Gluten-Free Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

The other night, we had a friend over for dinner, and I wanted to prepare something different from my usual weekly menu. I was drawn to the beautiful salad by How Sweet It Is and knew I had to include it on my menu. Although I could have had a salad for dinner, I did not want John or our guests to wonder if there was anything else. So cornbread muffins were the answer—naturally.

This recipe was adapted from an Iowa Girl Eats version that I have been eyeing for months. It’s in my “bookmarks,” but I never made it. I made these gluten-free as I have been experimenting with GF recipes more recently, and I was up for the task. I did it.

The recipe is easy to make and takes only 30 minutes to prepare. It is also healthier and requires only one bowl.

This recipe has a little butter, but it’s not a box mix. Half the sugar has been replaced by honey, and there is a full portion of fruit. I used applesauce, but the recipe called for pumpkin puree. There are also two jalapenos, which, according to my friend, are good for metabolism. I’ll take whatever I can.

These little guys were a huge hit. They were not too crumbly and had a super moist texture. The sweet cornbread with spicy jalapeno was a perfect combination. I tried reducing the sugar by half, but I was not as happy with the results. In that case, I would recommend using 1/4 cup of sugar for best results.

Ingredients

• Butter melted in 3 tablespoons
• Pumpkin puree or applesauce unsweetened, 1/3 cup
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup raw sugar or granulated granulated Sugar
• One large egg
• Substitute almond milk for 1 cup of low-fat butter milk. Add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice.
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup gluten-free flour blend
• Half a teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• Two medium jalapenos (divided)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease it with butter, non-stick spray, or a combination of both (as per the original recipe // adjust the number of muffins when changing batch size).
• Melt butter in a large bowl.
• Add sugar, honey, pumpkin puree or applesauce, and eggs. Whisk to combine.
• Add salt, baking soda, and 1/2 of the jalapenos (diced with seeds removed/ 1 jalapeno according to original recipe) and stir.
• Stir in the buttermilk or almond milk and add it to your mixture.
• Add the cornmeal, and then mix in the gluten-free flour. Stir until well combined. Add a little more flour if it appears too thin. If the dough looks too thick, addButtermilkk.
• As written in the original recipe, pour evenly into 12 mini muffin tins. Top each one with a jalapeno slice (optional), and trim the seeds.
• Bake for 18-22 mins, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan. Transfer to a serving plate or bowl. Cover to keep warm.
• I recommend that you serve these with a little butter and honey.
• Keeps for a few days in an airtight jar. Keep in the freezer for longer.