Mama Marias Muffins Half Dozen Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly grease a 6-cup muffin tin or line with 6 paper liners and set aside.

Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.

Mix wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg until combined. Whisk in the melted cooled butter and the cream-style corn.

Fold wet into dry

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula just until combined. Do not overmix; small streaks of flour are fine.

Add mix-ins

Fold in the shredded cheddar-jack cheese, drained diced green chiles, finely minced scotch bonnet pepper (start with a small amount if unsure and adjust next time), and ground black pepper until evenly distributed through the batter.

Portion batter

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 3/4 full so there's room for rise. You should have six muffins.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 16–20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.

Brush and cool briefly

When muffins come out of the oven, immediately brush the tops with the melted butter to give a glossy finish and help the apple butter adhere. Let muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

While muffins are baking, stir together the prepared apple butter and ground cinnamon in a small bowl until smooth and evenly spiced. Taste and adjust cinnamon if desired.

As soon as muffins are removed from the tin and still warm, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon apple butter onto the top of each muffin and spread slightly. The warmth will allow it to sink in a little and glaze the top.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 8–10 minutes or microwave briefly before serving.