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Savoury Cheese Muffins

By:Nagi
411 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

These Cheese Muffins will disappear in seconds! Quick and easy, sinfully more-ish, these savoury muffins are buttery and garlicky with golden crusty tops and fluffy moist insides.

Keep a stash for snacking, pop them in lunch boxes or serve a basket of these with dinner!

Overhead photo of golden Savoury Cheese Muffins in a gold muffin tin.

Cheese Muffins – a great savoury muffin recipe!

So basically, these muffins are every cheese-lovin’-Carb-Monsters’ dream come true.

Inhale deeply, and you’ll get a waft of buttery garlicky goodness mingling with that unmistakable smell of melting cheese.

Look closely, and you’ll feel the warmth radiating from these muffins, fresh out of the oven.

That top one’s got your name written all over it. Go on. I saved it for you!

Close up photo of a stack of Savoury Cheese Muffins

OK, technology hasn’t advanced quite far enough yet that I can deliver you fresh-out-of-the-oven Cheese Muffins through a screen.

But luckily, just 10 minutes of effort is all that stands between you and and a fresh batch of these!

Half a Savoury Cheese Muffin smeared with butter, slowly melting.

Add-in options for these savoury muffins

These Cheese Muffins are absolutely terrific as is, and it’s how I make them most of the time.

Having said that though, it’s a sensational base for all sorts of add ins. Imagine the possibilities! I’ve used sun dried tomatoes, olives and feta in the photo below. Try mushrooms, spinach, zucchini (grated and excess liquid squeezed out), BACON, ham, chorizo, even cooked chicken. You could really turn these savoury muffins into a mini meal!

I’ve added some more suggestions in the recipe notes – basically, just add 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of whatever add ins you want.

Savoury Cheese Muffins with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Feta and Olives on white paper, with olives on the side, ready to be eaten.

Give me any combination of cheese, garlic, butter and bread, and it’s all over. It’s almost worrying that I have not one, but FIVE versions of garlic bread in various forms on this blog:

  1. Quick Cheesy Garlic Bread

  2. Garlic Bread. (Skip the artisan bread. Gotta use cheap French stick!)

  3. Cheese and Garlic Crack bread (there are no words…)

  4. Cheese, Herb and Garlic Quick Bread (loaf form, no yeast)

  5. These Cheese Muffins.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to grab one of these Cheese Muffins while they’re still warm. One of the most torturous photo shoots I’ve done in a while! – Nagi x

MORE SAVOURY MUFFIN RECIPES

Overhead photo of Savoury Cheese Muffins cooling on a baking rack, fresh out of the oven.

Close up photo of a Savoury Cheese Muffin with a golden dome.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

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Close up photo of a stack of Savoury Cheese Muffins

Savoury Cheese Muffins

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 35 mins
Appetizer, Breakfast, Sides
Western
4.96 from 131 votes
Servings11 muffins
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. They taste like cheesy garlic bread - in muffin form! If you want lovely high domes as pictured, this makes 11 muffins. It's irritating, I know, but such is life. See notes for Add In options! 

Ingredients

Butter and Cheese:

  • 3 tbsp / 50g salted butter (unsalted + salt)
  • 2 garlic cloves , crushed
  • 2 cups / 200g grated cheddar cheese (Note 1)

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups / 300g plain flour (all purpose flour)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda / bi-carb soda (Note 2)
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 egg (large, about 60g / 2 oz) , lightly whisked
  • 1 cup milk (full or low fat)
  • 1/4 cup / 60 g sour cream (or plain yoghurt)
  • 1/3 cup / 85 ml vegetable oil (or any plain oils, not olive oil)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (Note 3)
  • 1 garlic clove , crushed

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan).
  • Place butter and garlic in a microwave proof bowl and melt in 30 second bursts. Mix.
  • Brush a 12 hole standard muffin tin generously with butter, being sure to slather with some garlic. Reserve some butter to brush tops.
  • Whisk Dry ingredients in a bowl.
  • Whisk Wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
  • Pour Wet into the Dry ingredients bowl. Mix 8 times. Add cheese, mix as few times as possible just to incorporate remaining bits of flour - no more than 7 big stirs (secret to soft muffs).
  • Divide between 11 holes in muffin in (I use an ice cream scooper). Batter should be thick and fill muffin tin to top (if in ball shape due to scooper, leave as is). See video.
  • Bake for 22 - 25 minutes or until the muffins are golden and crusty and spring back when touched in the centre.
  • Remove onto cooling rack, brush with remaining butter (microwave again if needed) and cool slightly before getting stuck into them!

Recipe Notes:

1. I typically use grated Cheddar or Tasty Cheese (common in Australia). Any flavoured cheese will be terrific here, as long as it melts. Avoid Mozzarella - it doesn't have enough flavour. 
2. Baking soda gives these muffins a kick start with the rise so you get a lovely dome BUT if you don't have it, then you can use an extra 2 1/2 tsp of baking powder instead. OR use self raising flour instead of plain flour and no baking powder and no baking soda. 
3. Can sub with 1 tbsp dried parsley or 1 1/2 tsp of stronger dried herbs (thyme, oregano, mixed herbs, basil), or just skip. Still lovely flavour without!
4. These stay fresh for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. Best served warm. These can also be frozen for 2 - 3 months.
5. As always for baking recipes, I have made these using Australian cups (metric measurements used by the most of the world, including Europe, NZ) as well as US cups. I actually made these while I was in LA at a friend's house and they came out just as they do when I made them at home!
6. Add In options: Up to 1 1/2 cups of stir ins of choice, add with cheese. Sun dried tomatoes, chopped or large chunks of feta, chopped olives, ham, cooked bacon, grated zucchini (salt, leave for 20 minutes then squeeze out excess water), grated carrot, chopped spinach, bell peppers/capscium (cooked). Cooked mushroom slices, cooked chorizo, even chopped chicken. Let your imagination run wild! Makes 12 high dome muffins, or 13 - 14 sensible muffins.
7. Nutrition per muffin, going all out as per the recipe. Skip the butter and it reduces to 248 calories each.
Cheese Muffins nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 275cal (14%)
Keywords: Cheese muffins, Savoury Muffins
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

LIFE OF DOZER

He’s home! The first thing I thought when I saw his shaved leg was “Yessss!!!! 25% less fur droppage all over the house!” 😂

In all seriousness though, he is doing just fine. Zonked out for most of the day.

I am loving that harness he got sent home with. And so is Dozer – just that little bit of help to get him on his feet and hobble outside to the toilet. That’s the most action he’s going to get for a while!!

Dozer the golden retriever post ACL surgery

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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411 Comments

  1. Lorne Barichello says

    I just made these using old cheddar cheese and christmas ham. I also added some chives. Unvelievable. Thank you.

    Reply

  2. Annmarie says

    Oh my good god these are delicious! We made 11 this morning for school lunchboxes for the week..
    We only have 1 muffin left!!!🤣
    We now use only your website for weekly food planning!! Thank you so much! Xxx

    Reply

  4. Maya says

    4 stars
    Hi Nagi, these muffins were absolutely delicious, i added 1/3 of a cup of chilli flakes + seeds and some paprika (my family loves spice) and they turned out amazing!! I also added another cup of cheese 😋 Naughty But nice!
    Thank you so much
    Maya

    Reply

  5. Sarah Diamond says

    5 stars
    Thank you! These were sooo good! I added bacon and chives and skipped the garlic and they were divine! I froze some after they cooled and popped them in the microwave to heat up after defrosting – tasted as fresh as the day they were made. I’ll be making these again and again and again!

    Reply

  6. sherry says

    5 stars
    Nagi, these came out great. My husband said they were the best savoury muffins he’s had in his life. I added a cup of chopped chorizo and made 9 giant muffins. Thank you for another excellent recipe.

    Reply

  7. Tammy says

    Hi. Ian’s is exited to try this but only have olive oil, grape seed oil and avocado oil. Could or of-these b used instead of plain oil?

    Thank you
    Tammy

    Reply

  8. Pamela Burden says

    Greetings, I may need to whip up 7-8 dozen servings of bread tomorrow to feed the heroes on the fire line nearby. Will they peel out of cupcake papers? I only have 2 muffin tins and I’ll need to work quickly if the call comes in.

    Reply

  9. Jess says

    5 stars
    Thanks Nagi! The recipe is great! They turned out delicious. I used your idea of grated zucchini …and I also snuck a bit of chipotle powder in the flour mix which gave it a nice kick for those that like spice. Looking forward to making more of your recipes!

    Reply

  11. Elizabeth Bannon-Murray says

    5 stars
    Just finished making these with gluten free SR flour, and even though you said not to, olive oil – as it was the only oil I had on hand. I added an extra egg to the mix to help with the gluten free version, some garlic powder and onion powder. And they rised beautifully and had the defect dense to fluffy result! Nice and buttery, that fried cheese taste on top of the garlic goodness! Only other alteration I want to make for next time is more garlic!

    Reply

  12. Lea says

    5 stars
    Best muffins of any kind that I have ever made!
    My husband ate 3 in a row!
    Love your recipes, they always turn out great!
    Keep posting!

    Reply

  14. Felicity says

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi,
    I tried these today and yummm
    They are so popular I have the second batch in the oven now.
    Tomorrow will be your apples muffins.
    Loving your recipes thank you and pats to beautiful Dozer.
    xooo

    Reply

  15. Grace says

    Love LOVE these, so yummy! But every time they stick to the muffin tin. Do you have any tips?? Not sure if it’s because my tray is so old? Or my obsession with extra cheese?

    Reply

  16. Berrin says

    5 stars
    Thank you very much Nagi for this great recipe. So delicious and easy to make. Warmest greetings from Turkey

    Reply

  18. Sue says

    5 stars
    I have to say Nagi that these are delightfully “ sinfully moreish “🤣
    I added diced cooked bacon , grated carrot , spring onions , and corn kernels to the mixture.
    Delicious!!

    Reply

  19. Omar says

    5 stars
    Great muffins, not a fan of the use of “sinfully moorish” as a description of muffins… weird (and offensive) way to talk about anything, but especially muffins…

    Reply

  20. Emma says

    5 stars
    Very easy and came out amazing! I would definitely recommend this and halved this and made 6 delicious muffins! 🙂

    Reply
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