A cool front has moved through the area, edging us towards fall and hinting that soup weather is upon us. And there’s something about sitting down to a bowl of soup in the South that calls out for cornbread. This is the perfect bite to answer that call! Golden cornbread muffins, baked with sweet onion, cottage cheese, and cheddar cheese melted inside, just waiting for a smear of butter. Best of all, thanks to an old pantry staple favorite, these scrumptious little muffins are quite easy to whip up and they dress that box mix up tenfold.
One of my favorite things about growing up in a rural community, the genuine hospitality. My Mom and my Grandmothers were always taking food to welcome a new neighbor, to share a new recipe or to care for friends in times when comfort was needed. This recipe came from a dear friend who graciously brought these muffins to us along with a wonderful vegetable soup at such a time in our lives.
Growing up, cornbread was a frequent guest on our family table. Though frequently made from scratch Mom, also kept a mix from Jiffy® on hand as a quick fix. To create these simple yet wonderful bites, start with this Southern pantry staple as a base, add both cheddar cheese and cottage cheese – lending an almost creamy texture – plus sweet onion, a handful of eggs for extra richness and of course luscious butter.
Give it a quick stir and you’ll have cornbread muffins that are utterly delightful. This is one of those wonderful “go to” recipes. The bonus, it makes two-dozen cornbread muffins, and they freeze beautifully!
Corn Muffins
2 boxes Jiffy® Corn Muffin Mix, 8.5 ounces each
1 tub small curd cottage cheese, 16-ounces
1 cup diced sweet onion
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
5 extra-large eggs
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400-degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with parchment paper liners or silicon liners.
Place all the corn muffin mix in a large bowl.
Add the cottage cheese, sweet onion, cheddar cheese, eggs and melted butter.
Season with the kosher salt and black pepper then stir gently until well blended.
Scoop the batter into the muffin liners, filling each about ⅔ full. (Using a large ice cream scoop works great for this.)
Bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the muffins are lightly golden on top and test done with a toothpick. Let the muffins cool in the pans for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
If you have extra muffins leftover, drop them in freezer bags and store them in the freezer for up to six months. To reheat, thaw and bake in a 350-degree oven for about 8- 10 minutes.
Makes 24 muffins.
Cornbread Muffins
Equipment
- Muffins tins plus parchment paper or silicone liners
Ingredients
- 2 boxes Jiffy® Corn Muffin Mix, 8.5 ounces each
- 1 tub small curd cottage cheese, 16-ounces
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 5 extra-large eggs
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400-degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with parchment paper liners or silicone liners.
- Place all the corn muffin mix in a large bowl.
- Add the cottage cheese, sweet onion, cheddar cheese, eggs, and butter. Season with the kosher salt and black pepper then stir gently until well blended.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin liners, filling each about ⅔ full. (Using a large ice cream scoop works great for this.)
- Bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the muffins are lightly golden on top and test done with a toothpick.
- Let the muffins cool in the pans for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
