Savory Cheese Muffins (basic recipe with variations)
This is a versatile, tasty, savory muffin recipe with a good crumb. There's a nice sharp kick from the cheese and seasonings, and that incomparable green onion flavor. You can add other ingredients, like spinach, mushrooms, ham or bacon. They freeze wonderfully and are perfect for brunch tables and a great savory alternative for breakfast. I recently retested the original recipe, and it's still the same, but with a few tweaks when it comes to flavorings.
Servings 12 regular muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and warm
- ¼ cup chopped green onion or ciboulette, loosely packed
- 1 cup grated semi-hard cheese such as Gouda, white cheddar or Fontina, about 4 ounces
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Optional: use one or more
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ cup add-ins from the list below
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Place paper cups or paper liners in a 12-muffin pan. Alternatively, butter or spray the tins and don't use the liners.
- In a large bowl, mix 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon saltand black pepper to taste. If using ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and/or ¼ teaspoon onion powder, add them now.
- In a small bowl, stir 2 eggs until mixed (don't beat), add 1 cup whole milk, and 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and warm. Stir to mix before the butter starts to seize.
- Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture all at once and stir lightly with a spatula or spoon. Don't beat or integrate it all; you should still have some dry parts.
- Add ¼ cup chopped green onion, 1 cup grated semi-hard cheese and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. If using 1 teaspoon thyme leaves and/or ¼ cup add-ins from the list below, add them now. Mix just until combined and no dry spots remain, but don’t overmix or the muffins will be tough.
- Divide evenly between the 12 muffin tins or molds, filling ¾ of the paper cup's capacity. I use a large cookie scoop
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden, and a tester comes out clean. Don't overbake. See Notes below.
- Let cool on a wire rack, but my recommendation is to eat the muffins warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container for several days, or freeze them for a month. Reheat them before eating.
Video
Notes
Baking temperature: all ovens are different, and it's important you know how your oven works. For example, what works for me and my oven is to reduce the oven temp after 10 minutes to 325°F (170°C); the muffins get a growth spurt. It's a bit counterintuitive, as the first growth is the most important one when baking, but for some reason, this works for me, not just for these muffins, but also loaf cakes, scones and baked goods in general.
Add-ins: This recipe is customizable to different flavors, which you can use on their own or combined. Ham/salami/bacon: add ¼ finely chopped ham or salami (any type you like) or crunchy bacon bits. Tomatoes: I like that they add freshness to the muffin. Make sure they are chopped small and seeded to avoid excess moisture. Blot them with a paper towel if necessary. Spinach: a very popular flavor. Make sure the spinach is as dry as possible, so you don't add extra liquid to the batter. Vegetables: such as garlic (or garlic powder), onion, grated carrot, zucchini, eggplant (baked or roasted first in a medium oven until they are brown and have released the extra liquid). Chop them before adding them to the muffin batter. You can use a combination of them or individually. Corn: Use cooked corn (frozen works very well). I like to roast it first until very lightly charred to add more flavor. Olives: green or black olives, chopped, for a fantastic, salty variation. Mushrooms: chop and cook them first until they release all the liquid.
Seasonings: be sure to add enough salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Unseasoned muffins are so dull. Spice it up with some smoked paprika or chili pepper if that's your jam.
Yield: 12 regular medium-sized muffins when you fill ¾ of the paper cup, and 10 muffins if you fill it almost to the top. The batter holds itself well, so there's little chance of overflow even if you fill it more than three-quarters, which is a standard way of avoiding spills.
Freezing: these muffins can be frozen, wrapped first in plastic and then in aluminum foil. Rewarm in a medium 170°F (75°C) oven before eating.
Non-dairy alternative like almond milk: I haven't tried them, but it might make the muffins denser or slightly different in texture. You'll have to test and see. I suggest making half the recipe in case they don't turn out exactly the way you want them to.
