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Tamale Bites
I first made these tamale bites at a friend's house when I was tired of bringing the same casseroles to potluck dinners. The cornbread batter puffed up around the filling, the edges turned golden and crisp, and suddenly there were twenty people crowded around the serving platter with toothpicks in hand.
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the filling. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart as it cooks, about 6 minutes. Drain any excess fat, then stir in the softened cream cheese until melted and smooth. Add the enchilada sauce, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt. Stir well and remove from heat. Let cool for 10-15 minutes — this is important so it doesn't steam your cornbread.
- Make the cornbread batter. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl or measuring cup, combine eggs, milk, melted butter, and lime juice until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined — don't overmix; a few lumps are fine.
- Assemble the bites. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners or spray generously with cooking spray. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the bottom of each cup, then top with roughly 2 tablespoons of cornbread batter. Press down gently to nestle the filling inside.
- Bake until golden. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are set and lightly browned. They should spring back when you touch them in the center and a toothpick inserted into the cornbread comes out clean (the filling may still be soft). Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing — they'll firm up as they cool slightly.
Nutrition
Notes
I kept making them because they're easy enough for a busy evening but feel like you put more effort into them than most of what I actually bring. The key is letting the filling cool before scooping it into the batter — hot filling steams the cornbread and leaves it gummy instead of light.
I've tried adding cheese, jalapeños, and even a little cumin to the cornbread itself, but the simplest version has been my favorite. A squeeze of lime over the top before serving makes everything brighter without needing another sauce on the side.
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