Cheese and Bacon Muffins

4.88 from 8 votes

Cheese and bacon muffins are the best savory muffin out there! Simple to whip up, they’re studded with real bacon, tasty cheese and scallions.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Course: Afternoon Tea, Appetizer, Breads, Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: Western

Keyword: bacon cheese muffins, cheese and bacon muffins, savory muffins

Servings: muffins

Calories: 164kcal

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plain flour
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda bicarbonate soda
3/4 cup buttermilk regular or low fat
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2/3 cup bacon diced
1 cup shredded cheese I use a mix of mozzarella and cheddar, but any melting cheese is fine
3 scallions finely sliced

Set oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Line or lightly grease a 12-cup standard sized muffin pan and set aside.
Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine.
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda
Put the buttermilk, oil and egg into another bowl and whisk to break up the egg. Pour this wet mix into the dry ingredients and stir gently until it’s about halfway mixed, with clumps of flour still visible.
3/4 cup buttermilk, 1 egg, 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Add the bacon, cheese and scallions and stir until everything is just mixed together. A little lumpy is ok - if you overmix the finished muffins will be too tough.
2/3 cup bacon, 1 cup shredded cheese, 3 scallions
Divide the mixture between the muffin cups and bake until the muffins are puffed, just cooked through and golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
Remove the muffin pan from the oven. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Set oven to Combi Steam, 350ºF/180ºC. If your oven has variable steam settings, select 30% humidity. If not, don't worry! Just set to combi steam at the correct temperature and the oven will work out the humidity for you. Line or lightly grease a 12-cup standard sized muffin pan and set aside.
Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine.
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda
Put the buttermilk, oil and egg into another bowl and whisk to break up the egg. Pour this wet mix into the dry ingredients and stir gently until it’s about halfway mixed, with clumps of flour still visible.
3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 egg
Add the bacon, cheese and scallions and stir until everything is just mixed together. A little lumpy is ok - if you overmix the finished muffins will be too tough.
2/3 cup bacon, 1 cup shredded cheese, 3 scallions
Divide the mixture between the muffin cups and bake until the muffins are puffed, just cooked through and golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.
Remove the muffin pan from the oven. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Muffins are best eaten on the day of baking, but any leftovers can be frozen and reheated or toasted and served with butter.
Variations to try:
1. Instead of using a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese, as I have in the recipe below, go for straight up bacon cheddar muffins by using all cheddar.
2. Corn! Add a half cup of frozen or fresh corn kernels to the recipe for cheesy corn muffins. Leave the bacon in or omit it for a vegetarian muffin.
3. Jalapeno cheese muffins. Finely chop a fresh jalapeno and mix in with the other inclusions. Or take it further and use sliced pickled jalapenos if you want something chunkier.
4. Make a gorgeous savory vegetable muffin by omitting the bacon and shredded cheese, and using diced bell peppers, crumbled feta cheese, sliced olives and a couple of big handfuls of baby spinach.