Spiced Sweet Cornbread Muffins with Maple Butter
Moist and tender sweet cornbread muffins infused with warm spices, served with a whipped maple butter for a comforting Thanksgiving side. This American-inspired Thanksgiving recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 180 calories and feeds 12, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons, melted unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons, softened unsalted butter (for maple butter)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (for maple butter)
The bakeware we’d bake this in → Best Bakeware Sets in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/3 cup granulated sugar.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1 large egg, and 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.
- Step 3: Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Step 4: While muffins bake, make maple butter by whipping 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons maple syrup using a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Step 5: Serve warm muffins with a spread of maple butter for a sweet and spiced finish.









