Cracker Barrel Cornbread Muffins Recipe

Cracker Barrel Cornbread Muffins are a classic Southern-style side made with tangy buttermilk and yellow cornmeal. These golden muffins use a mix of butter and bacon fat for a traditional flavour that pairs with any hearty dinner.

The first time I made these, I overmixed the batter and ended up with tough, flat muffins. Now I always stir by hand and stop the second the flour disappears. You want those little lumps in the batter because they break down in the oven to create the right crumb.

Buttermilk is doing more work than you’d think here. Without it, the baking soda has nothing to react with, and you’ll lose that specific tang that cuts through the rich corn flavour. I’ve tried a few versions of cornbread and this one from Cracker Barrel is the one I keep going back to because it hits the balance between sweet and savoury.

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Cracker Barrel Cornbread Muffins Ingredients

• 85g (3oz) butter, melted
• 1 tbsp bacon fat, melted
• 500ml (18fl oz) buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 75g (2.7oz) cornmeal
• 155g (5.5oz) plain flour
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt

How To Make Cracker Barrel Cornbread Muffins

1. Heat the oven: Set the rack to the middle position and preheat to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Grease a 12-hole muffin tin thoroughly with butter or use paper liners to stop the batter sticking to the sides.
2. Melt the fats: Place the butter and bacon fat in a small pan over a low heat on the hob until just liquid. Move the pan away from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes so it feels warm but not hot to the touch.
3. Whisk the wet ingredients: Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and pour in the buttermilk. Beat them together with a whisk until the yolks are broken and the liquid is a pale, consistent yellow colour.
4. Mix the dry ingredients: Sift the plain flour, cornmeal, sugar, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda, and salt into a separate medium bowl. Stir these with a dry whisk to make sure the raising agents are spread evenly through the flour.
5. Combine and rest: Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and stir gently until the flour is mostly wet, then fold in the melted fats. Leave the batter alone on the kitchen side for 15 minutes. Do not skip this step. The rest allows the cornmeal to soak up the liquid so the finished muffins aren’t gritty.
6. Bake the muffins: Spoon the batter into the tin holes until they are about three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops feel firm and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out without any wet batter attached.
7. Cool and serve: Leave the tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes to let the muffins firm up. Lift them out carefully and serve them while they’re still hot from the oven.

Recipe Tips

• Use real buttermilk. If you try to use regular milk with lemon juice, the muffins won’t have the same thick texture or rise. The acidity in the real stuff is what makes the bicarbonate of soda foam up properly.
• Watch the bacon fat. Make sure your bacon fat is strained and clear of any burnt meat bits before adding it to the butter. If you don’t have any, just replace that tablespoon with more butter.
• Check the cornmeal. Use a fine or medium-grind yellow cornmeal for this recipe. A coarse polenta-style grind will stay crunchy and ruin the soft texture of the muffin.
• Stop mixing early. Overworking the flour develops gluten, which makes the muffins rubbery instead of crumbly. Use a big metal spoon and stop as soon as you don’t see any white streaks.
• Make them ahead. You can bake these a day early and keep them in an airtight container once they are completely cold. They actually hold their moisture quite well if you don’t leave them out on the side.
• Measure by weight. Use a digital scale for the flour and cornmeal rather than cups. Too much flour is the main reason home-baked cornbread ends up dry and sawdust-like.

What To Serve With Cornbread Muffins

These muffins are the best partner for a smoky beef chilli or a slow-cooked vegetable stew. They soak up juices brilliantly, so try them alongside roasted chicken or a thick lentil soup.

If you want a lighter meal, serve them warm with a big slab of salted butter and a drizzle of honey. They also work well crumbled over a bowl of spicy pinto beans or served with grilled sausages.

How To Store Cornbread Muffins

• Fridge: Wrap the cold muffins tightly in clingfilm or put them in a sealed container to keep the air out. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the fridge.
• Reheat: The best way to reheat these is in the oven at 150°C (300°F/Gas Mark 2) for 5-8 minutes until warm through. You can use a microwave for 20 seconds, but the crust will go soft and slightly chewy.
• Freeze: Place the muffins on a tray in the freezer for an hour before moving them into a freezer bag. They keep well for 2 months and should be thawed at room temperature before you reheat them.

Cracker Barrel Cornbread Muffins Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 185
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 21g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 380mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

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Try More Recipes:

• Cracker Barrel Dumplings Recipe
• Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe
• Cracker Barrel Hamburger Steak Recipe