Healthy Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Mini Muffins
Yields: 24 mini muffins
 
These are always a huge hit with my family! They’re perfectly tender and have a subtle heat to them—not overly spicy at all! (My mom is a “mild salsa” type of person, and she loves these!) Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • 1 ¼ cups (150g) cornmeal (measured like this)
  • ½ cup (60g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 large egg white, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp (30mL) honey
  • 5 tbsp (75mL) nonfat milk
  • ¼ cup (28g) finely grated sharp cheddar cheese (see Notes!)
  • scant 2 tbsp finely minced fresh jalapeño (about 1 small, see Notes!)
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg white, and vanilla. Stir in the Greek yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Stir in the honey. Alternate between adding the cornmeal mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the cornmeal mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the cornmeal mixture in 3 equal parts.) Fold in the cheddar and jalapeños.
  3. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 10-13 minutes or until the centers feel firm to the touch. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes: For the gluten-free flour, I recommend as follows: ¼ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends will work as well, if measured like this.

Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.

It’s very important to measure both the cornmeal and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (I always use this kitchen scale because it makes sure my baking recipes turn out with the perfect taste and texture every time. It’s only $20!) Too much of either will dry out your cornbread, instead of the moist and tender texture it should have.

I know vanilla sounds like a strange ingredient for cornbread, but trust me! Vanilla enhances butter’s flavor, so it makes this cornbread taste just as indulgent as traditional recipes. (I highly recommend using butter instead of coconut oil, for that reason!)

Pure maple syrup or agave may be substituted for the honey. We prefer our cornbread on the not-so-sweet side since we usually serve it with a drizzle of honey (and a small pat of melted butter, if you’re feeling indulgent!). If you like sweeter cornbread, substitute additional honey, pure maple syrup, or agave in place of an equal amount of the milk.

Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.

I highly recommend grating your own cheddar cheese! Store-bought shredded cheese has a coating on it that prevents it from melting quite as well, although it will work. For a much more prominent cheddar flavor, double the amount of cheese!

For the jalapeño, I removed the ribs and seeds. These contain most of spicy heat! As written, using just 2 tablespoons of finely diced jalapeño (the green flesh), these muffins aren’t overly spicy. My mom, who only likes mild salsa, enjoyed these muffins! For a spicier flavor, increase the jalapeño by an additional 1-3 teaspoons, or add in the ribs and seeds too. And make sure you cut the jalapeño very finely. The flecks should be itty bitty, like the size of minced garlic!

{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, lower sugar}
Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2017/08/31/healthy-jalapeno-cheddar-cornbread-mini-muffins/