Name: Small-Batch Savory Corn Muffins
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) cornmeal , divided; ½ cup (2½ ounces/71 grams) all-purpose flour; ¾ teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon table salt; ⅔ cup whole milk; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces and softened; ⅓ cup sour cream; 1 large egg , beaten; 1½ tablespoons sugar

Why This Recipe Works

For a corn muffin with great flavor and proper muffin structure, we used a ratio of 2 parts cornmeal to 1 part flour. We drastically reduced the large amount of sugar found in most recipes for a truly savory muffin. To help make up for the moisture that a larger amount of sugar normally provides, we used a mix of milk, butter, and sour cream for the right amount of water and fat. Finally, in order to get extra liquid into the batter, we precooked a portion of the cornmeal with additional milk to make a polenta-like porridge.

Before You Begin

We used Quaker Yellow Corn Meal for this recipe. You can substitute another brand but avoid coarse-ground or white cornmeal. If you have a 6-cup muffin tin, you can bake these in a toaster oven.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 6-cup muffin tin or 6 cups in 12-cup muffin tin. Whisk ¾ cup cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl.

Whisk together milk and remaining ¼ cup cornmeal in large bowl. Microwave mixture for 1½ minutes. Whisk thoroughly and continue to microwave, whisking every 30 seconds, until thickened to batter-like consistency (whisk will leave channel in bottom of bowl that slowly fills in), 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add butter and whisk until melted. Whisk in sour cream, egg, and sugar until combined. Stir in flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Using portion scoop or large spoon, divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups (about ½ cup batter per cup; batter may mound slightly above rim).

Bake until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 13 to 15 minutes, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking. Let muffins cool in muffin tin on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from muffin tin and let cool 5 minutes longer. Serve warm.