To get a corn muffin recipe that wouldn’t set off sugar alarms, with a moist, tender crumb and a crunchy, craggy, golden muffin top, we chose a whole-grain cornmeal in a fine grind for wholesome and complex corn flavor. We used a quick-bread method of mixing, combining melted instead of creamed butter with sugar, eggs, and flour, which gave the muffins good height and a substantial crumb. Finally, we mixed in sour cream, which contributed moisture and a tender texture.

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
• 1 cup fine-ground, whole-grain yellow cornmeal (4 1/2 ounces)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to combine; set aside. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl until well combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add sugar to eggs; whisk vigorously until thick and homogenous, about 30 seconds; add melted butter in 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add half the sour cream and half the milk and whisk to combine; whisk in remaining sour cream and milk until combined. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; mix gently with rubber spatula until batter is just combined and evenly moistened. Do not over-mix. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, divide batter evenly among muffin cups, dropping it to form mound. Do not level or flatten surface of mounds.
3. Bake until muffins are light golden brown and skewer inserted into center of muffins comes out clean, about 18 minutes, rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in tin 5 minutes; invert muffins onto wire rack, stand muffins upright, cool 5 minutes longer, and serve warm.

Whole-grain cornmeal has a fuller flavor than regular cornmeal milled from degerminated corn. To determine what kind of cornmeal a package contains, look closely at the label.