Savory Cheddar Cheese Muffins: Easy Homemade Cheese Muffins for Soup Night

These savory cheddar cheese muffins are soft, fluffy, and packed with sharp cheddar in every bite, with golden cheesy tops that are hard to resist. They're the kind of easy cheese muffins made for dunking into a warm bowl of soup or chili, and they're just as good as a grab-and-go savory breakfast. This homemade recipe is made from scratch with simple pantry ingredients and easy step-by-step instructions, so even beginner bakers can nail it on the first try. Keep a batch on hand all season long, because these savory muffins turn any simple soup night into a cozy, comforting meal.

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Why this is the best Savory Cheddar Cheese Muffins recipe

It's a simple recipe with everyday ingredients. These savory cheddar cheese muffins use basic baking ingredients and shredded cheddar cheese, so you probably already have most of what you need in your kitchen. There's no need for yeast, complicated techniques, or special equipment.

These savory muffins are quick and easy to make. Unlike homemade bread that requires kneading and rising, these easy cheese muffins come together with just a little mixing before going into the oven. They're perfect when you want fresh, homemade bread with dinner but don't have a lot of extra time.

Savory Cheddar Cheese Muffins are soft, fluffy, and full of cheesy flavor. These homemade cheddar muffins have a tender, moist center with golden brown edges and plenty of savory cheese flavor in every bite. They're especially delicious served warm with a little butter.

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They're the perfect side dish for soup night. Savory cheddar muffins go beautifully with tomato soup, chili, vegetable soup, broccoli cheddar soup, and cheeseburger soup. They're great for dipping into a warm bowl of soup, but they're also delicious alongside salads, casseroles, and other easy family dinners.

Savory cheddar cheese muffins are easy to customize and make ahead. You can change the cheese, add your favorite herbs, or mix in other savory ingredients to create different flavors. These cheddar cheese muffins also freeze well, so you can make a batch ahead of time and have homemade muffins ready whenever you need a quick side dish.

What you'll need to make the best Savory Cheddar Cheese Muffins

Equipment

• Muffin tin - Standard size, not jumbo or mini.
• Cupcake wrappers - These muffins will stick if you don't use muffin cups.
• Scoop set - I always use a scoop to measure out my muffins so that they're all the same size and bake evenly.

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour - You can also use a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking mix.
• Sugar - Even though these are savory muffins, they need a little sugar to bring out the other flavors. Don't leave it out, although you could use a sugar substitute if you prefer that.
• Baking powder - This makes the muffins rise. Don't leave it out.
• Garlic salt - This is purely for flavor. You can use garlic and salt separately if you need to. See the recipe card for the proportion.
• Vegetable oil - Any flavorless oil is fine.
• Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt - This makes your muffins moist and pillowy.
• Whole milk - I prefer whole milk in this recipe, but you could use a milk substitute if you needed to. Make sure it's plain and not vanilla flavored.
• Cheddar cheese - They are cheddar cheese muffins, right? I like extra sharp cheddar in this recipe because it has a strong flavor. But if you needed to, you could use another kind of cheese or use a mix of two or more different cheeses.

How to make easy Savory Cheddar Cheese Muffins

1. Preheat oven 400℉ and line the muffin tin with paper or foil liners.
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and garlic salt in a large bowl.
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3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the vegetable oil, sour cream, and milk to the center of the well. Gently stir the wet ingredients together and then into the dry ingredients until there are no more dry spots.
4. Fold in the shredded cheese,
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   then use a ¼ cup scoop to add the batter to your muffin tin.
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5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden. Let cool for 15 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. They taste great still warm from the oven!
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Cook's Tips

To help prevent the savoury muffins from sticking to the paper liners, feel free to spritz the liners with cooking spray before scooping the batter into them.

These muffins don't have melty cheese inside. The cheese gives the muffins their delicious cheesy flavor but it bakes into the body of the muffins and won't be stringy like you might expect of cooked cheese.

You will know these muffins are done when they are golden on the outside. 25 minutes at 400℉ is plenty of time to be fully baked, so we are simply looking from them to be at the desired golden color, which will ensure they're crispy on the outside and soft and moist inside.

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Substitutions & variations

You can use extra sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, pepper jack, or a shredded cheese blend. Sharp cheddar gives these savory muffins a stronger cheesy flavor, while Monterey Jack makes them a little milder.

Add fresh or dried herbs to give your homemade cheese muffins even more flavor. Chopped chives, parsley, rosemary, or thyme would all be delicious. You can also add a little extra garlic powder or onion powder to make the muffins taste more like savory garlic cheese bread.

For a spicy version, mix in finely diced jalapeños, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or some crushed red pepper flakes. Pepper Jack cheese is another easy way to add a little heat without changing the rest of the recipe.

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Cooked and crumbled sausage or finely chopped ham would make these cheddar muffins a little heartier. See our bacon cheddar breakfast muffins recipe here. You could also add chopped green onions, olives, corn kernels, or finely diced roasted red peppers for extra flavour. Just be careful not to add too many vegetables or meats, or the muffins may become heavy instead of light and fluffy.

If you want to make mini cheddar cheese muffins, divide the batter between the cups of a greased mini muffin pan instead of a standard muffin pan. Start checking them for doneness much earlier because smaller muffins bake more quickly. Mini cheese muffins are especially good for kids, appetizers, and serving alongside individual bowls of soup.

For an extra cheesy topping, sprinkle a little shredded cheddar over each muffin before baking. The cheese will melt and create a flavorful golden topping. You can also brush the warm muffins with melted garlic butter right after they come out of the oven.

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Storing leftover savory muffins

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

For longer storage, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze cooled, room temperature muffins in a freezer bag for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheat in the microwave for a few seconds, or in the oven to crisp the cheesy tops again.

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Check out more delicious bread recipes

• Cheddar Bacon Breakfast Biscuits
• Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread

Try these muffins with one of our favorite soups

• Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup
• Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup
• Marry Me Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Crock Pot Potato Soup
• Cheeseburger Soup from Taste of Home
• Green Chili Chicken Soup (Stovetop or Crockpot)

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