Cheese and Bacon Muffins are a flavorful option for breakfast, brunch or even a simple dinner. These savory muffins combine crispy bacon, sharp cheddar and fresh chives in a light, biscuit-like muffin that’s easy to make from scratch and ready in under 45 minutes.
These Bacon Cheddar Muffins are not your ordinary sweet muffin. They have a fluffy, biscuit-like texture and work wonderfully served warm with butter and a drizzle of honey or spread with red pepper jelly for a sweet-and-salty contrast.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Homemade. Make these from scratch and avoid store-bought mixes and preservatives.
- Easy. Simple ingredients and straightforward steps—no advanced techniques required.
- Quick. Ready in under 45 minutes from start to finish.
- Minimal clean up. After frying the bacon, most of the recipe comes together in one bowl. Tulip muffin liners help keep the muffin tin clean and create an attractive presentation.
Ingredients:
Bacon: Use regular-cut bacon for best results; avoid thick-cut varieties that can take much longer to crisp.
Cheddar Cheese: Grate cheddar from a block rather than using pre-shredded cheese for better melting and texture.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and exact quantities.
Substitutions and Variations:
Vegetarian option: omit the bacon and add extra cheese or diced roasted vegetables.
Cheese swaps: try Parmesan, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, or a mix of two cheeses for different flavor profiles.
If you prefer whole bacon strips, cook them and chop before folding into the batter.
Tulip liners create taller, cleaner muffins, but regular cupcake liners can be used—fill them only 3/4 full to prevent overflow.
How to Make Bacon and Cheese Muffins:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-count muffin tin with tulip liners. In a skillet over medium-low heat, sauté the bacon pieces for about 8–10 minutes until crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. While the bacon cooks, melt the butter and let it cool until warm but not hot.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, pepper, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Add the wet ingredients: milk, egg, sour cream and warm (not hot) melted butter.
Step 3: Whisk the batter briefly until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender.
Step 4: Fold in the cooked bacon, grated cheddar and sliced chives using a wooden spoon or spatula until evenly distributed.
Step 5: Spoon batter into each tulip liner—about 2 tablespoons per liner. If using standard cupcake liners, fill them three-quarters full. Expect a little extra batter when using tulip liners, which hold more. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs.
Step 6: Remove muffins from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. These are excellent warm with butter and honey or spread with red pepper jelly.
Expert Tips:
- Let melted butter cool for about 7–10 minutes so it’s warm, not hot, before mixing with the egg to prevent cooking the egg.
- Tulip muffin liners help the muffins bake evenly and reduce cleanup; they also give a bakery-style appearance.
- Drain bacon on paper towels before adding to the batter to avoid greasy muffins.
Recipe FAQs:
The butter should be fully melted and allowed to cool until warm to the touch (about 7–10 minutes). It should still be pourable but not hot.
Cool completely, then store in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for a few days, or refrigerate to extend their life.
Reheat in an oven, air fryer, or microwave. For a crisp, buttery finish, slice muffins in half and toast cut-side down in a skillet with a little butter until golden.
More Brunch Recipes You’ll Love:
Sausage Croissant Breakfast Casserole-
Baked Ham and Swiss Cheese Croissants
-
Dill Pickle Egg Salad
-
White Chocolate Raspberry Muffins
If you try this Cheese and Bacon Muffin recipe, leave a star rating and a comment to share how it turned out—I love hearing feedback!
Recipe
Cheese and Bacon Muffins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
Description
Cheese and Bacon Muffins are a savory, satisfying option for breakfast or brunch—crispy bacon, sharp cheddar and chives folded into a tender, biscuit-like muffin. They come together quickly and taste great warm with butter and a touch of honey.
Ingredients
- 6 slices original bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons salted butter + more for serving
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely sliced
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated from a block
Optional: Honey or red pepper jelly for serving.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-count muffin tin with tulip liners. In a skillet over medium-low heat, cook bacon pieces 8–10 minutes until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Melt butter and let cool until warm but not hot.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, pepper, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Add milk, egg, sour cream and warm melted butter.
- Stir batter gently until just combined; do not overmix.
- Fold in the cooked bacon, grated cheddar and sliced chives until evenly distributed.
- Fill each tulip liner with about 2 tablespoons of batter. If using standard liners, fill three-quarters full. Bake 18–22 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
- Cool slightly, then serve warm. Enjoy with butter and honey or red pepper jelly if desired.
Notes
- Let melted butter cool 7–10 minutes so it won’t cook the egg when mixed.
- Tulip liners help the muffins bake evenly and keep your muffin tin clean.
- Drain cooked bacon on paper towels before folding into the batter to reduce excess grease.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Baked goods
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American