Jazzed-Up Jiffy Cornbread Muffins

The debate about sugar in cornbread is a fierce one.  I’ve had several comments like: “No true Southerner would ever put sugar in cornbread” and “Real cornbread only has cornmeal, buttermilk, and egg.”

And while I’ve got some strong opinions about it myself, I’ll share the short version with you… Cornbread and sweet cornbread are two different beasts.  

It really depends on what I’m serving it with that defines whether I want it sweet or not. For me they’re totally different and not interchangeable.

 

A big pot of beans, peas, or greens requires the savory version with no sugar… at least at my house.  Cornbread dressing is the same way.  But sweet cornbread – most often in the form of muffins – is served with other meals where the bread is more of a complement rather than an integral part of any particular dish like it is with beans and greens.  

Now, I grew up with sweet cornbread and being that my family is nearly all in the South and has been for generations, I’m pretty sure that means we’re Southern. So stop with that nonsense.  

But here’s the thing.  You should make whichever you want.  The world is filled with much more important things than arguing about whether sugar makes something “Southern” or not.  If you like sugar in your cornbread, you make sweet cornbread.  If you think adding sugar is blasphemy, well you just keep on making it without.

See. Pretty simple, right?   

For as long as I can remember, Mom has served Jiffy Corn Muffins with certain meals. And while I love the classic “back-of-the-box” recipe, I happen to think you can make them just a little better. 

My recipe calls for 2 eggs, some melted butter, and mayonnaise.  Yes, you read that right… mayo!  Since mayo is made with eggs and oil, it adds some great consistency and flavor – without tasting like mayo.  I just love the texture of these things.  And quite often not all 6 of these babies make it to the table  -I just love them piping hot right out of the oven.

If you’re totally opposed to mayo, you can swap it out for sour cream – like my buddy Mandy over at South Your Mouth.  But, I sure wish you’d try it with the mayo first. Trust me.  Just keep in mind we’re talking mayo – not Miracle Whip.  And I don’t recommend light or reduced fat mayo here. The results made with the lightened-up stuff just aren’t the same.

Y’all enjoy!