Corn Meal Muffins

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

1. Buttermilk + creamtop 10% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together674 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).

2. Milk + creamtop 18% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together29,399 recipes

   Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).

3. Milk + eggtop 18% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together88,785 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).

4. Egg + creamtop 24% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together42,166 recipes

   Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).

5. Buttermilk + eggtop 25% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together2,986 recipes

   Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).

Egg and cream barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 42,166 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Cornmeal

Forms the main body of the muffin, giving them their coarse, grainy structure.

Baking soda

Reacts with the acidic buttermilk or sour milk to produce gas that lifts the batter.

Buttermilk or sour milk

Its acidity activates the baking soda and adds tang and tenderness.

Egg yolks

Add richness and help bind the batter together as it sets.

Thick cream or melted butter

Adds fat, which contributes moisture and a tender crumb.

The step that matters