Ham and Cheese Cornbread Muffins

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These sweet and savory Ham and Cheese Cornbread Muffins are soft, chewy, perfectly moist and so simple to make.   Inspired by the sandwich classic, this fun and flavorful recipe is loaded with ham, cheddar cheese and thinly sliced green onions.  

Jump to:

• The Best Savory Cornbread Muffin Recipe
• What to Serve with Cornbread Muffins
• What is the Best Cornmeal for Cornbread?
• Ingredients in Cornbread Muffins 
• Step-by-Step: How to Make Cornbread Muffins
• Cornbread Muffin Recipe Variations 
• How Should I Store Cornbread Muffins?
• Ham and Cheese Cornbread Muffins Recipe

The Best Savory Cornbread Muffin Recipe

Make a batch of these savory cornbread muffins and you’ll give yourself the gift that keeps on giving.  They can be easily warmed up throughout the week for breakfast on-the-go or a hearty side for dinner. 

But, they taste great at room temperature, too, making them the perfect grab-and-go lunch for work or to toss into lunch boxes.

What to Serve with Cornbread Muffins

These Ham and Cheese Cornbread Muffins are the perfect side to a bowl of soup or chili.  We love combining this sweet and salty muffin with a rich and creamy soup, like Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup or our Easy 30-Minute Chili.  

They are also so perfect warmed up for breakfast with a little Honey Butter or jam.  It's the perfect duo!

For dinner, they would taste great with a grilled BBQ entree, like Monterey Chicken or Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks.  

What is the Best Cornmeal for Cornbread?

You can find various types of cornmeal in the baking section of your grocery store.  There are different grinds, colors, mixes and even names (polenta, masa, stone-ground, etc).  Without getting too into it here, we recommend a fine or medium-grind of yellow corn for this recipe.  

However, my absolute favorite cornmeal to use is … homemade!  Did you know you can grind popcorn seeds in a wheat grinder?  I've been doing it for years and it makes moist and tender cornbread every time.  Just be sure to check your wheat grinder specs before grinding popcorn!

Store any leftover cornmeal in a plastic bag in the freezer to keep it nice and fresh.

Ingredients in Cornbread Muffins 

• Cornmeal - use a fine or medium grind of yellow cornmeal, or try grinding your own!
• Flour - you’ll want to use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
• Sugar - a little sweetness makes these perfectly sweet and savory.  You could also replace some of the sugar with honey if you’d like.
• Baking Powder - this will help your muffins rise in the oven.
• Garlic Powder - this adds a great layer of savory flavor to the muffins.
• Milk - any percentage of milk that you have on hand will work.  You could also substitute buttermilk!
• Eggs - any type of large eggs will work great.
• Cheddar Cheese - you can use pre-shredded cheese to save yourself a step.  We like sharp cheddar in this recipe, but any type will do.
• Green Onions - it’s best to slice these before you start to mix any ingredients together.  You could also substitute with chopped fresh chives.
• Ham - these muffins are a perfect way to use up leftover holiday ham!  You’ll want to chop the ham into approximately ½” bits.
• Butter - melt your butter just before mixing.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Cornbread Muffins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and garlic powder and stir until well-mixed.
3. In a separate medium bowl,  add the egg and whisk to break it up.  Add the milk and butter, and whisk together.  
4. Add the milk mixture into the flour mixture, and stir with a spatula just until combined.  The batter will be slightly lumpy - don't overmix!   Add the cheese, ham and green onions and fold in gently.
5. Grease muffin tins with cooking spray and add cupcake liners if you want.  Spoon or scoop in the batter, filling each muffin 3/4 full. 
6. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges become golden brown.  Let cool for at least 10 minutes.  Enjoy!

Cornbread Muffin Recipe Variations 

• Add sliced jalapeños or sliced olives
• Try a different cheese, like pepper jack or a cheddar blend - you want something with a little kick.
• Skip the ham and make them vegetarian.
• Turn this recipe into cornbread by baking in an 8”x8” baking dish instead of muffin tins (Note: you will need to bake for 30-35 minutes instead).
• Use bacon bits instead of ham.

How Should I Store Cornbread Muffins?

You can keep your Ham and Cheese Cornbread Muffins nice and fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.  You can also store them wrapped up in the fridge for about a week.

If you want to freeze them, first make sure they are completely cooled, then transfer into freezer bags and store for up to 2 months.  

Once you are ready to eat them, you can thaw them out at room temperature and reheat gently in a low oven (around 300 degrees F) until warmed through, or about 10 minutes.  You can also microwave them for about 30 seconds on high, if you’re in a rush.

Here are some other quick bread recipes that we love!

• Greek Yogurt Banana Muffins
• Einkorn Pumpkin Muffins
• Homemade Banana Bread
• Easy Homemade Cornbread
• Triple Berry Muffins

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