BROWN BUTTER CORNBREAD MUFFINS WITH SWEET TEA GLAZE

Brown Butter Cornbread Muffins with Sweet Tea Glaze image

This spin on the home cooking favorite is a nod to a classic Southern combination: iced tea and cornbread. Here, the tea makes a sweet and shiny glaze and the delicate sweetness of fresh corn kernels balances out the buttery bread. Muffins are perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts, but you could also make it in a cast-iron skillet and serve family style. Beware, your overnight guests may never leave.

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

For the Brown Butter Cornbread Muffins:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 cup fresh summer corn kernels (or thawed frozen)
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup honey
4 large eggs
For the Sweet Tea Glaze:
2 ½ cups Gold Peak® Sweet Tea
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt

Steps:

Make The Brown Butter Cornbread Muffins:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut 6 tablespoons of butter into 12 (½ tablespoon) pats. Place 1 pat of butter in each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Cut the remaining 1 ½ sticks of butter into chunks and melt in a medium, light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, swirling the pan, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, 5 to 7 minutes-the butter will foam while it's browning. Remove from the heat, add the corn, and stir to coat the kernels in butter. Let cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, honey, and eggs. Add the warm (not hot) corn mixture and whisk to incorporate. Add the flour mixture and gently fold until just combined.
Place the muffin pan in the oven and heat until the butter is melted, foaming, and starting to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Spoon about 1/3 cup of batter into each muffin cup-they will be very full. Return the pan to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan then transfer the muffins to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
Make The Sweet Tea Glaze:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the tea and honey and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Add the butter and whisk until melted. Carefully measure 2 tablespoons of the hot glaze, combine with the cornstarch, and whisk to dissolve. Whisk the cornstarch mixture back into the glaze, add the salt, and continue to simmer, whisking frequently, until thick and slightly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour the glaze over the muffins and enjoy warm or at room temperature-before they're all gone!