You'll love the combination of sweet apples and sharp cheddar cheese in these Apple Cheddar Cheese Muffins. With the added texture of cornbread, these savory muffins are not only delicious but also easy to make. Perfect for breakfast or a satisfying snack.
I love how handy muffins are, whether as a make-ahead breakfast, for lunchboxes or as an afternoon snack.
We make a lot of muffins in our house, but they do tend to be sweet (you've got to try Sweet Spinach Muffins).
But sometimes we want to go easy on the sugar, right? So that's when I make a batch of these savory muffins.
Apple Cheddar Cheese Muffins are a cornmeal muffin so they have a wonderful cornbread texture, and they're full of sharp cheddar cheese, with chunks of apple.
They're easy to make (with The Muffin Method to make sure they have a great tender muffin texture).
We love to serve them on their own, or spread with a little butter. And it sounds a bit crazy, but they are also awesome with a little honey or Walnut Butter.
Serve them for brunch, or alongside your favorite chili or Vegan Beef Stew. Be sure to also try Sweetcorn Jalapeño Scones, Garlic and Herb Cheese Rolls or White Soda Bread.
This recipe was originally posted on September 7, 2017 and republished on May 10, 2024 with new photos and text.
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Why you'll love this recipe
These muffins are really quick and easy to make.
Just mix a few ingredients together, pour into the muffin tray and bake.
Voila - 20 minutes later you have lovely fresh savoury muffins!
They're perfect served with chilli, stew or just eaten on their own with a little butter and a hot cup of tea.
I've added fine polenta (cornmeal) to give them a bit of texture, as well as small chunks of apple.
The cheese is melted into and onto the muffins for a double hit of sharp cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
- Plain Flour (All-Purpose): The backbone of these muffins, providing structure and a tender crumb.
- Polenta (Cornmeal): Adds a subtle crunch and a touch of earthy flavor.
- Baking Powder: The leavening agent that makes the muffins rise.
- Sea Salt: Enhances the overall flavor profile, balancing the sweetness of the apples.
- Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda): Works with the baking powder to give the muffins a good lift.
- Apple: Adds a natural sweetness and a bit of texture. Choose your favorite variety.
- Cheddar Cheese: The star of the show, offering a bold, cheesy kick. Feel free to experiment with different types of cheese.
- Free-Range Egg: Binds the ingredients together and provides moisture.
- Milk: Creates a rich, creamy base for the muffin batter.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds a hint of tangy depth to complement the cheddar.
Variations
- Spicy Kick: For those who like it hot, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the batter.
- Herb Swap: Experiment with fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary or sage for a different flavor profile.
- Nutty Delight: Sprinkle some chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter for added crunch and a nutty flavor.
Serving Suggestions
- With Soup: Pair these muffins with a warm bowl of soup for a comforting meal. Try Easy Lentil Soup, Carrot Ginger Soup or Potato Leek Soup. Or check out these 30 Delicious Vegan Soup Recipes.
- Brunch Platter: Serve them alongside scrambled eggs, Fried Potatoes and Onions and fresh fruit for a hearty brunch.
- Snack Time: Grab one for a quick and satisfying snack.
- Afternoon Tea: Add an elegant touch to your tea time spread with these savory muffins. Check out these other Afternoon Tea Recipes.
- Enjoy warm with a dollop of butter or cream cheese.
- Pair with a hot cup of coffee or tea for a cozy breakfast or afternoon snack. Or try a copycat Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino!
- Serve alongside a fresh fruit salad for a balanced and satisfying meal.
Storage Advice
Store these muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. If you want to keep them fresh for longer, freeze them in a ziplock bag for up to two months.
Recipe Tips
- Don't Overmix: To ensure a tender crumb, mix the batter until the ingredients just come together. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your egg and milk are at room temperature for a better texture in the final muffins.
- Uniform Chopping: Cut the apples into small, uniform chunks to ensure even distribution in the muffins.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste your cheese before adding it to the batter. If it's on the saltier side, consider reducing the amount of salt in the recipe.
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
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📖 Recipe
Apple Cheddar Cheese Muffins
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- 12-hole muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups plain flour (all-purpose) 165g
- ½ cup fine polenta (cornmeal) 75g
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 1 apple peeled, cored, and chopped into small chunks
- ¾ cup cheddar cheese 75g grated (I used white cheddar)
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Topping
- 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. Lightly grease the cups of a muffin tray with cooking oil or butter (the cheese could make the muffins stick to paper liners).
- In a large bowl, sift in the flour, polenta, baking powder, salt and bicarb of soda. Stir in the apple chunks, and cheese.
- In a small bowl, lightly whisk together the egg, milk and mustard.
- Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir to combine.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin cups ¾ full. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheddar over the batter.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the muffins have risen and turned a light golden colour.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Sheila
So delicious and tasty! I used a mix of mozza and cheddar, but next time will just use cheddar as it has more flavor.
Chenee
I have a friend that used to bake cheddar cheese into apple pie and I thought it would be gross, but it was AMAZING. I loved these muffins!
Kelley
These were so good! My kids loved these! Love that these are healthier too!
TAYLER ROSS
These muffins were the perfect combination of savory and sweet! Already can't wait to make them again!
Toni
These are really amazing muffins! I will definitely make it again!
Sally
They worked out really well for school lunchboxes.
Rebecca
Easy to make and tasted really nice. Will make again and maybe try other types of cheese, like parmesan or mexican.
Andrea
savory, sweet and delightful muffins
Amy
They were a great snack. I love the addition of mustard.
Dahn
I loved the combination of apples (I used granny smith) with a really strong aged cheddar cheese and these muffins were so good
Bob
Turned out good. They were perfect for a savory breakfast alternative.
Ama
These are lovely! I used paper liners which was a bad idea as the cheese glued itself onto them! Plain yogurt worked in place of whole milk, ran out of cheddar so used half parmesan (left out the salt). I used two small sweet Cox apples but they lost their flavour once cooked - Kate what apple would you recommend, Bramley? Definitely needs something sharp, might try cranberries.
Caris
Thanks for an awesome recipe..great flavor combos which is something I love when making a new recipe. Thanks for this - they were very easy and yum.
Lynn
I love these muffins as an alternative to breads and biscuits. They were really easy to make and tasty. We had them as a side to my grandma's famous chilli.
Iona W
Hello. I made these muffins last night and they were really yummy. I didn't have thyme but used rosemary. Really nice and had them in my lunch.
Christine
Hello, I was wondering if you used mini muffin pans as in the photos they looked smaller than the regular size?
Kate Hackworthy
Hi, I used a standard muffin tray, not mini. Perhaps its the angle!
Yolanda
I must say, these muffins were amazing. I made them for a party, small buns for the buffet.