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!!
Hi Nagi I luv, luv, luv all your recipes specially these cheese muffins I’m a cheese lover in fact iv been told I take the luv of cheese to a whole new level😊 lol but it’s ok every one says they luv when I make recipes with cheese as I’m all for sharing with my friends😊 I’m going to make this recipe so looking forward to it i will be in Cheese heven 😲can I ask what has happened to Dozer iv been away and didn’t always have my mobile switched on due to bad reception where I was, i luv Dozer and he looks so sad😟 iv got 4 dogs and a Fat cat as we call her she is 12 years old my dogs are rescue dogs 2 Border Collies, a Maltese and a staffy x mastiff my husband passed away 18 months ago I live with my daughter Audrey wevmanage each day as it comes our pets have been our strength as you know they luv you unconditionally sorry for the long email hope you don’t mind please can you email me back to let me know what’s happened to Dozer I’m very worried 😢 give Dozer a big get better hug please😊 Regards Jennifer.
Hi Jennifer! Thank you for the sweet message about Dozer! He is totally fine now, he tore his ACL, his knee ligaments, and his joints were sliding out all over the place. It was icky 🙁 He had surgery last week and he’s home now, he is much MUCh better! Hug passed on and happily received by the patient!! You are wonderful for rescuing so may pooches 🙂 N xx
“technology hasn’t advanced quite far enough yet that I can deliver you fresh-out-of-the-oven Savoury Cheese Muffins through a screen” Damn! Come on science, I need one of these now!
you and me both!!! 😂
Hello Nag,
this recipe sounds fantastic. I am planning on making it for a party. Can I prep this in advance? Please let me know.
Thank you so much,
Marion
Absolutely!!! An entire plate of these will reheat very quickly in the microwave – about 30 seconds maybe? Or oven!
I made tonight and they were a hit. Next time instead of Monterey Jack cheese I will use Pepperjack cheese
That’s great Neal! So pleased to hear that! N x
Hi Nagi!
I’m really excited to try these. Savoury muffins over sweet anytime, anyday! Couple of questions though if you will bare with me. Because I am lazy haha… could I just melt the butter and garlic together and stir it straight into the batter, or will it not have quite the same effect? Also I think I’ll try room temperature and leave out the cheese but wanted to try stirring through spinach, feta, chopped jalapeños, and *maybe* some chopped bacon. I’m nothing if not excessive! 😅 Do you think these additions would work since I would be omitting the mozzarella? If so how much of each would you suggest? 😍 thanks! I’m excited!
Yep you can totally stir melt butter and garlic together 🙂 YES to your add ins! Yes yes yes!! I’d just have a small pile of each and stir them in until you “see” enough in the batter. That’s how I’d do it!
Amazing. Thanks! Now to dedicate a day to trying your beef rendang… 🤤
Ps I am confused as to how my picture attached to this comment but… there I am! 🤣
I’m confused too, sorry! I don’t even know how mine got there! 🤣
What if I substitute margarine for butter? Will the result be the same? Unfortunately, we have high cholesterol and have to watch our diet. ;( Also, do you think it’ll taste fine with dill instead of parsley?
That should be fine Alisa! I make this with oil sometimes 🙂 N x
Omg, I want to bake everything I see here. I was going g to try the garlicky cheesy bread but muffins will be better for us. Who thought this hidden site would be so many delicious things. Your the best and so glad I found you. Going shopping now.
Thank you for the compliment Sandy! Hope you try and LOVE some recipes! N xx
Any way to make these gluten free?
Love your recipes!!!
Sherl
I’m sorry I don’t know Sheryl, I haven’t tried 🙂 So glad you’re enjoying my recipes! N xx
Hi , thank you for sharing your recipes. I tried this garlic cheese muffins and some how it tasted a bit floury. Although i baked them at 200 degrees for 35 minutes , so i don’t them were undercooked. Oh and this is my first time baking anything 🙂 so can you help me figure out what went wrong? Thank you so much
Hi Ngan! What type of flour did you use?? Normal flour??
Hi Nagi, I used plain flour. I took a photo of my muffins. But I don’t know how can I attach it in the comment here.
My husband just loves garlic bread. When I saw these muffins, I decided to try them. Just reduced the ingredients and made for two. They were super yummy. We couldn’t even wait for them to cool down.
Thank you Meghan! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, and thanks for letting me know! N xx
So good when I made it ! I added a bit more milk to my batter, it looked a bit dry and I cooked it longer and added more garlic but they turned out amazing so good
The garlic muffins turned out so well ! I added a little extra milk to my battery because it Looked a bit dry and added more garlic but turned out amazing. I also added less butter on top of the balls so it was less fat and cooked them a bit longer but so good !
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Ally! Thanks for letting me know! N x
Hi! I’m dying to try this! Just wanted to ask; if i want to half the ingredients, should i keep the oven temperature and baking time the same? Also, i have shredded mozzarella instead of a block, will that work? Thanks in advance!
Hi Faiza! Yup for sure that will work with shredded and the bake time and temp will be the same 🙂 Well, maybe a couple of minutes less, but around the same!
Just wanted to let you know that I made it and everyone loved it! The only thing I would do next time is like triple the garlic and cheese haha! Not because the recipe was lacking, just because everyone in my family loves garlic and cheese. I will definitely be making this again! Thanks ❤️
BA HA HA! That could have been ME writing that message!!! So glad everyone enjoyed these Faiza! N x
Hi Nagi, just thought I’d let you know that we are about to go camping again and that I found some bigger , sturdier muffin papers at a cheap store and itching to try them out . I had no trouble before but I may have to adjust the cooking time now, Over the years I have just about made everything in our camp ovens, weather permiting,and had my share of flops, and now quiet a few of your recipes are in my campbook, I’m in my 70’s now and still love to cook. Thanks for sharing with us
I’m honoured that some of my recipes are in your camp book Lynette!!! What are you favourite things to cook when you camp?? I’m big into skewers over charcoal – such a treat to cook over real flames!
Love it!
Nagi, if you keep posting pics with oozing cheese like that, one day you’ll find me standing in front of your doorstep 🙂
Promises promises…. 😉
I’m a little confused about your instructions for oven temperature when you say– “Preheat oven to 180C/350F (fan forced) / 200C/390F (not fan forced oven)”. My US oven is electric and a fan comes on as heat increases with regular ‘baking’ … and that is not the same as when I set the dial to ‘convection’ baking. So what is it when you say ‘fan forced’?
Hi Mike! thanks for the question, I think there is a lot of confusion around different types of ovens and clearly I did not explain it properly so I will explain it better in the recipe. 🙂 Convection ovens are fan forced ovens – just the difference between US and Australian lingo. They are the ovens where there is a fan to blow the air around the oven for faster more even cooking. What I am confused about is that you say that the fan turns on even when you don’t have the dial turned to convection?? Basically, when the fan is NOT on, it is a regular oven and in this case, the oven temp needs to be higher i.e. 200C/390F. I have added a Note 1A to explain this. Hope it helps!
Hi, these look amazing! Can I use self-raising flour instead? Cos I have those on hand..
Hi Lynette! You can, and omit the baking powder but you will still need the baking soda 🙂
This takes cheesy garlic bread to a whole new level. If I could eat with my eyes I would be so full.
I KNOW right?? 😉
We are camping and hubby done my mail and found these, yep they turned out perfect in the camp oven , love my camp oven, so now to print them out for my camp book when we go home, keep the beaut recipes coming.
Running out of cheese ,damn
Screech!!! I am so glad they worked out in the camp oven, I have never tried that!!!
Hi, at what point do you put the grated cheddar cheese in Nagi?
Hi Cuckoo Chef! Stir it through after the dry ingredients are mixed in 🙂