Growing up in the south, cornbread was serious business. It’s a staple at nearly every dinner, as well as an after dinner snack. They even eat it with milk or buttermilk as a cereal (seriously…and it’s awesome).
And Lord have mercy on the poor soul who would dare add something as blasphemous as sugar to this masterpiece.
Yet in New England, sugar in cornbread isn’t only expected, it’s mandatory. And you’ll know you’re doing it right if your muffins taste more like corn cake. As in, you’ll be wondering who left off the frosting.
To that point, my parents are one part Yankee (my father) and one part Southerner (my mother). And while “courting” my mother (this is still a word in the south), my father once put chocolate frosting on a piece of southern cornbread before he knew better – much to the horror of my mother’s very-much-NON-Yankee parents.
They’ve been married for over 40 years, and to this day, his ghastly error STILL comes up in conversation.
I’m not a fan of overly sweet baked goods, so I tweaked my baseline muffin mix to accommodate the best of both worlds.
Made with whole grain spelt flour, corn meal, and less sugar than more traditional recipes, they have some added fiber and just a touch of sweetness. They are also egg-free, making them simple to make and more versatile if you’re baking for people with sensitivities.
And served hot with some butter? Count. Me. In.
Rustic Corn Muffins
• 1 cup whole grain spelt flour (or all-purpose flour*)
• 1 cup corn meal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, or milk* + 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease or line 12-cup muffin tin. Add vinegar to milk and set aside while you assemble the dry ingredients.
Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and mix well. Add milk and melted butter and mix well. Place in muffin cups and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
*If you use all-purpose flour, you may need to increase the milk to 1 cup.