Bacon Corn Bread

Crispy diced bacon mixed directly into cornbread batter, baked at high heat into golden muffins. The bacon fat renders further during baking, flavoring the surrounding cornbread with smoky richness while the bacon pieces stay crispy.

Crisp the bacon before adding it to the batter. Raw bacon in cornbread stays chewy and releases too much grease during the short bake time. Pre-crisped bacon keeps its crunch and distributes its flavor more evenly.

The high oven temperature and short bake time (15 minutes) gives these muffins a crispy golden crust on the outside while the interior stays tender and moist. Filling the tins ⅔ full leaves room for the muffins to dome without overflowing.

Simple, fast, and the perfect companion to a bowl of chili or soup.

Kitchen Tips

• Oil the muffin tins well. Cornbread sticks more than regular muffin batter.
• Don’t overmix. Stir the wet into the dry just until combined. Lumpy is fine.
• The muffins are done when the tops are golden and they spring back to a light touch.
• Serve warm. These are best straight from the oven when the bacon is still at peak crunch.

Variations

• Jalapeño bacon: Add diced jalapeño to the batter alongside the bacon for a spicy-smoky combination.
• Cheddar bacon: Fold in shredded sharp cheddar for cheesy bacon cornbread muffins.