Sweet, tender, and cakey, these gluten-free corn muffins are just like the ones you remember from a bakery. They’re tasty enjoyed on their own or alongside a bowl of warm chili. If you’re dairy-free, these muffins are for you too! Replace the milk and butter with your favorite dairy-free substitutes.
Gluten-free corn muffins are one of the tastiest—and easiest—gluten-free goods you can make. The recipe included below makes sweet muffins with a cake-like texture. Have fun changing it up to suit your tastes. Reduce the sugar for a more savory muffin to serve with chili. Or stir in blueberries for a yummy blueberry corn muffin.
If you love corn muffins, you’ll want to try this classic gluten-free cornbread recipe or this spicy and cheesy gluten-free jalapeno cornbread.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make a batch of these muffins.
- Gluten-Free Flour. I tested the recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Using a different flour might change the texture of the muffins.
- Gluten-Free Cornmeal. Always use cornmeal that’s labeled gluten-free. Although corn is a gluten-free grain, some cornmeal isn’t considered gluten-free because of cross-contact with wheat during manufacturing
- Sugar. Adds sweetness and helps the muffins stay moist. You can decrease the total amount of sugar to ⅓ cup if you prefer less-sweet muffins. Reducing the sugar changes the texture. They’ll bake up a little less cakey and have a more crumbly texture.
- Salt. Fine (table) salt is the best for baking.
- Milk. This recipe works well with dairy or non-dairy milk.
- Oil or Melted Butter. Makes the muffins moist! Both oil and melted butter work. If you use melted butter, allow it to cool for a few minutes before adding it to the batter.
- Eggs. Two eggs add structure to the batter.
How to Make Gluten-Free Corn Muffins.
This recipe is so simple to put together. Here’s how to make the batter. (Full recipe with amounts and ingredients is listed below!)
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the milk, eggs and oil.
- Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Spoon batter into a prepared muffin pan. Bake for about 50 minutes.
How to Store and Freeze Gluten-Free Corn Muffins.
Gluten-free corn muffins stay fresh on the counter for about three days. Store them covered or wrapped to prevent them from drying out.
How to Freeze.
- Let the muffins cool completely. You don’t want to freeze hot or warm muffins or they’ll get crumbly when thawed.
- Place muffins in a freezer container. Freeze for up to three months. Allow the muffins to thaw at room temperature.
How to Reheat.
Place the muffin on a microwave-safe plate. Heat for 20 seconds on low. Repeat as needed.
Gluten-free muffins also taste great grilled or toasted. To grill, split the muffin in half and cook on a buttered skillet or grill pan until lightly brown. Toast the muffin in a toaster oven or air-fryer until warmed through.
Gluten-Free Corn Muffins
These gluten-free corn muffins are cakey and sweet, just like the ones sold at a bakery. To make the recipe, simply mix all the ingredients together in one bowl. Spoon the batter into a muffin pan and bake.
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray or paper muffin liners
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour, see note 1 (5 ounces; 140 grams)
- 1 cup gluten-free cornmeal, see note 2 (5 ¼ ounces; 148 grams)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (5 ounces; 140 grams)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup milk, see note 3 for a dairy-free variation (5 ⅓ ounces; 150 grams)
- ½ cup vegetable oil or melted and slightly cooled butter (4 ounces; 113 grams)
- 2 large eggs, whisked (about 4 ounces; 113 grams)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper liners.
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Whisk together gluten-free flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add milk, oil, and eggs. Whisk until batter is smooth.
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Fill prepared muffin cups about ⅔ full. Bake until muffins are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
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Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely. Store, wrapped, on the counter for up to three days or freeze, up to three months.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Gluten-Free Flour. The recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. For the best results, use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan or guar gum. If your blend doesn’t, whisk ½ teaspoon into the recipe along with the other dry ingredients.
Note 2: Gluten-Free Cornmeal. If you prefer a soft, cake-like muffin, use finely ground cornmeal. For a muffin with a little crunch, use medium-ground cornmeal. I’d avoid coarsely ground or polenta-style cornmeal. It’s very coarse and will make the muffins unpleasantly crumbly.
Note 3: Dry-Free Variation. Replace the milk with your favorite dairy-free milk.
Variations
- Blueberry Corn Muffins. Stir in 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen corn kernels. - Extra Corny Muffins. Add 1 (8.25) can creamed corn. Be sure to use the eight-ounce can. The 15-ounce size can make the muffins too moist and almost gummy.
- Cranberry or Cherry Corn Muffins. Add 1 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries suggested.
- Bacon Corn Muffins. Add ½ cup cooked and crumbled bacon.