Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 150 g yellow cornmeal, medium grind preferred
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g granulated sugar
- 14 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 6 g kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 240 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- 115 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Mix-ins
- 150 g hatch green chilis, roasted, peeled, and diced
- 115 g sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 235 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 383 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 52 mg
- Potassium
- 260 mg
- Calcium
- 155 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 41 mg
- Phosphorus
- 223 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 124 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 30 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 10 mcg
- Water
- 20 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray or butter, or line with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the room-temperature buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs until completely smooth and homogeneous.
Pour the wet ingredients into the center of the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until just barely combined. A few streaks of dry flour should remain.
Add the diced Hatch green chilis and grated sharp cheddar cheese. Gently fold three or four times to distribute the mix-ins evenly without overworking the batter.
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each cup about three-quarters of the way to the top.
Bake in the preheated 200°C (400°F) oven for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through for even browning.
Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to rest in the tin for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack.
Chef's Notes
- Using freshly roasted Hatch chilis provides unparalleled depth of flavor, but high-quality canned diced green chilis work exceptionally well when out of season.
- Buttermilk is strictly necessary for tenderizing the crumb and reacting with the baking soda to lift the muffins. If unavailable, creating a quick substitute with milk and acid is your best alternative.
- For an extra crispy edge and deeply savory profile, try brushing the muffin tin with melted bacon fat instead of butter before adding the batter.
- A touch of granulated sugar here does not make the muffin sweet, but rather acts as a flavor enhancer that contrasts beautifully with the sharp cheddar and earthy chili.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap, then place in a heavy-duty freezer bag.
Reheating: Wrap in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds, or warm in a 175C/350F oven for 10 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Muffins are dense, tough, or have peaked tops
Cause: The batter was overmixed, activating too much gluten in the all-purpose flour.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Fold the wet and dry ingredients together purely until you no longer see large pockets of dry flour; lumps are highly encouraged.
Muffins stick to the pan
Cause: Inadequate greasing or removing the muffins while they were still too hot and fragile.
Fix: Carefully run a flexible offset spatula or butter knife around the edges to coax them out.
Prevention: Thoroughly grease the pan, including the flat top surface, and strictly observe the 5-minute resting time.
Cheese and chilis sank to the bottom of the muffins
Cause: The mix-ins were too heavy for the batter or contained too much moisture.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Thoroughly pat the chilis dry with paper towels before folding in. You can also toss the cheese and chilis in a pinch of flour before adding them.
Cultural Context
Hatch green chilis are a celebrated cornerstone of Southwestern cuisine, grown exclusively in the Hatch Valley along the Rio Grande in New Mexico. Their unique balance of smoky sweetness and earthy heat pairs perfectly with corn, an indigenous staple of the Americas. This savory muffin celebrates that historic pairing, acting as a versatile bread that nods to native culinary traditions while fitting seamlessly into modern American comfort food.
