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!
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!
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!
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.
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:
Garlic Bread. (Skip the artisan bread. Gotta use cheap French stick!)
Cheese and Garlic Crack bread (there are no words…)
Cheese, Herb and Garlic Quick Bread (loaf form, no yeast)
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
Bacon and Egg Breakfast Muffins – with a whole egg inside!
Cornbread Muffins – personal favourite!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Savoury Cheese Muffins
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:
Nutrition Information:
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!!
These were so good!
Added a couple tbsp extra flour and Worcestershire sauce. Add one I used grilled capsicum (from a jar), shredded chicken, spinach and fry fried corn.
Next time I think I’d go with HP brown sauce for more flavour.
Brushed the tops with plain butter, not garlic.
These are delicious even 3 days after baking and storage in an airtight container. Reheat perfectly in the microwave. Lovely on their own or with some healthy soup for a filling lunch!
I did not bother with garlic in the butter and they were just perfect!
Another great recipe from Nagi!
Perfect every time thank you for your amazing recipe
These were pretty great but next time I make them I will definitely add a tbsp of sugar. Needs that hint of sweetness.
Loved the recipe! I added some chopped ham and chives and it added such a nice twist. Definitely making these again
Just made these today! I love garlic and would double or triple the amount of garlic next time. Muffins were soft and moist, delicious!
I made these for a Church Shared Lunch. Everybody loved them. Absolutely delicious. I added capsicum, onion and corn to the ingredients. I used Mild Cheese with a handful of grated Smoke Cheese. The only tip I would say is if you are going to use Mild Cheese, season well. If you are going to use Tasty Cheese the amount of salt in the recipe is fine. I have already had requests from my Church Family to make these again, but double the quantity.
Made these this morning & they were delicious! Turned out perfect. I did make 2 batches, 1 lot I brushed the tops with the garlic butter once cooked as recipe said & 2nd lot I only brushed the muffin pan with the garlic butter & skipped the tops. Strangely I preferred the ones without the tops brushed with the garlic as I could taste the muffins more rather than a massive garlic taste. So for a less intense garlic flavour I would suggest not putting it on top. But both ways were amazing! Thank you Nagi X
Mine turned out dry. Finished baking at the 22 minute mark. I only had about 5 oz of cheese instead of 7, but don’t think that would be the reason why.
Is the batter supposed to be thick? Like wet bread dough think.
Thank you for the recipe. I rarely cook and I am awful in the kitchen but these muffins came out perfect!
Have just found you Nagi,
We had a large bag of beautiful New Zealand red apples given to us and decided to look up apple muffins and found your site .
I made your beautiful MOIST APPLE MUFFINS .
BEAUTIFUL
Have never used white Vinegar before in muffins before it’s amazing how it will activate the soda .
Will experiment more.
Thank you .
These were amaaaazing! I can’t wait to make them again. Is there a substitute for sour cream if I don’t have any on hand?
Wondering this myself today. Did you attempt it without? I’m about to. Possibly I’ll try one more egg and splashes of milk …
The recipe says you can use yoghurt instead of sour cream.
I’m wondering if I can make the batter a day ahead so I can simply bake them when my guests arrive.
I would say not as the baking powder will have de-actvated
These are the softest fluffiest savoury muffins I think I’ve ever had. Substituted fresh garlic for jarred minced garlic. Then I added bacon, carrot, red onion, capsicum, zucchini and corn as add ins. So delicious!! 🤤
I made these today. I added shredded carrots and chopped jalapeños. The muffins were light, fluffy and delicious . Thanks!
Hi! Any chance you’d know if they would be good with whole grain flour?
Oh no!!! Popped them in the oven with all the gorgeous add-ins, started tidying up ands found the whisked egg in the jug!! Forgot to add it in. So upset. Booohooooo. Lesson learned. Must check off all ingredients…
Long time Nagi fan here. I’m never disappointed in her incredible recipes and this one is no exception! I added some chopped green onions because I needed to use them up and WOW. I will be making these regularly and in the future I will make sure to also have breakfast sausages (American style made from ground Meats and herbs) made up to pair with them. I’m so tired of sugary and sweet breakfasts and this is a long term solution to that. Thank you, Nagi! (I also can’t wait to add some red Bell peppers to these, if you’re reading reviews and are wondering if you should make these, let me save you some time- make them right now!)
These are super delichious! I just made them and am afraid they are not going to last long. Instead of garlic I used garlic and herb and parsley. When they came out of the oven I brushed butter and put back under the grill for further 3 mins instead of microwaveing.
Hi, I want to make these muffins but I don’t have fresh garlic. How much jared minced garlic do I use? Thanks
I used 2 teaspoons in the butter garlic mix and 1 in the muffins. Tastes amazing!
You are right. These cheesy garlic muffins came out light & fluffy. I only had 1 cup of flour, so I added 1/2 cup whole wheat + 1/2 cornmeal to equal the second cup of flour. Expected these muffins to be ‘belly bombs’, but they were so light!
Added dried herbs from our garden. Will experiment with other add-ins now that I know the basic recipe is a keeper. Thank you!
Hi, I want to make these muffins but I don’t have fresh garlic. How much jared minced garlic do I use? Thanks
1 tspn jar minced garlic = 1 garlic clove