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    Home » Baked Goods » Cheese Muffins: A Savory Recipe with Apples

    Cheese Muffins: A Savory Recipe with Apples

    October 16, 2020 , Updated January 15, 2021 Maria 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    A basket of cheese muffins.

    Combining a grated apple and cheddar creates the best recipe for cheese muffins! Great to serve with soups, chowders, stews or salads.

    Cheese muffins in a wicker basket.

    The combination of apples and cheese provides the perfect balance of sweet and savory. 

    This classic food combination is frequently displayed on cheese boards, but it is equally delicious when combined to make sandwiches, soups, or even pies.

    Another example of this tasty flavor combination is these moist, tender muffins. This quick bread is not only easy to make but the aroma of freshly-baked muffins is simply heavenly! 

    Serve these easy to make apple and cheddar cheese muffins warm from the oven with your favorite spread for breakfast or brunch. They also make a great accompaniment for hearty soups and stews.  

    A few savory muffins on a cooling rack.

    Instructions

    Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).  Place the oven grate in the middle of the oven.

    Grease or paper line a 12-cup muffin pan. Set aside for now.
     
    The dry ingredients for savory muffins in a large bowl.
     
    In a large mixing bowl, sift or whisk together  2 cups of flour (284 grams), 4 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon.  Add 1 cup of grated cheddar and ⅓ cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Combine properly together and set aside. 
     
    In a medium bowl, whisk together one egg (room temperature)  with 1 cup of buttermilk (room temperature) and ¼ cup of vegetable oil.
     
    Peel one apple and grate directly in the wet ingredients. Combine thoroughly together.
    The wet and dry ingredients for cheese muffins are combined in a large bowl.
     
    Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine with a wooden or rubber spoon. Do not over mix.
     
    Fill muffin liners ¾ full.
     
    Grated cheese being added to muffin tops.
    Divide the ¼ cup of grated cheddar cheese evenly on the top of each muffin.
     
    Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until top bounces back when lightly touched. 
     
    Remove from heat. Gently lift out the muffins and transfer to a wire rack to cool off.

    Tips

    • If using paper liners, there is a risk of the muffins sticking to the paper so make sure to spray them with a non-stick spray. 
    • Use room temperature ingredients to properly combine the wet ingredients together. 
    • Preheat your oven for at least 20 minutes before baking.
    • Whisking the dry ingredients together is important to properly distribute the leavening agents. This prevents large air tunnels in the finished product. 
    • Use freshly grated cheeses for the best possible flavor. 
    • When tossing the cheddar cheese with the dry ingredients, make sure the individual strands of shredded cheese are properly coated. 
    • These muffins are best consumed the day they are made. 

    What is a substitute for buttermilk? 

    You can substitute buttermilk with sour milk. Measure 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and add milk to make 1 cup; stir and allow to stand for 5 minutes. 

    What to spread on cheese muffins?

    It is very common to spread butter or cream cheese on muffins. As a healthier option, consider using a fruit butter like apple or pear butter. 

    Freezing muffins

    Muffins freeze well for up to one month. Wrap completely cool muffins individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag or container. When ready to consume, simply thaw overnight at room temperature and if desired heat up in the oven. 

    What to serve with savory muffins?

    Although these savory muffins are a great choice for breakfast, they are wonderful served hot from the oven alongside this fish or corn chowder.

    Savory muffins on a cooling rack.

    Recipe inspiration

    Over the years, my obsession with recipes has resulted in quite a collection of cookbooks. This library of mine also includes booklets printed by national food companies like Robin Hood. 

    These recipes booklets have provided me not only with the best cheddar muffins but also these amazing banana,  date bran and everyone’s favorite blueberry muffins, all of which I have been making for decades!

    Hope you enjoy them as much as I do! 

    THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She loves biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

    And if you are new here, welcome! You may want to sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. You can unsubscribe any time you want.

    Ciao for now,

    Maria 

    ★★★★★ If you have made this apple cheddar muffin recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

    Savory cheese and apple muffins piled high.

    Cheese Muffins

    Combining a grated apple and cheddar creates the best recipe for cheese muffins! Great to serve with soups, chowders, stews or salads.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast, Brunch
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 215kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    Dry Ingredients:

    • 2 cups flour 284 grams, all-purpose
    • 4 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ground
    • 1 cup cheddar cheese sharp, grated
    • ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated

    Wet Ingredients:

    • 1 egg lightly beaten, room temperature
    • 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil or sunflower oil
    • 1 apple medium, peeled, grated

    Topping (optional):

    • ¼ cup cheddar cheese grated, optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).  Place the oven grate in the middle of the oven.
    • Grease or paper line a 12-cup muffin pan. Set aside for now.
    • In a large mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and both kinds of cheese. Set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg with the buttermilk and the oil.
    • Grate the peeled apple directly in these wet ingredients and combine thoroughly together.
    • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine with a wooden or rubber spoon. Do not over mix.
    • Fill muffin liners ¾ full.
    • Divide the ¼ cup of grated cheddar cheese evenly on the top of each muffin.
    • Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until top bounces back when lightly touched. 
    • Remove from heat. Gently lift out the muffins and transfer to a wire rack to cool off.
    Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

    Notes

    • If using paper liners, there is a risk of the muffins sticking to the paper so make sure to spray them with a non-stick spray. 
    • Use room temperature ingredients to properly combine the wet ingredients together. 
    • Preheat your oven for at least 20 minutes before baking.
    • Whisking the dry ingredients together is important to properly distribute the leavening agents. This prevents large air tunnels in the finished product. 
    • Use freshly grated cheeses for the best possible flavor. 
    • When tossing the cheddar cheese with the dry ingredients, make sure the individual strands of shredded cheese are properly coated. 
    • These muffins are best consumed the day they are made. 
    What is a substitute for buttermilk?  You can substitute buttermilk with sour milk. Measure 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and add milk to make 1 cup; stir and allow to stand for 5 minutes. 
    What to spread on cheese muffins? It is very common to spread butter or cream cheese on muffins. As a healthier option, consider using a fruit butter like apple or pear butter. 
    Freezing muffins: Muffins freeze well for up to one month. Wrap completely cool muffins individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag or container. When ready to consume, simply thaw overnight at room temperature and if desired heat up in the oven. 
    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 
    Recipe from Robin Hood booklet "In Praise of Muffins".

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 239mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 201IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Filed Under: Baked Goods, Breakfast and Brunch

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mary Jane

      April 03, 2022 at 4:31 pm

      Just ate on of the muffins and the are very light and tasty. I will try it with fig jam or Nutella. Ciao.

      Reply
      • Maria

        April 06, 2022 at 8:31 pm

        I am so thrilled to read this Mary Jane! Thanks so much for sharing.

        Reply
    2. Val

      November 25, 2020 at 11:43 am

      5 stars
      Can’t wait to try these!

      Reply
      • Maria

        November 25, 2020 at 11:56 am

        I hope you get a chance to try the recipe! Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Mia

      October 20, 2020 at 6:01 pm

      Hello Maria,

      I made the cheese/apple muffins. For added nutrition, I substituted 1 cup pulverized oats instead of 1 cup flour and also added chopped walnuts and lemon rind. I was amazed that they were very fluffy, even with this change. I think next time I will not add salt since the cheese has plenty of it.

      All in all, it is an excellent recipe. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 20, 2020 at 9:02 pm

        Love the substitution Mia. Thanks for sharing and taking the time to comment!

        Reply

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