Blueberry Cornbread Muffins
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Cornbread makes a perfect backdrop for blueberries, which burst as they bake, creating little pockets of juice that keep the muffins tender.
You can’t help but love these little blueberry cornbread muffins, a cross between classic blueberry muffins and cornbread. The slight crunch and savory flavor of cornmeal make a lovely backdrop for the blueberries, which burst as they bake, creating little pockets of juice that keep the muffins tender. The muffins are simple to make. With just a few bowls and a whisk, you can whip them up in 15 minutes, and enjoy them warm from the oven with your coffee 30 minutes later.
“Delicious and easy! Love the little crisp crunch of cornmeal and juicy blueberry together in a warm breakfast bite.”
What You’ll Need To Make Blueberry Cornbread Muffins
- Milk: Provides moisture and richness to the muffins batter.
- Lemon Juice: Adds acidity to react with baking powder, helping the muffins rise. You’ll use the lemon’s zest as well, so make sure to zest the lemon before juicing it.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the muffin batter, providing structure. Measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Yellow Cornmeal: Adds a slightly gritty texture and a subtle corn flavor, characteristic of cornbread.
- Sugar: Sweetens the muffins and helps to create a tender crumb.
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent helping the muffins rise.
- Blueberries: Break down during baking, creating pockets of juicy flavor and adding bursts of sweetness.
- Eggs: Act as a binding agent, holding the muffin batter together and providing structure.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor profile with its aromatic sweetness.
- Lemon Zest: Adds brightness and citrusy aroma, complementing the blueberries.
- Butter: Incorporates richness and flavor into the muffins.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by zesting the lemon (you’ll use the zest later) and combining the milk and lemon juice. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, and you’ll have homemade buttermilk. (You could just use buttermilk, but since the recipe calls for lemon zest, you might as well just use the juice and avoid buying buttermilk.)
Meanwhile, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt and in a large bowl. I like to place the ingredients in the bowl neatly, so I can see what I’ve already added — otherwise, I’m likely to forget.
Whisk until well combined.
To keep the berries from sinking to the bottom of the muffins, toss them with 1 teaspoon of the flour mixture. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk and lemon mixture with the eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest.
Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, along with the melted butter. Stir until just blended.
Add the flour-dusted blueberries. Stir until just combined.
Spoon the batter into a muffin pan lined with paper liners. They will be very full.
Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until set and lightly golden.
Let the muffins cool for a few minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack. Serve warm with butter. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Frozen blueberries work just fine in these muffins. Add them while frozen to avoid turning your batter purple. Also, be sure to toss the blueberries with the flour mixture to prevent them from sinking during baking.
The lemon juice helps the muffins rise and adds a subtle tanginess that enhances the flavor of the blueberries. Similarly, the zest brings a bright citrus aroma to the muffins.
Yep – the muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.
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Blueberry Cornbread Muffins
Cornbread makes a perfect backdrop for blueberries, which burst as they bake, creating little pockets of juice that keep the muffins tender.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (see note)
- 1½ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup blueberries (see note)
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon (about 1½ teaspoons)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a muffin pan with paper liners (don't skip the liners or the blueberries will stick to the pan).
- Combine the milk and lemon juice. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Place the blueberries in a small bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of the flour mixture. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk/lemon mixture, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add to the dry ingredients, along with the melted butter. Stir until just blended; and then stir in the blueberries. Do not overmix.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup very full. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are set and golden around the edges. Cool the muffins for a few minutes in the pan, then serve warm with butter or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Note: Be sure to zest the lemon before juicing it.
- Note: Don't be tempted to increase the blueberries: one cup is just the right amount -- if you jam-pack the muffins with berries, they'll be too tart and wet.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a 350°F-oven until warm.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 228
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Sugar: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Sodium: 275mg
- Cholesterol: 53mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Used lime instead of lemon and blackberries instead of blueberries. Gorgeous taste of citrus and vanilla. Crispy tops and fruity interior. Sooo good!
I made these muffins using dehydrated blueberries that I rehydrated in juice to add flavor. I also added about 2 T. of minced ginger, and these turned out sensational! Thanks so much for a wonderful recipe. They were moist, full of flavor and had the perfect texture!
Love these muffins. I used applesauce instead of butter and had some heavy cream on hand so I used it up in place of milk. These muffins are absolutely delicious! Thanks!
Absolute perfection. I used spelt flour (to render it gluten free) and they were dynamite.
Hello! I want to move away from flour and am experimenting with spelt. How much spelt did you use?
Simple but delicious! I was looking for a recipe to use up cornmeal and I happened to have blueberries on hand, so this was perfect! The cornmeal adds a wonderful crunch. I’ll be making this again.
I found this recipe when looking for a different muffin to make. I’m tired of alternating between blueberry and corn muffins, abd the last time I tried something different I had some fresh peach muffins but they were too bland. Then I found your Blueberry Cornbread Muffins recipe and they’re SO good! I don’t usually have buttermilk in hand so I’ve shied away from recipes calling for it but for once I had all the other ingredients so I tried it.
For the buttermilk I used your recipe and added fresh lemon juice from the grated lemon peel. I didn’t have unsalted butter so I reduced the salt by 1/2. Finally, I don’t like things really sweet so I also reduced the sugar by 1/2. I also sprinkled some sugar crystals on top of each muffin before baking to add a little sparkle.
The muffins came out perfectly except I think I’d add a little more sugar and maybe more lemon peel back in the mix. I planned on having one for lunch until my 2 “kids” found me aka my parrots and between them they polished off almost 1/2 of my muffin. I couldn’t even tempt my mini macaw away with bananas, and he loves bananas!
I only had one small problem. Even thought I dusted the blueberries as you instructed many of the blueberries sunk to the bottom and burst and I don’t know why. Any suggestions? I’m wondering if it’s because I tinkered with the ingredients amounts?
I also wanted to add that I filled the cups a little over the top of my silicone mini muffin tray and they cooked fine except for the burst berries at the bottom of them. I let them sit in their cups for 15 minutes and the easily slipped out when I turned them upside down on a rack.
These are definitely going to be at the top of my list for muffins recipes! Although this recipe is a little labor intensive it’s well worth it in the end!
Hi Kathy, Glad to hear you enjoyed these! Regarding the blueberries bursting and sinking to the bottom, it’s normal for them to burst but if they’re sinking to the bottom of the muffins, it may mean that you need to use a flour that’s a bit higher in protein as that will add more structure to the muffins. I have great luck baking with King Arthur all-purpose flour. (And I’m not sure if reducing the sugar by half could have made a difference but there’s a chance that it had a bit of an impact.) Hope that helps!
Moist, delicious ! My kitchen smells amazing! Great recipe, thank you
Moist delicious and my kitchen smells amazing! Great recipe !!!
Are frozen blueberries o.k.?
Sure – just don’t thaw them first or the batter will turn purple. Enjoy!
Made a Loaf Instead – Still Great!
Just increased baking time to 45 minutes, and lined the pan with parchment paper for easy release.