Hatch Chile Mini Cornbread Muffins

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. As always, all opinions and recipe are my own. 

Add spice to any gathering with Hatch Chile Mini Cornbread Muffins! Made with roasted mild Hatch chile peppers, these muffins are sweet, creamy and flavorful on the inside with a golden crunch on the outside. They’re the bite-sized version of a classic with a twist! Makes 36 mini muffins.

Cornbread lover? Make these Hatch Chile Mini Cornbread Muffins, then give Honey Cornbread, Creamed Cornbread Casserole and Honey Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins a try!

I’d never heard of a Hatch chile, let alone tried one, until we moved to Texas in 2012.

Quite honestly, I avoided cooking with them for a few years after the move because I’m a wimp when it comes to peppers. (“Surprise!” said no one.)

Keep in mind that I married a Louisiana boy who is all about the spice. So y’all know I had to try cooking them eventually.

My first attempt was adding roasted Hatch chiles to a breakfast flatbread.

What I didn’t know is that Hatch chiles come in a mild and a hotter variety… and I had unknowingly purchased the hot ones.

As we ate the flatbread, sweat was rolling down my face, and my tongue was the saddest.

Now, I’ve learned my lesson on the heat thing, and I’m here with a mild Hatch chile pepper recipe for you to enjoy all fall long.

When my friends at Sprouts Farmers Market reached out and challenged me to make a bite-sized Hatch chile appetizer that would be perfect for a backyard barbecue, I knew exactly what I’d whip up.

With thoughts of tailgating and gathering with my people as the days grow shorter and the weather (hopefully) gets cooler, I set to making some sweet-spicy cornbread.

Dream with me, mmmkay, friends? It’s not that far off.

More recipes that are perfect for a backyard barbecue: Pear BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pear Slaw / Instant Pot Vegetarian Baked Beans / No Mayo Honey Mustard Coleslaw / No Mayo Potato Salad / Honey Cornbread

What you’ll need to make Mini Cornbread Muffins with Hatch Chiles

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• Mini muffin tin
• Large Multi Bowl
• Liquid measuring cup
• Rubber spatula
• 1 tablespoon cookie scoop

How to make Mini Cornbread Muffins

If they’re already roasted, roast the Hatch chile peppers.

You can purchase roasted Hatch chiles in the Produce section of your local Sprouts Farmers Market! (So great, right?)

However, if they don’t have them on hand when you’re doing your shopping, I’ve written you a helpful guide of how to roast peppers here.

Fair warning: Roasting the chiles takes a little bit of time because not only do you have to roast them, but then they have to steam a bit before you peel and chop them.

Is it worth the effort? Absolutely.

Will it add an hour or so onto the total time of these muffins? Yes, it will.

Make the muffin batter.

Once your chiles are roasted, peeled and chopped, it’s time to make the batter.

Preheat the oven, and spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick baking spray.

In a large bowl, measure out the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Use a whisk to stir them together until combined.

In a smaller bowl or a liquid measuring cup, measure out the milk and melted butter. Stir together, and then add the egg, whisking until incorporated.

Gently pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix with a rubber spatula. Do this slowly, as you don’t want to overmix it. (Why? Your muffins won’t be as beautifully fluffy or light if you overmix.)

Once the ingredients start to come together, add the chopped Hatch chiles, and use the spatula, fold them into the batter.

The batter will be a little thick, but don’t worry about that! You should still be able to stir them in pretty easily.

Bake and serve the muffins.

Once mixed, use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure to dollop the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Personally, I like using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop for this because it’s the perfect size.

You could also turn these mini cornbread muffins into regular-sized ones. Simply use a regular muffin tin and line it with your favorite liners. (Mine are made from parchment paper, and they seriously are a dream.) However, keep in mind that your muffins will bake for longer if they’re bigger.

Once your muffins are scooped, transfer the muffin tin to the preheated oven and bake until the muffin tops are golden brown.

Pro tip: Check to see if the muffins are completely baked through by inserting a toothpick into the center of one. If cooked through, you’ll have crumbs on the toothpick. If the muffins need more time, you’ll notice batter on the toothpick instead.

Take ‘em out, and let them cool for a bit before serving!

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

Cornbread is one of my recipes that I always trot out in the fall and winter months because it goes great with so many dishes. I especially love this recipe because they’re mini muffins, which means they’re extra poppable and delicious.

Serve ‘em with a spicy chili at a tailgate.

Place them on the buffet table of a Labor Day gathering to pair with barbecue or any meat and veggie combination. (Hi, can you see my Southernness showing?)

Make ahead alert: Bake ‘em a day or two before so you don’t have to sweat cooking them up the day of… they’re great at room temperature!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Hatch chile peppers?

Hatch chiles are green peppers grown and harvested in the Hatch Valley of southern New Mexico.

They come in both green and red varieties. They’re the same pepper, but the green Hatch chiles are harvested earlier than the red ones. The harvest time makes a difference in their flavor.

The green Hatch chiles are smokier when roasted, and I’m told that the red ones sweeten up.

They’re available from mid-July through the end of September. I’ve found that Dallasites start rolling out the red carpet for these chiles in August.

Why do you like purchasing your ingredients from Sprouts?

As y’all should know by now, Sprouts is one of my long-time partners. I’ve been working with them since 2015, but I’d be singing praises if I didn’t work with them, too.

I love the grocery and their mission—healthy living for less.

Their store-branded ingredients are quality and insanely flavorful. They even have super fun seasonal ingredients they offer, like all kinds of products peppered with Hatch chiles. (Think salsa, beef jerky and more!) In the fall, they’ve got pumpkin-flavored everything, too!

Not only do they offer a great selection of products, but their prices are hard to beat, too.

Are Hatch Chiles Spicy?

Honestly, it depends on the variety you purchase. Hatch chile peppers can fall between 350 and 30,000 on the Scoville scale, which measures the pungency and heat of a chili pepper, as well as other spicy foods.

I’ve eaten some Hatch chiles that made me sweat bullets while I’ve had others that are flavorful, but mild.

If you’re unsure which type you’re purchasing, I’d ask someone in the produce section to confirm so you’re not surprised by the heat or the lack of it.

What can I pair with these mini cornbread muffins?

• Shiner Bock Chili
• Pulled Pork Shoulder
• Lemon Garlic Roasted Broccoli
• Slow Cooker Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
• Orange Fig Preserves or Orange Curd

Quick tips for making Hatch Chile Mini Cornbread Muffins

• Make them gluten free by using an all-purpose gluten free flour in place of the AP flour in the recipe below
• Store the muffins in an airtight food storage container for up to 4 days. (My bets are they won’t last that long, though!)
• For extra spice and flavor, add an extra ¼ cup of the Hatch chile peppers! They’d be really beautiful placed on top of the muffins before they go into the oven, too.

More recipes to try with Hatch chile peppers:

• Hatch Chile Breakfast Flatbread
• Egg Casserole with Green Chiles
• Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese
• Spicy Fettuccine Alfredo with Hatch Green Chile Peppers

Now who’s ready to make some of these beauties?

Scroll on down to learn how easy they are!