Easy Bacon Cheddar Muffins Recipe (Savory & Moist!)

These savory bacon and cheddar cheese muffins are incredibly moist and bursting with delicious flavor, like a warm hug in every bite. I love making a batch of these because they make the perfect side dish for dinner or a delightful grab and go breakfast option everyone always enjoys. They are so easy to whip up too and are a great simple bake any time.

Why You Will Love These Muffins

Making these savory muffins is such a treat for so many reasons.

• Extra Cheesy: These delicious muffins are absolutely loaded with cheese. They contain a full one and a half cups of sharp cheddar cheese. The cheese tucked inside gets wonderfully melty while baking, and any bits on top or around the edges get beautifully golden and a little crispy.
• Packed with Bacon Flavor: Beyond the generous amount of cheese, the batter also has plenty of crispy, crumbled bacon mixed right in. Every bite gives you that wonderful smoky, salty bacon goodness alongside the cheese.
• Super Moist Texture: Thanks to ingredients like shredded cheese, whole milk, tangy sour cream, and melted butter, these muffins turn out incredibly moist and tender. You will not find any dry or crumbly muffins here.
• Perfectly Mini Sized: While you could certainly bake this batter in a regular sized muffin pan, I find making them as mini muffins is just perfect. They are the ideal size for snacking, serving as a side, or popping a couple for breakfast.
• Fantastic Side Dish Option: Savory muffins like these are a wonderful alternative to bread or rolls. They make a great addition to meals, especially for things like barbecues, casual parties, or family gatherings. They are always a guaranteed hit with the crowd.
• Surprisingly Simple and Quick: You can have these savory bacon and cheese muffins ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish. The recipe uses common ingredients you probably already have around. This makes them ideal for busy mornings or when you need a quick savory bake in the evening.

Ingredients and Possible Swaps

Below are some notes on the key ingredients needed for these delicious muffins. You will find the complete list of ingredients and exact amounts on the recipe card further down.

Salt
I always use kosher salt when I am testing and developing my recipes unless I specify otherwise. I believe it is the best kind of salt for everyday cooking and baking because of its crystal size and clean flavor. If you are using standard table salt instead, you will need to use a smaller amount. Table salt is finer and tastes saltier by volume compared to kosher salt. I really suggest picking up some kosher salt the next time you are at the grocery store.

Cheese
To make sure the cheese flavor really shines through in these muffins, I highly recommend using a sharp cheese. Great options include sharp yellow or white cheddar. Other cheeses that work well and add fantastic flavor are gruyere or pepper jack. Feel free to experiment with your favorite sharp or flavorful cheese variety.

Bacon
You will need crumbled cooked bacon for this recipe. The easiest way to get it is to fry about a 12 ounce package of bacon in a frying pan. Cook it over medium heat until it gets nice and crispy. Once it is cooked, let it cool completely. After it is cool, crumble it into small pieces. You will need three quarters of a cup of these bacon crumbles for the muffin batter. If you have any leftover bacon grease or extra strips of bacon, you can save them to use in other dishes like soups, salads, or sandwiches.

The comprehensive list of all ingredients and their specific measurements is included on the recipe card provided below this article.

How to Prepare Bacon and Cheese Muffins

Let me walk you through the simple steps to make these savory muffins. It is a straightforward process that comes together quickly.

A Quick Look

• First, combine all of your dry ingredients in one bowl.
• Next, whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Combine everything to form the batter and add the cheese and bacon.
• Finally, fill your muffin pan and bake until golden brown.

Step by Step Directions

Here is a detailed guide to baking these delicious muffins.

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You can let the batter rest before baking to get muffins with lovely tall, rounded tops.

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Dry Ingredients
Start by preheating your oven. Set it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Get a medium sized mixing bowl ready. In this bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt. Make sure everything is well combined.

Step 2: Prepare Wet Ingredients
Now, take a separate, larger bowl. Into this bowl, whisk together the whole milk, sour cream, melted unsalted butter, and the large egg. Whisk these ingredients until they are fully combined and smooth.

Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures
Pour the bowl of whisked dry ingredients into the bowl containing the wet mixture. Use a spatula or spoon to gently fold the ingredients together. Mix just until most of the flour is absorbed into the liquid mixture. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.

Step 4: Add the Flavorful Mix Ins
Gently fold in the shredded cheese and the crumbled cooked bacon into the batter. Continue folding just until the cheese and bacon are evenly combined throughout the batter. At this point, if you have the time and want slightly taller muffins, you have the option to let the batter rest. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you move on to baking.

Step 5: Fill the Muffin Pan
Prepare your mini muffin pan. You can either grease it thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray or place mini muffin liners into each of the cups. Use a spoon or a small scoop to spoon the batter into each muffin cup. Fill each cup almost all the way to the top. You should use about 2 tablespoons of batter for each cup. The amount of batter this recipe makes is designed to fill exactly 24 mini muffin cups.

Step 6: Bake and Cool the Muffins
Place the filled muffin pan into your preheated oven. Bake the muffins for about 12 to 15 minutes. You will know they are ready when their tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean without any wet batter attached. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven. Let the muffins cool in the pan set on a wire rack for about 5 to 10 minutes before you carefully remove them from the pan to finish cooling slightly on the rack.

Expert Hints and Helpful Tips

Here are some extra tips and variations to help you make the best savory bacon and cheddar muffins.

• Shred Your Own Cheese: For the absolute best flavor and melt quality in your muffins, I highly recommend grating your cheese at home from a block. Many pre shredded cheeses contain anti caking agents. These agents are designed to keep the cheese from clumping together in the bag, but they can negatively affect how well the cheese melts and can slightly alter its flavor. Buying a block and shredding it yourself just before adding it to the batter makes a difference.
• Measure Flour Accurately: The most accurate method for measuring dry ingredients, especially flour when baking, is by weight using a food scale. Using too much flour is a common reason for baked goods turning out dry. If you do not have a scale, be sure to measure the flour using the spoon and level method. Gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level off the excess with a straight edge like the back of a butter knife. Do not scoop directly from the bag as this compacts the flour and can result in adding too much.
• Let the Batter Rest: As mentioned in the steps, allowing the batter to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you bake can contribute to muffins that rise higher and have those lovely, nicely rounded dome tops. It is an optional step but one worth considering if you have the time.
• Proper Storage: If you happen to have any muffins left over (which might be a challenge!), store them correctly to keep them fresh. Place any leftover muffins in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag. Keep this container in the refrigerator. Stored this way, they should stay fresh and delicious for about 4 to 5 days.

An image showing a finished muffin close up, perhaps garnished slightly, might appear here.

Recipe Questions and Answers

Here are answers to some common questions about making these savory bacon and cheddar cheese muffins.

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