These classic gluten free corn muffins make a perfect side for soup or chili, and toast up just right for breakfast with some jam and butter.
Even better, you can make this dry gf corn muffin mix ahead of time, and add eggs and milk in minutes. Just like the little blue Jiffy box, but gluten free!
What makes this recipe for gluten free corn muffins special?
This gluten free corn muffins recipe is just as versatile and forgiving as the little blue box you remember. I've made muffins from this mix with and without cupcake liners (muffins and cupcakes always bake more evenly with muffin tin liners), with and without added corn kernels, and at different temperatures, too. It all works out perfectly!
Jiffy may not make a gluten free corn muffin mix, but these days plenty of other companies do. If you have a natural foods section of your local grocery store, chances are you'll find at least 2 or 3 brands of corn muffin mixes.
I'll be honest—I haven't tried any of them. But with the expense of all gluten free mixes, and their general poor quality, I'm willing to bet you'll welcome a D.I.Y. version!
I love having this mix on hand. It's perfect for serving alongside a hot bowl of chili on game day, or just for a snack or light breakfast. And with the dry mix in the recipe below, you'll have the batter ready before your oven has even finished preheating!
My personal favorite is the kind you see just below: baked in muffin liners, with frozen corn kernels mixed in and baked at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Keep in mind that this recipe makes 17 ounces of the dry mix, double the traditional 8.5-ounce Jiffy box. You can of course always cut the mix in half straight down the middle of every ingredient.
How to make gluten free corn muffins
Like most muffins, the dry ingredients are whisked together first, and then the wet ingredients are mixed in to create a smooth muffin batter. You can stop after the addition of the shortening, though, and create a dry mix like Jiffy corn muffin mix that you can use right away or store for later.
To make the dry mix.
- In a large mixing bowl, place one of my recommended all purpose gluten free flour blends, with xanthan gum, plus coarsely ground yellow cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine fully.
- Add shortening to the dry ingredients and “cut” it into the dry ingredients with either the tines of a fork or a pastry cutter which has long metal strips about 1/4-inch apart from one another. This is designed to break up the shortening into very small pieces and mix them throughout the flour and cornmeal mixture, so it’s evenly distributed but still solid, not melted.
- You can stop here and store the mix in a cool, dry place and use it another time to make muffins—or anywhere else you might use a box of Jiffy.
To make muffins.
- You can whisk together the milk and eggs, and pour them into the dry ingredients, or you can create a well with your mixing spoon in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk and beaten eggs separately. Mix the batter together. It should be thick but soft, not stiff.
- If you’d like to add kernels of corn, add them here and mix them until they’re evenly distributed throughout the muffin batter, like you would mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts. Let the batter rest briefly.
- Fill the wells of a muffin tin with the corn muffin batter. If you’re making 9 muffins and have 3 wells of a 12-cup muffin tin empty, fill the empty wells with water so the muffins bake evenly.
- Bake at 350°F for lighter, less crispy muffins or 375°F for firmer muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
- At 350°F, the muffins are done after about 20 minutes; at 375°F it takes about 18 minutes.
- Allow the muffins to cool for about 10 minutes in the muffin tin before carefully removing them from the tin and placing them on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips for making the best gluten free corn muffins
Whether you make the homemade gf corn muffin mix ahead of time, or jump right into the corn muffins themselves, you're in for a real treat. Here are some tips to ensure recipe success:
Don't overwork your gf corn muffin batter (and let it rest)
Corn has its own protein, like wheat flour has gluten, and it can be overworked similar to wheat flour gluten protein. Mix the gluten free corn muffin batter only as much as necessary to moisten all the dry ingredients, no more.
Whisk together the wet ingredients separately
Make sure your wet ingredients, which here are just eggs and milk, are both at room temperature, and are whisked together really vigorously first. That way, when you add them to the dry ingredients, you won't be tempted to overmix just to get a proper corn muffin batter.
Don't defrost frozen corn kernels
If you're adding the 1 cup of optional corn kernels to your corn muffins, and your kernels are frozen, don't defrost them before mixing them in the batter! They'll be weepy and soft if you defrost them.
Bake at 350°F for lighter gf muffins, or 375°F for crispy tops
This versatile gf corn muffin recipe is very forgiving, and very versatile. Bake them at 375°F, and they not only bake faster, but they come out crustier, more like a skillet cornbread. Bake these muffins at 350°F for a more tender, less crusty muffin.
FAQs
Here are the questions that get asked most often about making gluten free corn muffins, with answers!
This recipe calls for a mix of all purpose gluten free flour and coarsely ground yellow cornmeal. If you'd like to make naturally gluten free corn muffins with all cornmeal, follow the tips in our recipe for old fashioned gluten free cornbread.
Yes! These muffins freeze really well. Just freeze them on a flat surface, in a single layer, then pile into a freezer-safe container. Defrost at room temperature, in the microwave, or in the toaster oven.
You may have overmeasured your gluten free flour blend or cornmeal, or undermeasured your milk. If you didn't break up the shortening properly with a fork first, you might have ended up with some muffins with too much fat, and some with too little.
Make sure you're using a gluten free flour blend and cornmeal, and measuring both by weight. And make sure your ingredients are at the proper temperature, so they combine fully.
No! Unless you're using a gluten free recipe like this one, corn muffins will contain wheat flour, which is a major source of gluten. Avoid them on a gluten free diet!
No! The blue box of Jiffy's has wheat flour in it, so it's not gluten free.
Yes! The dry mix for this recipe is designed for making ahead and having in your pantry, like you would Jiffy mix. One full recipe of the dry mix, which makes 9 muffins as described in the recipe card below, weighs 495 grams. If you'd like to multiply the recipe and store it together as scaled up, to make 9 muffins, just weigh out 495 grams of dry mix and proceed with the recipe as written!
Gluten free corn muffins: ingredient and substitution suggestions
Here's some additional information on the ingredients you need to make moist, tender, and easy gluten free corn muffins, including suggestions on how to avoid other potential allergens, if that's a concern.
Gluten free dairy free corn muffins
As written, this recipe is nearly dairy-free. If you use a plant-based milk in place of cow's milk, it's dairy-free. My favorite is unsweetened almond milk.
Gluten free egg free corn muffins
I think this recipe would work well with 2 “chia eggs.” That would call for 2 tablespoons ground white chia seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons lukewarm water, then allowed to gel before adding it to the milk and mixing it into the dry mix.
Vegan gluten free corn muffins
If you use nondairy milk and replace the eggs as discussed above, and you're mindful that you're using a vegan granulated sugar, you'll have vegan gluten free corn muffins!
The best gluten free flour blend for these corn muffins
This versatile recipe really does work just as well with any of my recommended all purpose gluten free flour blends. Better Batter, or my mock mix, works really well, but I think I like my “Better ThanCup4Cup mix” even better. Your choice!
Coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
Corn, a gluten-free grain, is made into cornmeal by simply grinding yellow corn into a coarse or fine grind. Be sure your cornmeal is safe from cross-contamination in processing.
This recipe works best with coarsely-ground yellow cornmeal, which gives these muffins some bite and texture. I believe that, in the U.K., cornmeal is usually sold as “polenta.” Please correct me if I'm wrong, but be sure not to use “corn flour,” which in the U.K. is just the starch that we call cornstarch in the U.S.
If you can't have corn, you might try replacing it with millet, but it's hard to make gf corn muffins without corn. You can always experiment!
Nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening
This recipe, like the actual Jiffy corn muffin mix, contains the fat the muffin recipe will need right there in the “dry mix.” The easiest shelf-stable fat that we can use that's solid at room temperature is vegetable shortening.
I use Spectrum brand nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening (not the same as Crisco, but you could use Crisco). If you can't have shortening or don't want to use it, you can try virgin coconut oil in its place (the kind that's solid at room temperature).
If you'd like to use butter in place of shortening, keep the butter cold and cut it in with the tines of the fork—but only right before using the mix. You can always make the mix without the fat ahead of time, and then add the butter right before you add the other wet ingredients, and bake your gluten free corn muffins.
Serving suggestions for gluten free corn muffins
These lightly sweet gluten free corn muffins hold together well enough that they can be served in a million and one ways. Here are a few suggestions:
- Slice a muffin in half, toast lightly, and serve with a dollop of jam or softened butter
- Serve corn muffins with a bowl of chili or cream of mushroom soup
- Drizzle a corn muffin with honey when it's still warm from the oven
- Make mini muffins and serve them with a big bowl of gluten free chili
How to make gluten free corn muffins, step by step
Classic Gluten Free Corn Muffins
Ingredients
For the Jiffy-style gf corn muffin mix
- 1 ⅓ cups (187 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I have used my Better Than Cup4Cup and Better Batter with great results; please click thru for full info)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- 1 ¼ cups (165 g) gluten free coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
- 6 tablespoons (75 g) granulated sugar
- 4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (48 g) nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening (I use Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening)
To Make Muffins (See Recipe Notes)
- 12 ⅔ tablespoons (6 ⅓ fluid ounces) milk at room temperature
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup (140 g) frozen (or fresh) whole kernel corn (optional)
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
Make the dry mix.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine well.
- Add the shortening and, with the tines of a fork or a pastry cutter, cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse sand. There will be some clumps.
- To make 9 muffins, this dry mix weighs 495 grams total.
- Store the dry mix in a sealed container in a cool, dry place until ready to use. For longer storage, place in the refrigerator or freezer and allow to come to room temperature before using.
To make muffins.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (for lighter, more delicate muffins) or 375°F (for darker, firmer muffins). Grease or line 9 cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin, and set the tin aside.
- Place the dry mix (495 grams for 9 muffins) in a large bowl. Loosen the mixture with a whisk and break up any large clumps.
- Place the milk and eggs in a 2 cup measuring cup or small bowl. Whisk until very well-combined.
- Pour the milk and egg mixture into the large bowl of dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. The mixture should be thick but soft.
- Add the (optional) corn and mix just until the corn is evenly distributed throughout. Allow the batter to sit for 5 minutes.
- Using a large spring-loaded ice cream scoop, fill the 9 prepared wells of the muffin tin full of batter, leaving the rounded tops from the scoop, if possible. Sprinkle each muffin top lightly with a few of the optional coarse sugar crystals.
Bake the muffins.
- Place the tin in the center of the preheated oven, and pour the empty wells of the tin about 2/3 of the way full with tap water. Allow the muffins to bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (about 20 minutes in a 350°F oven; about 18 minutes in a 375°F oven).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Classic Gluten Free Corn Muffins
Ingredients
For the Jiffy-style gf corn muffin mix
- 1 ⅓ cups (187 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I have used my Better Than Cup4Cup and Better Batter with great results; please click thru for full info)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- 1 ¼ cups (165 g) gluten free coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
- 6 tablespoons (75 g) granulated sugar
- 4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (48 g) nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening (I use Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening)
To Make Muffins (See Recipe Notes)
- 12 ⅔ tablespoons (6 ⅓ fluid ounces) milk at room temperature
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup (140 g) frozen (or fresh) whole kernel corn (optional)
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
Make the dry mix.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine well.
- Add the shortening and, with the tines of a fork or a pastry cutter, cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse sand. There will be some clumps.
- To make 9 muffins, this dry mix weighs 495 grams total.
- Store the dry mix in a sealed container in a cool, dry place until ready to use. For longer storage, place in the refrigerator or freezer and allow to come to room temperature before using.
To make muffins.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (for lighter, more delicate muffins) or 375°F (for darker, firmer muffins). Grease or line 9 cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin, and set the tin aside.
- Place the dry mix (495 grams for 9 muffins) in a large bowl. Loosen the mixture with a whisk and break up any large clumps.
- Place the milk and eggs in a 2 cup measuring cup or small bowl. Whisk until very well-combined.
- Pour the milk and egg mixture into the large bowl of dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. The mixture should be thick but soft.
- Add the (optional) corn and mix just until the corn is evenly distributed throughout. Allow the batter to sit for 5 minutes.
- Using a large spring-loaded ice cream scoop, fill the 9 prepared wells of the muffin tin full of batter, leaving the rounded tops from the scoop, if possible. Sprinkle each muffin top lightly with a few of the optional coarse sugar crystals.
Bake the muffins.
- Place the tin in the center of the preheated oven, and pour the empty wells of the tin about 2/3 of the way full with tap water. Allow the muffins to bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (about 20 minutes in a 350°F oven; about 18 minutes in a 375°F oven).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Joann says
In addition to having celiac disease I also have food allergies. I cannot use Spectrum or Crisco shortening. Can I use canola oil in the cornbread recipe. Thank you.
Nicole Hunn says
No, you cannot use a liquid oil in place of a solid one. Please see the text of the post under the heading “Nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening” for suggestions on how to replace it.
Mary Lee Moeny says
I made the muffins without the whole kernel corn, using Better Batter flour. They were terribly dry! Did I need more moisture to compensate for the absence of the corn? I used Coconut Milk, not whole milk. Since I was weighing all my ingredients, is there a weight measure for the milk, as well as a volume measurement?
Usually your recipes turn out quite well, but this one was disappointing.
Nicole Hunn says
If you used thick coconut milk, like the kind from a can, that would account for the dryness, Mary Lee. It doesn’t have nearly the same moisture content as cow’s milk of any kind.
Mary B says
How many muffins does the original recipe make? That way I can make the 8 1/2 oz Jiffy box mix, by halving the original recipe.
Thanks Nicole
Nicole Hunn says
If you’re asking about the boxed mix, Mary, you’d have to google that!
Bonnie says
Say I want to double or triple the dry ingredients with the shortening to store. How much would I have to measure out to make 12 muffins? Or should I just do separate bags and store it that way?
Thank you
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Bonnie, I just added the weight of the 9 muffin dry mix, as the recipe is originally written, which is 495 grams, plus instructions in the post for how to measure that much out from a dry mix if you’ve doubled it. Thank you for that question, since I had meant to include that important info!
To make 12 muffins specifically, you can just use the slider in the recipe card to scale up the recipe from 9 to 12 muffins. Or you can just multiply all the ingredients by 1.33. If you scale up the dry mix to store for later, make sure you note on the mix somewhere that you’ve scaled up, so you can use the slider again when you go to make the muffins.
Hope that helps!
Christine says
II made you gluten-free cornmeal muffins and I think they are just wonderful. Thank you for the recipe. And I will be making them again soon. Thank you
Nicole Hunn says
You’re so welcome, Christine! And thank you for letting me know. :)
Thomas says
So good!! Just like the Jiffy ones. I was out of veg. shortening, but I subbed in butter the way you said in the post, and didn’t have any problems. (On the other hand, I guess I do have a problem now… not enough of these muffins!)
Nicole Hunn says
So glad you enjoyed them, Thomas! You might want to try them again with shortening, or perhaps with virgin coconut oil, Thomas, just because it stays a bit clumped and makes a slightly lighter muffin. But butter is never a mistake. :)
Cathy Nichols says
Hi,
When your eggs are a bit over the 100g, do you remove some or adjust the milk to compensate?
Thanks for the great cookbooks!
Cathy
Nicole Hunn says
If they’re just a few grams over, Cathy, you can just use them as is. The measurement is more of a concern if they’re under by more than a few grams. And you’re welcome!
Site Care says
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Hilary says
I have made up the mix, but how much do I use to make the batch of muffins? Surely not the whole lot? thanks…Hilary
Nicole Hunn says
Yes, Hilary, the whole mix!
Janee´ says
I’m guessing white cornmeal, or even blue, would work as well?
Nicole Hunn says
Yes, for sure, any color of cornmeal that’s coarsely ground will work just the same, Janee´!
Pam Barnes says
We do not like sweet corn muffins. Plus my hubs is diabetic. Can I omit the sugar?
Nicole Hunn says
No, you can’t, Pam. I don’t think this recipe is for you, since sugar isn’t just for sweetness in baking. It’s also a tenderizer and can’t just be omitted from any recipe.
Dawn says
I try to follow your recipes exactly and they always turn out delicious, but “12 2/3 tbsp milk”? Seriously? Can you provide a weight for that, please?
Nicole Hunn says
I list the corresponding fluid ounces right next to the tablespoon measurement, Dawn. Please try to be understanding, as my recipe program won’t allow me to indicate two different volume measurements (like 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons), so I must use one or the other. I thought 12 2/3 tablespoons was more useful than 0.79 tablespoons, and the corresponding 6 1/3 fluid ounces should be useful as well. As much as you might assume I have control over everything, I don’t. I must work within constraints, like with most things.
Sandy says
I love winter, too! Definitely making these this week to go with a big pot of stew.
Nicole Hunn says
Perfect, Sandy!
Marjorie Moss says
Could I substitute Masa Harina for the cornmeal?
Nicole Hunn says
No, I’m afraid not, Marjorie. Masa harina is not the same as plain cornmeal at all. Please see my pupusas recipe for a full discussion of masa harina and how it differs from plain cornmeal.