavorful cornbread muffins is simple when you keep a few key tips in mind. These insights will help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure your muffins turn out beautifully every time.

Muffin Tin Selection and Preparation: I typically use a standard 12-cup muffin tin for this recipe, yielding perfectly portioned muffins. However, you could also opt for a mini muffin tin for smaller, bite-sized treats – just be sure to adjust baking time accordingly. The most critical note here is how you prepare the tin: brush each space generously with real butter, not cooking spray. Cornbread absolutely loves butter; it not only imparts a rich, golden-brown exterior but also guarantees that your muffins release effortlessly from the pan without sticking.
Choosing Your Corn Kernels: The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility when it comes to corn. You can add corn kernels frozen directly from the bag (no need to thaw), fresh off the cob during peak season, or well-drained canned corn. Any method works effectively to deliver those delightful bursts of sweetness and texture within your muffins.
Preventing Tough Muffins – The Gentle Mix: This is perhaps the most important tip for tender muffins. After adding the flour and cornmeal, be sure to fold the batter together gently. Overworking the batter, especially after the dry ingredients have been added, develops the gluten in the flour excessively. This will result in tough, chewy muffins instead of light and fluffy ones. Mix just until no streaks of dry flour can be seen in the bowl, and then stop. A few small lumps are perfectly fine and even desirable.
Ingredient Temperature: While not strictly necessary, bringing your milk and eggs to room temperature can help them incorporate more smoothly into the batter, leading to a more consistent final product.
Cooling Process: Allow your freshly baked muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This initial cooling in the tin helps them set, making them easier to handle, and preventing them from falling apart.

Creative Substitutions for Your Cornbread Muffins

While the original recipe for these blue cheese and chive cornbread muffins is exceptional, it’s also incredibly versatile. Don’t hesitate to experiment with substitutions to tailor them to your taste preferences or what you have on hand. Here are some ideas to inspire your culinary creativity:

Cornmeal Varieties: Yellow cornmeal is widely available and what I typically use, giving the muffins their classic golden hue and robust corn flavor. However, you could also experiment with white cornmeal for a milder flavor and lighter color, or even blue cornmeal for a unique visual appeal and slightly nuttier taste.
Cheese Alternatives: Because of how beautifully it complements my chili, I use blue cheese for its distinctive tangy and savory notes. However, if blue cheese isn’t your preference, there are many delicious alternatives. Consider using shredded pepper jack cheese for a subtle kick, sharp cheddar for a more classic, rich cheese flavor, or even crumbled feta cheese for a different Mediterranean-inspired tang. Each cheese will bring its own unique character to the muffins.
Herb Swaps: Chives are my preferred herb for these muffins due to their delicate, mild onion flavor and small size, which integrates perfectly into the batter. As a substitute, you could use finely chopped green onions (scallions), keeping in mind they have a slightly stronger onion flavor. Other fresh herbs like finely chopped parsley or cilantro could also offer a refreshing twist, depending on what you’re pairing them with.
Dairy Options: If you’re looking for a tangier muffin with an even more tender crumb, substitute the whole milk with buttermilk. If using a non-dairy alternative, ensure it’s an unsweetened variety like almond or oat milk.
Sweetness Level: If you prefer a less sweet cornbread, you can slightly reduce the amount of granulated sugar. For a different type of sweetness, a tablespoon or two of honey or maple syrup can be added, though you might need to slightly adjust other liquid components.
Add a Little Heat: For those who enjoy a bit of spice, finely diced jalapeños (seeds removed for less heat) or a pinch of cayenne pepper folded into the batter will provide a pleasant warmth.

These substitutions allow you to customize your cornbread muffins, making them truly your own. Don’t be afraid to play around with flavors and textures to discover your next favorite combination!

Half a Cornbread Muffin with crumbs all around it on a counter and butter on the muffin.

More Great Side Dishes to Enjoy

Looking for more delicious accompaniments to complete your meals? Explore these other fantastic side dish recipes that are sure to impress:

Creamy Ranch Potato Salad
Savory Chinese Green Beans
Irresistible Cheesy Garlic Bread
Flavorful Black Bean Dip
Velvety Creamy Polenta
Crispy Fried Cauliflower
Perfect Crispy Skin Baked Potatoes
Quick 5-Minute Spinach with Lemon

Did you make this recipe? I would absolutely love to hear about your experience! Please let me know by leaving a review or a comment below. Your feedback helps me improve and inspires other home cooks. And for more delicious recipes and cooking tips, be sure to sign up for my newsletter. You can also follow along and connect with me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook! Happy baking!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 12 Muffins

Cornbread Muffins with Blue Cheese and Chives

Prep Time:
5 minutes

Cook Time:
18 minutes

Total Time:
23 minutes

I really love making these Cornbread Muffins to go with my Buffalo Chicken Chili, but they match well anywhere you’d have a side of cornbread.

Ingredients

1 cup Whole Milk
 ¼ cup Vegetable Oil 
2 large Eggs
½ cup Granulated Sugar 
1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder 
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour 
1 cup Yellow Cornmeal
 1 cup Corn Kernels, frozen or canned
½ cup Blue Cheese Crumbles
¼ cup Chives, diced + more for topping
Salted Butter, for serving + brushing the muffin tin

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Grease and line a 12-cup standard muffin tin by brushing each cup with butter.

In a large bowl combine the milk, oil, and eggs and whisk until frothy.

Whisk in the sugar, baking powder, and salt, and stir to combine.

Add the cornmeal and flour and whisk until barely combined and flour spots are still present.

Fold the corn kernels, blue cheese, and chives in, just until the flour is completely worked in, being gentle and not overworking the mixture.

Evenly divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups and top with more chives if desired.

Bake for 17-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Serve warm with butter on top and enjoy!

Notes

Notes & Tips

I use a standard muffin tin here, but you could also use a mini tin. The most important note is to brush each space with butter, and REAL BUTTER. It browns the outside and helps release it from the pan.

The corn can be added frozen, fresh, or canned, any way works.

Be sure to fold the batter together gently after adding the flour and cornmeal or the muffins can become tough if you overwork the batter. Just mix till no streaks of flour can be seen in the bowl.

Substitutions

Yellow cornmeal is just easy to find and I always seem to have some on hand. But you could also make this recipe with blue cornmeal.

Because of how I like to serve these muffins, I use blue cheese. But you could also make these muffins with pepper jack or cheddar.

For making muffins I like to use chives because they are so small. You could also use green onions in their place.

Did you make this recipe?

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Savory Blue Cheese and Chive Cornbread Muffins