Goat Cheese and Herb Muffin
intro
Light, fluffy savory muffins brimming with tangy chèvre and bright fresh herbs, with a tender crumb perfect for brunch, on-the-go snacks, or spring picnics.
Ingredients
Steps
Preheat oven and prep tin
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) with a rack positioned in the center. Line 8 wells of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, or grease each well with 1g of softened butter to prevent sticking.
Whisk dry ingredients
In a large 2L glass mixing bowl, whisk together 240g all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper for 30 seconds until fully blended, with no visible clumps of baking powder.
Toss cheese and herbs
Add 120g of the crumbled goat cheese (reserving 30g for topping) and all 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh herbs to the dry flour mixture. Toss gently with a spoon for 15 seconds to coat every cheese and herb piece in flour, which prevents add-ins from sinking during baking.
Mix wet ingredients
In a separate medium 1L mixing bowl, whisk the 2 room-temperature large eggs until smooth (about 20 seconds), then stir in 180ml whole milk and 60g cooled melted butter, mixing until fully combined with no streaks of separated butter.
Fold batter gently
Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient bowl. Fold with a silicone spatula only 8-10 times, just until no large dry flour pockets remain; the batter will be thick and lumpy, as overmixing creates tough, dense muffins.
Portion batter and top
Scoop batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin wells, filling each liner 3/4 full (roughly 60g of batter per well). Sprinkle the tops evenly with the reserved 30g crumbled goat cheese and 30g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for a crispy, savory crust.
Bake and cool muffins
Bake on the middle oven rack for 18-20 minutes at 190°C (375°F), until muffin tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with 1-2 moist crumbs attached. Rest muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool 3 minutes before serving.
Tips
2.Use room-temperature eggs for the most even rise; cold eggs will cause the melted butter to solidify into small clumps, creating uneven texture and poor rise in the finished muffins.
3.Store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and reheat for 10 seconds in the microwave before serving to restore their soft, tender texture.
OMG these goat cheese and herb muffins are a total game changer! I made them for my Sunday brunch book club and everyone begged for the recipe. The tang from the goat cheese pairs so perfectly with the fresh thyme and rosemary, I could’ve eaten the whole batch myself. Super easy too, even for someone who burns toast half the time lmao
Made these to go with our family soup night last night and holy cow, SO good. My 7 year old who turns his nose up at anything with “cheese that isn’t cheddar” ate two muffins before I even finished serving the soup. 10/10 will be adding these to our regular weeknight rotation
Perfect for weekly meal prep! I baked a batch on Sunday, popped them in the fridge, and grabbed one on my way out the door for breakfast every morning this week. They reheat great in the microwave for 20 seconds, no sogginess at all. The herb flavor is so bright even after a few days!
Brought these to my office potluck last week and they were gone in 10 minutes flat. Multiple coworkers asked if I bought them from a fancy bakery, little do they know how dead simple this recipe is. Only note: I used dried herbs instead of fresh because that’s what I had on hand, and they were still great, just not quite as bright as I bet fresh makes them. Still absolutely worth making!
First time baking anything that isn’t boxed brownies and these actually turned out perfect??? I was so nervous I’d mess up the ratios but the instructions are so straightforward, no weird fancy ingredients required. The goat cheese gets all melty in the middle? *Chef’s kiss*
Took these on a day hike last weekend and they were the perfect trail snack! Savory, filling, not too crumbly to eat while walking, and the protein from the goat cheese kept me full for miles. Way better than packing boring granola bars
I was so excited to make these but my partner absolutely hates goat cheese (texture and flavor thing for him), so I swapped it for crumbled feta and added a little extra dill, and they were still incredible! Wondering if anyone has tried any other swaps that work?
35 minutes total cook time? Sign me up. I don’t have time for fancy 2 hour recipes on weeknights, and these came together so fast after work. I paired them with a quick side salad and it felt like a fancy restaurant meal for half the effort
I swapped the all purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free baking blend and these came out perfectly fluffy! No gritty texture, no weird aftertaste, my whole family (gluten eaters included) devoured them. Will absolutely be making these again for our next family gathering
Made these in my dorm kitchen with a tiny countertop oven and they still turned out amazing! I didn’t have fresh herbs so I used that Italian seasoning blend everyone has in their pantry, and crumbled the cheap goat cheese log from the campus grocery store. 10/10 for broke college students who want something fancier than ramen
Okay so I definitely overmixed the batter my first go around and the muffins came out a little tough, but that’s 100% on me not reading the tip about gently folding the ingredients. My second batch? Perfection. Don’t be like me, don’t overmix! The lumps are your friend
Served these at my girls’ wine night last Friday alongside a charcuterie board and they were the star of the spread! The savory, herby flavor went so well with the crisp white wine I served, and they were way easier to put together than the fancy crostini I usually make. Already got requests to make them for our next get together
I tossed in a handful of chopped spinach and a little bit of caramelized onion into the batter and these were next level. My kids didn’t even complain about the spinach because the goat cheese flavor covers it up, total mom win
These are so delicious I already made two batches in one week! Has anyone tried freezing them? I love stocking my freezer with quick grab-and-go breakfasts for busy work mornings, and these would be perfect if they freeze well
I’m usually a total sweet muffin person (blueberry, chocolate chip, you name it) but these savory ones have completely converted me. Why have I been sleeping on herb and cheese muffins for so long? The tangy goat cheese cuts through the richness so well, I don’t think I can go back to sweet muffins for breakfast anymore
Made these for our college football tailgate last weekend and they were a smash hit. Way easier to eat standing up than burgers or hot dogs, no messy drips, and they taste great even at room temp which is perfect for tailgating. I added a little sprinkle of parmesan on top before baking for an extra cheesy crust and it was chef’s kiss
I’ve been baking for 40+ years and I’m always picky about muffin recipes, but this one is a keeper. The crumb is perfectly tender, the herb ratio is spot on, and the goat cheese doesn’t overpower the other flavors. I brought a batch to my senior center coffee hour and everyone was asking for the recipe, even the folks who say they don’t like “fancy food”
So happy to find a delicious savory muffin recipe that doesn’t have nuts in it! My son has a severe tree nut and peanut allergy, and so many bakery muffins have cross-contamination risks, so making these at home means he can have a fun treat without worry. He’s already asked for them in his school lunch next week
I split these in half, toasted them, and made breakfast sandwiches with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and a little avocado and it was the best breakfast I’ve made all month. The herb and goat cheese flavor makes the sandwich taste so much more elevated than using a regular English muffin. 10/10 will be using these for breakfast sandwiches from now on