Orange Corn Muffins

A tablespoon of fresh orange zest turns ordinary corn muffins into something you’ll actually look forward to eating. The citrus oil in the zest blooms in the oven heat, filling each muffin with a warm, fragrant brightness that pairs naturally with the sweet cornmeal.

This is a simple stir-together batter. Dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another, combine just until moistened and bake. The high oven temperature gives the muffins a quick rise and a golden crust on top while the inside stays tender and moist.

The key word is “just until moistened." Overmixing cornmeal batters develops gluten in the flour, and you end up with tough, dense muffins instead of the light crumb you want.

Pro Tips

• Zest the orange on a microplane for the finest shreds. Large pieces of zest can be chewy and bitter.
• Fill the muffin tins exactly ⅔ full. Too much batter means mushroom tops that stick to the pan; too little means flat, dry muffins.
• Serve these warm. Corn muffins are at their best straight from the oven when the crumb is still slightly steamy.
• Grease the tins well or use paper liners. Cornmeal sticks aggressively to ungreased metal.

Variations

• Add a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries for a fruit-studded version.
• Fold in diced jalapeno and sharp cheddar for a savory spin that’s great alongside chili.
• Brush the tops with honey butter while still hot for a glossy, sweet finish.