Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal (or blue cornmeal)
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup tequila
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime zest
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt (optional)

Method

  • Position oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 400°.
  • Prepare muffin tins: spray indentations and the rims with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt until well combined; set aside.
  • In a big bowl, whisk the egg and sour cream until smooth.
  • Whisk in the tequila, orange juice, oil, lime juice, and zest until well blended.
  • Stir in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until incorporated.
  • Fill muffin tins 3/4 full; if desired, sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt over muffin top before baking (coarse salt gives the topping a little bite; if you don't like margaritas in salt-rimmed glasses, you probably should omit this).
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned and cracked.
  • Set pan on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes; gently rock each muffin back and forth to release and remove from tin.
  • Cool muffins for 5 minutes on the rack before serving.
  • *Margarita Pumpkin Seed Muffins: add 3/4 cup toasted, shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas) with the flour.
  • *Sugar-Topped Margarita Muffins: omit the coarse salt; sprinkle the muffins with 1/2 teaspoon coarse or colored sugar before baking.