These easy Air Fryer Cornbread Muffins are so simple to make, you might find they start to appear at every dinner. Using a box mix, they turn out moist and tasty – perfect size for a side dish.
» You might also like Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls and Homemade Air Fryer Biscuits.
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix never disappoints and it’s an easy alternative if you don’t want to buy all the ingredients to make corn bread from scratch. Though I don’t mind mixing it up myself, I find the box mix to be just as delicious.
Using an air fryer to bake the corn bread in a silicon muffin pan makes it just that much easier. These bite-sized muffins turn out fluffy and perfect for popping in your mouth. We make these for dinner, for breakfast, and just to snack on.
Ingredients You Need
You can make this recipe either from a box mix (we recommend Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix) or by mixing together the ingredients from scratch. We’ve given both options here.
If making from a box, you’ll need:
- Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix: Has most of the typical from-scratch ingredients, but they are premeasured for you.
- Milk: Brings moisture to the cornbread mix.
- Eggs: Add moisture and bind all the ingredients together.
If making from scratch, you’ll need:
- Egg: Acts as a binding agent, making sure everything stays together.
- Buttermilk: The buttermilk reacts with the baking powder to help the cornbread rise.
- Vegetable oil: I recommend sticking with a mild oil, something like olive oil or coconut oil will change the flavor of the cornbread.
- Yellow corn meal: This is the main ingredient of cornbread. It gives the bread its famous golden color. For the right texture, you need cornmeal as opposed to corn flour or polenta.
- All-purpose flour: Flour gives the cornbread a nice spongy texture, thanks to the gluten.
- Sugar & salt: The sugar balances out the corn flavors and brings a hint of sweetness. While the salt brings out all the delicious flavors of the cornbread.
- Baking powder: Helps the cornbread dough rise during baking.
Equipment Needed
- Silicon egg mold; here’s a larger one that you can use in the Instant Pot or air fryer.
- Air Fryer
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Large pourable measuring cup – pour the batter in here from the mixing bowl, so it’s easier to pour through the spout into the egg mold
How to Make Air Fryer Cornbread Muffins
This recipe is for a silicon egg mold that fits inside a 3.5-quart or bigger air fryer. You could also cook this in a single round pan if you don’t have an egg mold, but it will need additional time to cook through.
If you’re making this recipe from a box, mix together the box mix, milk, and egg in a mixing bowl. Whisk until fully combined. Transfer the mixture to a large pourable measuring cup so you can easily pour the batter into the mold.
If making from scratch, whisk the egg in a mixing bowl. Add the buttermilk and oil. Whisk until combined. Then add all of the dry ingredients to the bowl and fold it all in until it’s all incorporated.
Lightly grease the wells of the mold. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but doing it will make it easier to pop the muffins out of the mold without them sticking.
Fill each well ¾ full with the batter. If you fill them any higher, the muffins will puff up over the top and they don’t look as good when done.
Bake at 325° F for 8 minutes. Test the muffin with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out wet with batter, then cook for one more minute. You can continue doing this until the toothpick comes out clean.
When the toothpick comes out clean, remove the mold from the air fryer and set it on a cooling rack. Let muffins rest in the mold for 5 minutes. To remove the muffins push up on the bottom of the mold and they will pop right out.
Repeat the process until all batter is used. The recipe makes about 14 muffins, depending on the size of your egg mold.
Questions About Air Fryer Cornbread Muffins
What can I eat it with?
There are so many ways to enjoy cornbread. My favorite is with some chili or Baked beans. You can also eat them as is with a bit of butter and honey.
What kind of cornmeal should I use?
Though you can technically use white cornmeal, it is best to use yellow cornmeal. White cornmeal won’t give you that same golden color yellow cornmeal does. Make sure not to use corn flour, as it will not give you the desired texture.
Is there a gluten-free version of this recipe?
To make this cornbread recipe gluten-free, simply switch out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free baking blend. Look for a blend that has a label stating it is a 1:1 blend. If you are making it from the box, simply look for a mix that is gluten-free.
Tips & Notes
- You can easily change the amount of sugar you add into the cornbread. In the South, many use little to no salt in their cornbread. It depends on your preferences. You can adjust these ingredients to suit your taste.
- It is best to mix the ingredients by hand to make sure you don’t overmix the dough. It will still be gritty when fully mixed so don’t keep mixing until it’s smooth.
- Check your cornmeal hasn’t gone bad before starting this recipe. The cornmeal should have a sweet smell. If it smells musty, then don’t use it in this recipe.
- If the toothpick is only slightly wet, close the air fryer and let the muffins sit in the air fryer for 5 minutes. The residual heat will finish the cooking process.
- Don’t remove the muffins right away. If you allow them to cool, they will come out of the mold easily and intact.
Substitutions & Variations to Try
- When using the boxed version, you can substitute the milk with a plant-based milk instead, like almond milk or oat milk. Just make sure to use an unsweetened, unflavored version.
- If you want to add some spice to this cornbread, you can add chopped jalapenos or a can of chopped green chilis. You can also add shredded cheese or corn kernels to give it a different taste and texture.
What to Serve as a Main Dish
There are so many options for main dishes to serve with this side dish. You can make these all in the air fryer or in the oven, if you wish.
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Easy Air Fryer Corn Bread Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
From a box:
- 8.5 ounce box of Jiffy corn muffin mix
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk
From scratch:
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup yellow corn meal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
If starting from a box mix:
- Mix the Jiffy corn muffin mix according to the box directions.
If starting from scratch:
- Whisk the egg in a medium mixing bowl. Add the buttermilk and oil. Whisk until combined.
- Add all dry ingredients to the bowl and fold until combined.
For both mixes:
- Grease the wells of the mold. Fill each well 3/4 full with the batter.
- Bake at 325° F for 8 minutes. Test with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out wet then cook for one more minute.
- When the toothpick comes out clean, remove the mold from the air fryer and set it on a cooling rack. Let muffins rest in the mold for 5 minutes. To remove the muffins push up on the bottom of the mold and they will pop right out.
- Repeat the process until all batter is used.
Notes
All air fryers have different wattage and may cook at different rates. You may need to adjust the time or temp for the best results.
Nutrition
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Laura spends a lot of her time cooking and creating recipes to share. She loves traveling and learning about new foods around the world to bring into her own recipes at home.