• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Pantry Mama
  • Home
  • Beginner Resources
  • Sourdough FAQ
  • Improve Your Sourdough
  • Sourdough Bread Recipes
  • Sourdough Discard Ideas
  • Equipment + Product Guides
  • Buy My Books
  • About The Pantry Mama
    • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Beginner Resources
  • Sourdough FAQ
  • Improve Your Sourdough
  • Sourdough Bread Recipes
  • Sourdough Discard Ideas
  • Equipment + Product Guides
  • Buy My Books
  • About The Pantry Mama
    • Privacy Policy
  • ×
    Home » Sourdough Recipes » Sourdough Discard Ideas

    Savory Sourdough Cheese Muffins [easy + delicious]

    Published: Sep 19, 2023 by The Pantry Mama This post may contain affiliate links.

    Share the sourdough love!

    25 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe
    Sourdough cheese muffins - pinterest image

    You're going to love these savory sourdough cheese muffins! Filled with the goodness of tangy sourdough starter and your favorite cheese, these sourdough cheese muffins are delicately studded with herbs and baked in garlic butter to give them the ultimate flavor boost. 

    ​These sourdough discard muffins are sure to become a favorite recipe in your house. Especially because you can add in some little extras like bacon to make them extra special. 

    This sourdough muffin recipe is just one of the many in this collection of sourdough discard muffin recipes. You might also like to check out these sourdough chocolate chip muffins, sourdough apple cinnamon muffins, sourdough banana muffins or even these sourdough English Muffins.

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    Use Up Leftover Cheese - these sourdough cheese muffins are a great way to use up all those bits of cheese that accumulate in the refrigerator. You could even freeze them and save them to make a batch. I love experimenting with different cheeses (and I've popped some tips for using different cheeses further down).

    Deliciously Savory - many sourdough discard recipes are sweet, so it's nice to make a savory recipe for a change, and even better when it's a savory muffin! These muffins make a delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner or quick snack - they're so versatile.

    Should I Use Sourdough Discard or Active Sourdough Starter In This Recipe?

    One of the reasons I love this recipe so much is that you can use sourdough starter discard or active sourdough starter, it really doesn't make too much difference.

    If you are in the beginning stages of making your own sourdough starter, using the unfed sourdough discard in these muffins is a great way to reduce waste. If you have a mature sourdough starter, this is the perfect way to add sourdough starter to your breakfast, lunch or dinner and something a little different from the usual loaf of sourdough bread. 

    One thing to note is that you do want to avoid using older discard in these muffins as it can create an unpleasant flavor and overpower the golden cheesiness. 

    How To Make Sourdough Cheese Muffins

    This recipe uses really simple ingredients. One thing to note, the eggs I've used in this recipe are duck eggs (you might notice their shells look whiter than chicken eggs in the photo below). They make no difference to the recipe though and I often use them interchangeably in baking. I'm lucky enough to have a neighbor with ducks.

    Preheat oven to 180C/350F.

    Add melted butter and diced garlic together and use a pastry brush to grease the muffin holes with the garlic butter. Set aside.

    Mix the sourdough starter, eggs, milk and oil in a bowl. Whisk together until well combined.

    In a separate bowl mix together shredded cheese, all purpose flour, salt, baking powder, salt and chopped herbs. Make sure that the cheese is completely coated in flour.

    Now pour the liquid ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold together until just mixed - don't over mix or the muffins will be tough.

    Spoon mixture into greased muffin holes. Add additional cheese on top if you like (I have sprinkled some parmesan cheese).

    Bake at 180C/350F for approximately 30 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

    Allow the muffins to cool on a rack for around 15 minutes before enjoying them. They are delicious warm or cold.

    Best Cheese For Sourdough Muffins

    You can literally use any type of hard cheese you like. I have chosen shredded cheddar. But you can add 250g of whatever cheese you have on hand.

    Parmesan, crumbly feta or even cobly is nice too. These muffins are a great way to use up little bits of cheese without any waste.

    What Else Can I Add To Sourdough Cheese Muffins?

    I love these muffins just as they are, but like most sourdough recipes, there are always a few ways you can vary the base recipe to suit what you might have on hand. Here are a few of the ways I like to change this recipe to suit my whole family:

    Bacon & Cheese Muffins - Add 200g of cooked, diced bacon to the dry ingredients before mixing. Make sure the bacon has cooled before you add it.

    Cream Cheese Filling - Create a cream cheese filling for these sourdough cheese muffins by filling half the muffin hole with batter and adding a tablespoon of cream cheese and then placing more muffin batter on top. You could even use herbed cream cheese. YUM!

    Whipped Herb & Garlic Butter - I love serving these sourdough cheese muffins warm with a little dish of whipped herb and garlic butter - so good!

    Make Them A Meal - I love using these muffins for a simple summer supper. I add some green salad, butter, pickled red cabbage and anything else I have in the fridge (sometimes jalapeños, sauerkraut, olives etc).

    How To Store + Freeze Sourdough Cheese Muffins

    These sourdough cheesy muffins will keep for around 3 days in an airtight container. I like to warm them a little in the microwave before enjoying them, especially if they've been stored for a few days. 

    Sourdough cheese muffins also freeze very well. I recommend lining a plastic container with parchment paper and placing the cooled muffins on top, ensuring they are not touching each other. Place the lid on and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Allow them to defrost at room temperature. You can microwave them for a few seconds if you want them to be warm, but not too long or they will be rubbery.

    SOURDOUGH CHEESE MUFFINS - RECIPE FEATURE IMAGE

    Sourdough Cheese Muffins

    This savory twist on classic muffins brings together the delightful flavors of sourdough and cheese, creating a scrumptious treat that's perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a delightful snack.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 Muffins
    Calories 170 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowl
    • Digital Scales
    • 6 hole muffin tin

    Ingredients
      

    Garlic Butter

    • 2 cloves Garlic Finely chopped
    • 50 g Butter Melted

    Wet Ingredients

    • 200 g Sourdough Starter Discard or Active Starter
    • 2 Eggs
    • 60 g Vegetable Oil
    • 100 g Milk

    Dry Ingredients

    • 250 g Cheddar Cheese Shredded (can use a little parmesan too)
    • 150 g All Purpose Flour
    • 12 g Baking Powder (2 tsp)
    • 5 g Salt
    • 2 tbsp Fresh Herbs Finely chopped (see notes)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
    • Add melted butter and diced garlic together and use a pastry brush to grease the muffin holes with the garlic butter. Set aside.
    • Mix the sourdough starter, eggs, milk and oil in a bowl. Whisk together until well combined.
    • In a separate bowl mix together shredded cheese, all purpose flour, salt, baking powder, salt and chopped herbs. Make sure that the cheese is completely coated in flour.
    • Now pour the liquid ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold together until just mixed - don't over mix or the muffins will be tough.
    • Spoon mixture into greased muffin holes.
    • Bake at 180C/350F for approximately 30 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.
    • Allow the muffins to cool on a rack for around 15 minutes before enjoying them. They are delicious warm or cold.

    Notes

    Sourdough Discard or Sourdough Starter - You can use either sourdough discard or freshly fed sourdough starter for this recipe. Sourdough cheese muffins use baking powder as their leavening agent, so it doesn't matter whether you use discard or starter. It's really just there for a flavor boost and to add some fermented goodness!
    Cheese Selection - you can literally use any type of hard cheese you like. I have chosen cheddar. But you can add 200g of whatever cheese you have on hand. Parmesan, crumbly feta or even cobly is nice too. These muffins are a great way to use up little bits of cheese without any waste.
    Herbs - use whatever herbs you like. I've used rosemary, thyme and parsley because that's what was in my herb garden. Dill and chives are amazing in this recipe too!
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 7gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 648mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 311IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 185mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Sourdough Discard
    Tried this recipe?Share your creation with us @ThePantryMama or tag #thepantrymama!
    « The BEST Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    Primary Sidebar

    Categories

    • Beginner Guides
    • Improve Your Sourdough
    • Making A Sourdough Starter
    • Sourdough
    • Sourdough Bread
    • Sourdough Condiments
    • Sourdough Discard Ideas
    • Sourdough FAQ
    • Sourdough Product + Gift Guides
    • Sourdough Recipes
    • Thermomix Sourdough
    • Whole Wheat Sourdough Recipes

    Hi, I'm Kate! I’m the face behind The Pantry Mama and I want to help you bake delicious sourdough bread, no matter what your schedule. 
    When I’m not baking sourdough, I love to hang out with my three boys on our farm, tend to my jungle of indoor plants and drink good coffee.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • How to strengthen sourdough starter
      5 Ways To Strengthen A Sourdough Starter: Give Your Starter A Boost
    • No wait sourdough recipes - sourdough crackers
      Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe with Parmesan + Rosemary
    • Easy Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread Recipe
    • Sourdough English Muffins
      Sourdough English Muffins {with a discard version too}

    Categories

    • Beginner Guides
    • Improve Your Sourdough
    • Making A Sourdough Starter
    • Sourdough
    • Sourdough Bread
    • Sourdough Condiments
    • Sourdough Discard Ideas
    • Sourdough FAQ
    • Sourdough Product + Gift Guides
    • Sourdough Recipes
    • Thermomix Sourdough
    • Whole Wheat Sourdough Recipes

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Affiliate Disclaimer

    Ebooks

    • Enjoy my ebooks

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 The Pantry Mama 2023 - All Rights Reserved

    25 shares