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.
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.
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
And 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: Ingredients and Substitutions.
- Gluten-Free Flour. For the best texture and rise, use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. If your blend doesn’t, whisk a half teaspoon into the flour blend before using.
- Cornmeal. The cornmeal you use impacts the taste and texture of the muffins. If you prefer a soft, cake-like muffin, use finely ground cornmeal. For a muffin with a little crunch and a more pronounced corn flavor, 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: Both white and yellow cornmeal work. The flavor of white cornmeal is a little more delicate.
What’s the difference between corn flour and cornmeal?
In the United States, some brands of finely ground cornmeal are labeled “corn flour.” In the UK, “cornflour” refers corn starch, the pure white starch extracted from corn.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps the muffins stay moist. If you prefer your corn muffins with less sweetness, reduce the sugar to 1/3 cup. Reducing the sugar changes the texture of the muffins. 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. You can even substitute the milk with water. Muffins made with water or fat-free milk are a little drier than those made with milk that contains fat.
- Oil or Melted Butter. Both oil and melted butter works well in this recipe. If you use melted butter, allow it to cool for a few minutes before adding it to the batter.
- Eggs. Two eggs give the muffins a nice texture and help keep them moist.
Flavorful Variations. Additions to Make the Tastiest Gluten-Free Corn Muffins.
Make this recipe your own by adding your favorite “stir-ins” to the batter. Stir in one of the following or a combination. You want to use about 1 cup total. More than that and the muffins might not rise as much.
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, washed and dried, if fresh
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels.
- 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.
- 1 cup dried fruit, dried cranberries and cherries suggested
- 1/2 cup crumbled bacon
How can I make my corn muffins moist and tender?
The recipe makes very tender corn muffins. If you’d like them extra soft and tender, try these variations: Reduce the milk to ½ cups and add ¼ cup of sour cream to the batter. Or stir in one 8-ounce can of creamed corn.
Can I make gluten-free corn muffins without eggs?
Replace the eggs with 2 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer and ¼ cup warm water. Whisk together. Let stand for five minutes. Add to the recipe with the milk and oil. You can also try ¼ cup Greek yogurt if you don’t have egg replacer on hand. Gluten-free corn muffins made without eggs can be more crumbly than those made with eggs.
How to Make Gluten-Free Corn Muffins from Scratch.
To make these muffins, you’ll need a 12-cavity muffin pan and large mixing bowl. You can stir the batter together with a whisk or electric mixer. No matter what you use, be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula halfway through mixing. Gluten-free flour loves to cling to the bowl. Scraping the bowl ensures that all the ingredients mix evenly into the batter. Here are the important steps.
1. Prepare the pan and preheat your oven.
Before you make the batter, set your oven to 350℉. This way, it’s at the right temperature when you’re ready to bake.
It’s important to prepare your pan so the muffins don’t stick. You can either use paper liners or grease each muffin cup. If you’re greasing the pan, make sure to coat the bottom and sides of each cavity.
Note: If you have a nonstick muffin pan, it’s important to grease it. Gluten-free muffins baked in an ungreased, nonstick pan can stick.
Remember to always grease the top of the pan. Do this even if you’re using paper liners. When the muffins bake, they touch the top of the pan. Greasing it prevents the muffins from sticking.
2. Make the Batter.
Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl. This helps distribute the sugar, baking powder, and salt throughout the gluten-free flour so each muffin rises evenly. Then add the milk, eggs, and oil. About halfway through mixing, scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula to remove any flour that’s clinging to the bowl. Mix until the batter is smooth. This only takes about a minute.
3. Fill the Pan.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups. You want to fill each cup about 2/3 full. I like to use a muffin scoop to do this. It makes filling the pan quick and easy.
4. Bake Until Brown.
A pan of gluten-free corn muffins takes about 20 minutes to bake. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. It should come out clean with no batter clinging to it. The edges of the muffins should look lightly brown.
5. Cool the Muffins.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for about five minutes. Then remove them and place on a wire rack.
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 (5 ounces; 140 grams)
- 1 cup gluten-free cornmeal (5 ¼ ounces; 148 grams)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (5 ounces; 140 grams)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup milk (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 12 standard muffin cups 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 until combined. Add milk, oil, and eggs. Whisk until 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
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 1/2 teaspoon into the recipe along with the other dry ingredients.
Cornmeal. Use gluten-free cornmeal. For a cake-like texture, use finely ground cornmeal. This is sometimes labeled corn flour in the US.
Melted Butter. If using melted butter, allow it to cool for a few minutes before adding it to the batter.
Dry-free Variation. Replace the milk with your favorite dairy-free milk.
Egg-Free Variation. Replace the eggs with 2 tablespoons of Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer and ¼ cup warm water. Whisk together. Let stand for two minutes. Add to the recipe with the milk and oil. You can also try ¼ cup Greek yogurt if you don’t have egg replacer on hand.
Gabriele says
I had no baking powder, so used 1tsp of baking soda. Unfortunatelly even after mixing it with a vinegar I could still feel the aftertaste… But topping muffins with coconut cream helps a lot :p 😉 Thanks for the recipe!
Julie says
I want to let people know that I just purchased BRM gf corn flour this week and it is not in a purple bag, it is in a yellow bag.
Elizabeth says
Oh! They’ve changed their packaging. Thank you for letting me know. I’ll update the post!
Marisol Gaffney says
Can I can replace the gf flour for corn flour?
I’m on a grain-free diet and your corn muffins recipe sounds wonderful!
Elizabeth says
I haven’t tested the recipe with corn flour. So I can’t say if it would work. Sorry!
Michelle says
I love these so much! I make them all the time with fresh raspberries and they are amazing. I just substitute 2/3 cup of honey for the sugar which makes it less sweet but keeps it from being too crumbly and back to the more traditional muffin texture 🙂
Lucy says
Absolutely what I needed on a cold, drizzly afternoon in Scotland with a hot cup of tea. Thank you!!