Ham and Cheddar Lunch Box Muffins
Servings 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 7 tbs unsalted butter melted and cooled, divided
- 1 cup sharp cheddar shredded
- 8 oz deli ham thick-cut, (1/2 inch thick), diced, divided
- 3 tbs chives finely chopped, divided
- black pepper Freshly ground
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375°F. Line a standard 12-well muffin pan with papers liners or coat the wells with cooking spray. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, garlic powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and 5 tablespoons of the butter in a medium bowl until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. Some lumps are fine. Fold in the cheese, all but 1/2 cup of the ham, and 2 tablespoons of the chives.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin wells, filling each about 3/4 full. Top the muffins with the reserved ham, sprinkle with the remaining chives and sprinkle with pepper. Top each muffin with 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining melted butter.
- Bake until the tops just begin to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the muffins in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Ham and Cheddar Lunch Box Muffins
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. Eat cold or reheat in the toaster oven for a few minutes before serving.
Replace the Classic Sandwich with Savory Muffins
Make a batch of these muffins on Sunday, and you’ve got lunch for at least a week. While sandwiches don’t hold up well when made too far in advance, their muffins counterparts are a different story. This grab-and-go lunch is just one more example of how big-batch cooking makes meal planning a whole lot easier. They’re super portable and will last in the fridge for days and in the freezer for months to come. One muffin is about as satisfying as a basic sandwich — although on days you might be extra hungry, consider packing two