Cheddar and Chive Muffin
intro
Tender, fluffy savory muffins oozing with sharp melted cheddar and bright fresh chives, ideal for on-the-go breakfasts or casual spring picnics.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and tin
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) with a rack positioned in the middle. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners, or grease each cup with 1 teaspoon softened butter to prevent sticking.
Mix dry ingredients
In a large glass mixing bowl, whisk together 240g (2 cups) spooned and leveled all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder for 30 seconds until evenly combined, with no clumps of leavening left.
Whisk wet ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk 2 lightly beaten room-temperature large eggs, 240ml (1 cup) room-temperature whole milk, 120g (1/2 cup) full-fat sour cream, and 60g (4 tablespoons) melted, slightly cooled unsalted butter for 1 minute until completely smooth, with no visible streaks of egg.
Combine batter and mix-ins
Pour the entire wet mixture into the dry ingredient bowl, folding gently with a silicone spatula only until no dry flour streaks remain (lumps are expected, do not overmix). Fold in 150g (1.25 cups) of the grated cheddar and 25g (just under 1/2 cup) of the chopped chives, reserving the rest for topping.
Portion batter into tin
Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup exactly 2/3 full (roughly 1/4 cup batter per cup). Sprinkle the muffin tops evenly with the remaining 30g (1/4 cup) grated cheddar and 5g (1 tablespoon) chopped chives for a crispy, cheesy top crust.
Bake and cool muffins
Bake in the preheated 200°C (400°F) oven for 18–20 minutes, until tops are deep golden, the cheese topping is bubbly, and a toothpick inserted into a muffin center comes out with 2–3 moist crumbs (no wet batter). Cool muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes before serving.
Tips
2.Grate your own cheddar from a block instead of using pre-shredded store-bought cheese; pre-shredded cheese is coated in potato starch to prevent caking, which stops it from melting smoothly into the batter.
3.Ensure your baking powder is fresh (purchased within the last 6 months) and your oven is fully preheated before baking, as this is key to getting a tall, domed muffin top.
OMG these cheddar chive muffins are a total game changer for my weekday meal prep! They only took 30 minutes total, super easy, and my 3 kids devoured half the batch before I even finished packing lunch boxes. 10/10 will make every Sunday from now on.
Brought these to my office potluck yesterday and they were GONE in 10 minutes flat. Multiple people asked for the recipe before I even had a second one! The sharp cheddar and fresh chive combo is so much better than those boring store-bought savory biscuits.
Wait, has anyone tried making these with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend? I’m dying to make them for my sister’s brunch next weekend but we’re both gluten intolerant.
As someone who burns toast 50% of the time, I was shocked how easy these were! No fancy equipment, minimal cleanup, done in half an hour. Dipped them in chili last night and it was chef’s kiss. SO good.
Made these for my weekend girls’ brunch and paired them with scrambled eggs and mimosas — everyone raved! I added a little extra shredded cheddar on top before baking for that crispy cheesy crust, highly recommend that hack.
These are perfect for my high protein meal prep! I added a scoop of cottage cheese to the batter for extra protein and they stayed moist all week in the fridge. Way better than the sad protein bars I usually grab for breakfast.
Made these to go with our smoked ribs at last weekend’s family dinner and even my super picky father-in-law asked for seconds. Who knew savory muffins could steal the show from BBQ?!
This was the first baking recipe I ever tried that didn’t come out lopsided or burnt! The instructions were so straightforward, even for a total newbie like me. The chive flavor is so fresh, not overpowering at all.
Wait, would these work if I swapped the chives for green onions? My grocery store was out of fresh chives today and I already bought all the other ingredients.
These are now a permanent part of our Sunday dinner rotation! They’re so quick to throw together while the roast is in the oven, and the cheddar melts into these little gooey pockets that are unreal. 10/10.
I keep a bag of these in my freezer for crazy busy school mornings! My kids can pop one in the microwave while they’re putting their shoes on, and it’s way more filling than a sugary cereal bar. Total game changer for chaotic weekdays.
Added a pinch of cayenne and some crumbled cooked bacon to half the batch for a little kick, and oh my word, that might be my new favorite variation. The plain cheddar chive ones are great too, but the bacon cayenne version is next level.
Baked these last night to bring in for my team today and everyone kept asking if I bought them from the fancy bakery down the street. Little do they know it took me 30 minutes and zero fancy skills! SO good.
Quick question — do I need to use paper liners for the muffin tin, or can I just grease the tin directly? I ran out of liners mid-prep and don’t want to run to the store.
I’ve been making savory muffins for my bridge club for 20 years, and this recipe is hands down the best one I’ve ever tried. The cheddar to chive ratio is perfect, not too salty, and they stay tender for days. I passed the recipe out to everyone at our last game!
Made these for our college football tailgate last weekend and they held up perfectly even sitting out in the cooler for a couple hours. Way easier to eat than a slice of pizza while you’re standing around cheering, and everyone kept coming back for more.
I made these with lactose free sharp cheddar and dairy free milk, and they turned out exactly like the photos! Fluffy, cheesy, herby, no weird aftertaste. I was so worried I’d have to miss out, but these worked perfectly with my dietary swaps.
Wait a second, has anyone tried adding a little sourdough discard to this batter? I’ve got a ton of extra discard in my fridge and I bet it would add such a nice tang to pair with the cheddar.