Ham and Cheddar Muffins

By: thekitchn.com
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 7 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and divided
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 oz thick-cut deli ham, diced (1/2-inch), divided
• 3 tbsp finely chopped chives, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-well muffin pan with paper liners or grease with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, garlic powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and 5 tbsp of melted butter until combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until combined. Some lumps are okay.
5. Fold in the cheddar cheese, all but 1/2 cup of the diced ham, and 2 tbsp of the chives.
6. Spoon the batter into the muffin wells, filling each about 3/4 full.
7. Top each muffin with the reserved ham, sprinkle with the remaining chives and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle each with 1/2 tsp of the remaining melted butter.
8. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tip: These savory muffins can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for long-term storage, great for meal prepping lunches!