Mollie Bakes: Corn Muffins

If there is something I miss about summers of the past, I most definitely will say muffins. And not just any muffins, but corn muffins, to be exact. Sure, there are GF versions out there in the world, but have you had them? Good, not great. Decent, not fabulous.

Corn muffins are a food-passion of mine that I’ve decided to re-embrace and welcome back into my life - gluten free, of course. Oh, how I’ve missed them!

My decision to bake gluten free corn muffins came with a very high bar and a strong pour of hope: would they stand up to (and hopefully be better than) the corn muffins of yesteryear, pre-celiac, when I would indulge in giant, grocery-store (or bakery) versions that I would heartily cover in butter, briefly microwave, and then inhale. 

So scrumptious, buttery, and corny, there’s something inherently satisfying and homey about corn muffins which is also why they became my latest baking venture.

Plus, it’s August, which is pretty much the best time for corn muffins. Why? Because it’s corn season, silly! 🤗

Say this with me, with enthusiasm: Hooray for corn! 🎉🌽

How did this corn muffin adventure turn out? Read on to learn all about the fantastically corny results!

Item: Extra-corny Corn Muffins

Source: Recipe by Molly Baz for Bon Appétit. I selected this recipe because it was showcasing muffins that had fresh corn kernels both in and on top of the muffins. Yum. And I was intrigued by the inclusion of black pepper.

Fresh corn, which has sweet and savory components, plus spicy pepper? Pretty sure this was going to be a big hit. 

As usual, the only change I made to the recipe was to use Cup4Cup gluten free flour instead of regular All-Purpose. I followed the rest of the recipe and ingredients as written.  

Find the recipe here! 

Tips for Bakers: While I decided to bake these after dinner, I quickly realized that making a premier breakfast item at night was not my wisest move. However, the baking must go on! And yes, we still sampled them. It was late at night. And we were eating corn muffins. Who cares?! It was liberating. 😎

Next time, I’m making these first thing on a weekend morning because anything this amazing should be served with other breakfast goodies and a hot cup of coffee. Even amidst this scorching summer. 😉

In regard to the baking process, I followed the instructions exactly as written. It may seem funny to use fresh, raw corn in the batter and as the “garnish” on top of the muffins, but trust me, it works.

Also, just for my own accountability, I re-checked measurements three-four times while preparing the batter (I read the recipe a few times and kept asking Seth to repeat it out loud, too). A little much, you say? Possibly. But I’d rather a delicious result than a potential disaster. You cannot ever “double check” how much of an ingredient you’re adding too many times. And I’d hate to forget to add the corn. 😏

The recipe results in a semi-thick batter (perhaps due to that GF flour) that perfectly fills one muffin tin, which has twelve cups. Every cup was filled to the brim, after the tin was generously covered in cooking spray. It seemed like a lot, but it wasn’t.  

Sprinkle the top of each muffin with some of the raw corn, and then, if you’d like, sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt. But! I’d recommend minimal sea salt, if any. It’s the only element I’d consider skipping next time.  

Baking time! Gluten free baked goods, in my experience, tend to take a little longer in the oven. The recipe stated baking them for 18-20 minutes and rotating the pan once amidst that time. I baked the muffins for the full 20 minutes and I rotated them at around minute 10. Have to get those muffins perfectly golden!

Also, make sure to test one with a cake tester (or something else) to make sure they’re cooked all the way through. I used a wooden skewer we usually reserve for grilling shrimp. 🤗

Once out of the oven, let them cool a few minutes so you don’t burn your hands taking them out of the muffin tin. They’ll be super hot, still, but honestly, you won’t want to wait any longer. 😉 A little burn on your finger is worth it when it comes to eating a piping-hot, ultra-fresh corn muffin.  

GFMD Taste Test: Home. Run. Oh my, what is this heaven I’m inhaling right now? Is this a spectacular corn muffin that’s gluten free (!!!), full of fresh corn, and tastes so good it has put all other corn muffins of my past to shame?! Yes. Yes it is. Wow. I am so excited. 

Sure, I burned my fingers a little (again, who cares?), and yes, I was eating a hot corn muffin (with some fancy French butter on top) at almost midnight, but it tasted like the purest, most sunshine-y + happy summer day.

I loved the bright flavor of the corn kernels baked into the muffin and sprinkled on top because the more corn the better when it comes to corn muffins (and summer, honestly). There was also a good amount of cornmeal in the batter too, which made the muffins even more corny and delicious 😉. The ratio of GF flour to cornmeal was almost equal. 

And that hefty amount of freshly ground black pepper? Not only did we love it, but I’d say it wasn’t as “intense” as I suspected it could be. I loved the corn + pepper combo. Pepper?! What a perfect addition to a classic summer muffin. 

Overall, these corn muffins, made gluten free, were a smashing success. My only reservation is that the flaky sea salt on top made them a smidge saltier than I prefer. Don’t get me wrong. I love salt. I love savory. But I think these corn muffins have enough savory going on without that final sprinkle.

Let’s leave that extra salt to the fancy salted butter you should be spreading on while they’re still piping hot. 😉

Editor’s note: this recipe suggested making honey butter (mix these two ingredients together) to slather on the muffins. I chose to skip that, as I feel kind of “eh” on honey, but I do think it would be delicious.  Personally, I thought that regular salted butter (I chose a French butter I had in my fridge) worked wonders. Mmmm! 

Storage of GF corn muffins: if you manage to not eat the whole dozen at once, then I’d recommend placing the extras on a plate and loosely cover them with tin foil. Store them in a cool spot, away from the sun. I’ve had mixed results with the shelf-life of GF baked goods, but these did well and tasted great days after they were first baked.

Of course, I’d always recommend enjoying them on day one, right out of the oven! 🙂

May I suggest? These extra-corny muffins would be perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even part a savory dinner. What’s great is that you can easily fit them into any meal of the day!

While I think corn muffins are best in the morning, the recipe notes suggested pairing them with some delicious BBQ. I cannot disagree. This is another awesome option that I’m sure Seth would be pretty excited about, too.

But whenever you decide to bake and enjoy these scrumptious golden gems, just know that you may be in mourning if they’re already gone after the morning. 😉

What’s next? 

August is my birthday month! 🎉 And I am about to dive into the world of cakes and pies! Just wait... it’s gonna be great. 😎

Eat, well. 

Mollie  

P.S. I love a corny joke more than I probably should. Have a favorite one of your own? Send it my way or share in the comments! 🌽