These Cheese Muffins taste like cheesy garlic bread, in muffin form!! I’ll take these savoury muffins over sweet ones any day. Quick to make and sinfully more-ish with golden crusty tops and incredibly fluffy soft 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 unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves , crushed using a garlic press or grated finely
- 2 cups (200g) shredded cheddar cheese (Note 1)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups 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)
- 1 cup milk (full or low fat)
- 1/4 cup sour cream (or plain yoghurt)
- 1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil (or any plain flavoured oils)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley , optional (Note 3)
- 1 garlic clove , crusted using garlic press or finely grated using microplane
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE:
- Melt butter with garlic, brush 11 holes generously (reserve bit for tops). Whisk Dry and Wet ingredients in separate bowls. Pour Dry into Wet, mix just 8 times. Add cheese, mix as little as you can. Fill 11 holes of muffin tin. Bake 25 minutes at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan), brush tops with remaining butter.
FULL RECIPE:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced)
- Garlic butter – Place butter and garlic in a microwave proof bowl and melt in 2 x 30 second bursts. Mix.
- Great muffin tin – Brush a 11 holes of a standard muffin tin generously with the butter, being sure to slather with some garlic. Use most – just reserve a bit for brushing the tops later)
- Make batter – Whisk Dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk Wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour Wet into the Dry ingredients bowl. Mix 8 times – some flour will remain not mixed in, that's ok.
- Add cheese, then mix as few times as possible just to incorporate remaining bits of flour – no more than 7 big stirs (secret to soft muffs). The batter can be lumpy, that's fine.
- Fill muffin tine – 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 25 – 27 minutes or until the muffins are domed, golden and crusty. A toothpick inserted should come out clean.
- Butter brush and cool – Brush remaining butter on the surface (re-melt again if needed). Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove onto cooling rack. Cool for at least 5 minutes 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!!
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 🙂
OOOOHHHH…I must make these. MUST. Thanks, Nagi.
Hope you DO Victoria!!! 🙂
Oh no you didn’t!!! Seriously girlfriend this is one of my favorite recipes that you have made. Yup fantastical! That’s what these are…
OMG! This is what I was looking for!
I am Japanese and I don’t like super sweet Australian muffins.
Our son and I will be making these this afternoon!
You saved me☆
I know exactly what you mean! I’m Japanese by birth, and I very rarely buy muffins, they are TOO SWEET!!! I love Japanese baked goods, they are the BEST!!!
Dear God! I also would not be waiting for these to cool down. Straight outta the oven!!!
So awesome!!!!! you muffin-ized the amazing cheesy garlic bread! they must be so good.
SO good!!!
Hello, can you please add in the Imperial measurements as trying to convert from cups is a minefield.
Hi Lady Alexandra – I’ve added grams for flour etc 🙂 Hope that helps!