confession: I couldn't leave my semolina olive oil and honey cake from eating out loud alone, so I turned her into muffins. maple olive oil corn muffins are tender, golden corn muffins made with a full cup of extra virgin olive oil, sour cream and maple syrup, served with a salty maple whipped butter. one batch makes about 24 smaller muffins (or 18 bigger ones), baked at 350 degrees F.

why these corn muffins work

she started life as a cake. my semolina olive oil and honey cake is one of my favorite recipes from eating out loud, and these muffins are her cornbread-y cousin: cornmeal where the semolina was, maple where the honey was, and the same olive oil heart. the cake's whole personality, now handheld.

a full cup of olive oil. I know, I know. but olive oil is what keeps the crumb so soft and moist, and it gives every bite a fruity, peppery edge that butter alone never could. this is not the place to be shy.

sour cream and whole milk do the heavy lifting. three-quarters of a cup of sour cream plus half a cup of whole milk means rich, tangy, tender muffins. no dry, crumbly corn muffins on my watch.

two stages, then stop. the dry ingredients go into the wet in two additions, and the second everything is combined, you put the whisk down. overmixing is how muffins go tough and chewy, and we want soft and fluffy. walk away from the bowl (I believe in you).

the ingredients that matter

medium-grind cornmeal. check the bag, it should say medium grind right on the front (yes, I had to go read mine). medium gives you that little bit of corny bite without turning gritty.

extra virgin olive oil. you're using a whole cup and you will taste it, so grab one you'd happily drag a piece of bread through.

maple syrup. a quarter cup in the batter and another quarter cup in the whipped butter. maple on maple. obviously.

orange and lemon zest, totally optional. add the zest of one orange, one lemon, both, or neither. the muffins are delish plain, and the zest just makes them a little brighter and sunnier. your call, your kitchen.

how to make maple olive oil corn muffins

1. whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl: the all-purpose flour, medium-grind cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, kosher salt and baking soda. really get in there so everything is evenly mixed, nobody wants a pocket of baking soda.

2. whisk the wet ingredients together in a second bowl: the eggs, sour cream, whole milk, olive oil, maple syrup and vanilla, plus the orange and/or lemon zest if you're using it. whisk until it's all smooth and fully incorporated.

3. add the dry ingredients into the wet in two stages, whisking after each addition until fully combined. then stop whisking. a few gentle strokes past the last streak of flour is all she needs, overmixing makes tough muffins.

4. preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line your muffin tins with paper cups.

5. fill the paper cups with the batter. for smaller muffins you'll get around 24, or make them a bit bigger and you'll get around 18. both are correct answers.

6. bake for 35 to 45 minutes. while they're in the oven, make the maple whipped butter.

7. whip the room temperature salted butter with the maple syrup, whisking vigorously until it's light and fluffy. serve it with the warm muffins and slather generously.

the maple whipped butter

one cup of salted butter, about 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, and some elbow grease. that's the whole thing. the butter has to be at room temperature, because soft butter whips up fluffy and takes in the maple, while cold butter just sits there in clumps feeling sorry for itself. whisk it vigorously and don't stop early.

salty, sweet, creamy, melty on a warm muffin. come on.

small muffins or big muffins

this batter is flexible. go smaller and you'll get around 24 muffins, go bigger and you'll get around 18 muffins, for when you want one muffin to be the whole moment.

faq

what kind of cornmeal is best for corn muffins?

medium-grind cornmeal. it gives these muffins their golden color and a little texture without making them gritty or dense. look for "medium grind" on the label. since this recipe also uses all-purpose flour, sour cream and a full cup of olive oil, the medium grind keeps the crumb tender while still tasting like corn.

do I have to use the orange and lemon zest?

nope, the zest is optional. use the grated zest of one orange, one lemon, or both, and whisk it in with the wet ingredients. it adds a bright citrus note that plays really nicely with the maple and olive oil. skip it and you'll still have a soft, golden, maple-y corn muffin.

can I make bigger corn muffins with this recipe?

yes. the batter makes around 24 smaller muffins or around 18 bigger ones, so just fill the paper cups a little fuller. same batter, same 350 degrees F oven, fewer (but more generous) muffins.

why add the dry ingredients to the wet in two stages?

adding the dry ingredients in two additions makes it easier to get everything combined without lumps, which means less whisking overall. less whisking keeps the gluten in the flour from overdeveloping, and that's what keeps these muffins soft and tender instead of tough. once it's combined, stop.

more maple on the site: my maple tahini swirl banana bread is basically this muffin's breakfast best friend.

make these and tell me in the comments: are you team orange zest, team lemon zest, or team "both, obviously"? I'm taking a poll.

xo,

e