Famous Dave's Cornbread Muffins Copycat Recipe

This was probably the fifth copycat recipe I had tried for Famous Dave's amazing Cornbread Muffins.  One had used a cake mix, one used stone-ground cornmeal and one even used Mayonnaise.  None came even close to the real deal, but I love the real muffins so much, that even after so many failed attempts, I was still willing to try another.  I even had such high hopes for this recipe that I actually went to dinner at Famous Daves and ordered an extra half dozen of the muffins to take home, so I could compare these side by side.  

Well, my first attempt at this recipe turned out dry, but the flavor was so close that I tried again.  My 2nd attempt, I made a few minor adjustments and ended up with a very very yummy and moist muffin that is probably the closest you could come to the real thing!  The biggest difference was that the real muffins domed at the top and mine were more flat, but everything else was really really close!

Above is a real Famous Dave's muffin straight from the restaurant - So Good!

This was my first attempt at this recipe.  You can just tell it isn't going to be moist.

This was my 2nd attempt with a few minor changes.  It looks so much better (and tasted so much better)!

Famous Dave's Corn Muffins Copycat

(Printable Recipe)

1 3/4 c. cornmeal

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. shortening

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 c. whole milk

1/4 c. buttermilk

1/3 c. vegetable oil

4 Tbl. honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grind the cornmeal at high speed in a food processor for 5 minutes or until some of it has become flour.  Pour ground cornmeal into a large bowl with the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda and whisk together.  In a separate bowl, cream together the eggs, sugar, shortening and vanilla using an electric mixer.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and add the remaining ingredients.  Stir together with a rubber spatula until smooth.  Line a muffin pan with paper liners.  Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full with batter and bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden.  Remove from oven and take a cold stick of butter and rub over the top of the rolls until each is coated.  Makes 16 muffins.  Serve plain or with cinnamon honey butter.  

Jenn's Notes: I typed the recipe above with the adjustments that I made the 2nd time.  I used less flour than Todd's original recipe and I added more honey.  I also used whole milk the 2nd time (the 1st time I used 1%) and brushed butter over the top when they were done baking.  The batter should be the consistency of any other cornbread recipe.  Mine were done at 18 minutes.  I am eating one of these while I sit here and type this and they really are so good! It is even the 3rd day and they are still moist!  I am going to try these again without grinding the cornmeal to see if it makes a difference and I will update this when I do.   

Very slightly adapted from: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3