Gritty Corn Bread Muffins

I am maybe possibly, slightly, a little obsessed with corn. It is just so sweet and delicious and the way it bursts in your mouth. Amazing. Plus you can make it in so many different ways…. maybe I will do a whole corn series… but that’s another thing entirely.

Corn is a staple grain that has been (and still is) integral to many cultures across time and space and that is in turn reflected in the variety of ways it can be prepared. From Venezuelan arepas, to Mexican elote, and Italian polenta, corn has spread far and wide and is often a critical component of both human and animal diets (although the later is entrenched in a number of environmental issues). As the summer draws to a close, sweet corn is in abundance; every farm stand and grocery store is featuring corn front and center. Which is great for me, and has lead me to be inspired!

I decided to design my own cornbread/cornbread muffin recipe – which helps out future me (my thanksgiving stuffing uses cornbread) and present you (who may be craving cornbread). It came together somehow seamlessly. I guess my baker’s intuition is improving. And overall it is pretty quick and easy, taking about 30 minutes from start to finish if you are organized.

This recipe makes about 6 cornbread muffins, or one 8 inch pan of cornbread. It has a nice gritty texture and is held together by the other flours, while the yogurt provides some moisture. The flour blend I use is the only option – you can see substitution options in the notes!

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup coarse ground cornmeal
• ½ cup stone ground cornmeal
• ¼ cup quinoa flour **
• ¼ cup cassava flour **
• ¼ cup brown rice flour **
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 – 2 tbsp maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
• ¼ cup dairy free yogurt
• 1 tbsp flax meal
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup dairy free milk
• ½ cup water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Combine flax and yogurt and set aside
3. Whisk together all dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl
4. Once flax/yogurt mixture has set (it will be between jelly and eggs), stir in the maple syrup and ACV
5. Combine yogurt mixture, water and milk with the dry ingredients and stir to combine. The texture will be very coarse and seem wet – this is how it is meant to be
6. Grease a muffin pan and place about ¼ to 1/3 cup of the batter into each – they will fluff up in the oven
7. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes. Allow them to stand for 5 minutes after coming out of the oven then transfer them to a cooling rack or plate
8. I enjoy these with butter and jam, peanut butter and honey, with chili, or as a bread side for any meal really!

Enjoy!

Notes:

**this can be subbed for a 1:1 gluten free flour blend, or buckwheat flour. I really like the texture buckwheat flour gives to them but you definitely risk them drying out more!