Sweet Corn and Honey Muffins That Taste Like Home

Each of us has those foods that magically evoke feelings and thoughts from our childhood. One of mine is corn muffins, which are wonderfully homey. In fact, this recipe is adapted from an original that my mom has been using for over 40 years.

When I was mixing the batter, I added some sticky sweet honey and plump, fresh corn kernels, which I wasn't sure Mom would like. Last week she made this new version and called me declaring: "Oh, Susan, those corn muffins are even better than the mine!" Well, there you have it, folks -- the best endorsement a food blogga could ask for.

To capture that old-fashioned chewy texture that I love, I used medium coarse rather than fine cornmeal. The result: golden, crisp muffin tops give way to soft, moist, honey-laced centers that are only enhanced when topped with a pat of butter and drizzled with warm honey.

The aroma of freshly baked muffins and a little nostalgia -- it doesn't get much better than that.

Sweet Corn and Honey Muffins
Makes 12 regular size muffins.
Print recipe only here.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup medium coarse stone-ground cornmeal
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup fresh corn kernels

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Spray a 12 mold regular size muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, butter, buttermilk, eggs, and honey. Add to the flour mixture and stir quickly until well combined. Fold in the corn kernels. Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 molds.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before removing each muffin and placing on a wire rack to cool.


You might also like:

• My article, "You Can't Judge a Corn By Its Color," on NPR's Kitchen Window with recipes for Mexican Grilled Corn; Corn-Scallion-Cheddar Biscuits with Cilantro Butter; Sauteed Corn with Ginger, Mint and Lemon; and Roasted Corn and Tomatillo Salsa
• Looking to preserve the flavor of summer sweet corn all winter long? Then check out my article "How to Freeze Corn for the Winter" on Fit Fare. It's easy!

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