Easy Cheddar Cheese & Mozzarella Muffins

What Are These Cheddar Mozzarella Muffins?
This is a recipe for savoury muffins, made using mature (sharp) cheddar cheese, as well as Mozzarella, with extra flavour from specially selected herbs.
This is my adaptation of a very popular recipe I reviewed back during the first lockdown’s of 2020. The original recipe was from ‘The Practical Encyclopaedia Of Baking’, by Marth Day (Lorenz Books, 1999).
The recipe had potential to be amazing, so I set about altering it. I tweaked the recipe and wrote my own style of thorough instructions and process photos to ensure success, even for beginner bakers.

Ingredients & Substitutions
These mozzarella cheddar muffins are made from the following ingredients:
- Cheddar Cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Butter
- Eggs
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Smoked Paprika
- Mustard Powder
- Milk
- Dried Parsley
- Died Rosemary
- Garlic Pepper (optional)
***All ingredient amounts listed in Recipe Card below***
Cheddar Cheese
My go to cheese for my savoury bakes is Scottish extra mature cheese. This is the same as extra sharp cheddar, but mature /sharp strength can also be used to give a nice flavour to the muffins. Use blocks of cheese and not the grated/shredded kind.
Mozzarella
I have tested both cubing fresh mozzarella, as well as using grated/shredded mozzarella. Both work well and give that ‘cheese-pull’.
Seasonings
The seasonings in these savoury muffins, are key but you can tweak them a little if needed. I use both mustard powder & smoked paprika. Mustard powder (that you can find in the spices & condiments aisle), is also great in homemade cheese sauces for the likes of macaroni cheese. If you don’t have any, you can increase the amount of smoked paprika.
The smoked paprika used isn’t the hot spicy kind. I don’t do spicy. It is also great in cheesy bakes and will also give the orange colouring to the muffins, especially if you were to use cheddar cheese that is not coloured.
Rosemary
Dried rosemary is used and works well in the muffin batter as well as sprinkled on top before baking.
Parsley
Dried parsley joins the other seasonings & gives a nice green touch of colour to the top of the muffins. You could use very finely chopped parsley as a substitute.
Garlic Pepper
Finally, a pinch of garlic pepper (less than 1/8 tsp) is added. You can alternatively add a pinch of black pepper & a pinch of garlic powder or granules.
Butter
Unsalted butter, as opposed to salted butter, is always recommended, for best & most consistent results. Cube the butter small, (about 1cm or ⅓” ) when measuring or weighing out & this smaller surface area means the butter will soften quicker.
Eggs
Eggs help give structure to the muffins so should not be omitted. UK medium to large sized are used & the US equivalent is large to extra-large size. Make sure to use the eggs at room temperature. So if you happen to store your eggs in the fridge in your country, take them out when you are softening the butter.
Flour & Baking Powder
The recipe can be made using Plain (All Purpose) flour, with baking powder. Or just with UK Self-raising flour, but with the baking powder omitted. Both flours have been tested during development.
Equipment
Not much equipment needed for these muffins. Standard baking equipment (digital scales would be recommended, but I have included cup measurements, that I hand measure myself -check out my Measurement Conversions Table).
An electric mixer would be beneficial, but not essential. Paper cases are highly recommended to use in your cupcake or muffin tray/tin to ensure no sticking to the tin. **Please note that the paper cases will be slightly greasy once the muffins are baked.
Recipe Yield
This recipe makes 12 muffins, and you can easily half, double or triple the recipe.
Readers Photo
Here’s the recipe, tested by my friend Diana. She did not have smoked paprika, but used mustard powder, & also uncoloured extra mature cheese. I think they look great!
Onto step-by-step instruction, or jump to Recipe Card.
Jump to RecipeStep-By-Step Instructions
1.Start by cubing your butter small (about 1cm or ⅓” ) & this smaller surface area means the butter will soften and come to room temperature quicker.
2. Once the butter has softened, sieve the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl.
3. Add in the smoked paprika, mustard powder, dried parsley & rosemary, & whisk to combine. **If using UK Self-raising flour, omit the baking powder. See Photo 1.
4. Add the butter, eggs & milk to a mixing bowl or stand mixer & beat together. Start on low speed, then progress to high for about 15 seconds. Then continue to beat until bubbles & foam forms.
***Note the mixture might look a bit different to what you are used to and the butter not emulsifying with the other ingredients. But don’t worry, it will come together fine once the flour is added.
5. Pre-heat your oven to: 190c/170c fan oven/ 375°f/Gas mark 5. Turn on sooner if your oven takes a while.
6. Add the flour mixture & start to mix by hand, before moving onto using an electric mixer, starting at low speed. Mix until combined and no flour patches remain. The mixture will be a thick but smooth consistency. Please see Photo collage 2 & the video for reference, and add a few drops more milk if needed.
7. Fold in the cubes of cheddar cheese in 2 increments. (See Photo collage 3.)
8. Place 12 muffin paper cases into the 12-hole cupcake tray/cupcake sheet.
9. Add 1 heaped tablespoon worth of the thick muffin batter to each of the paper cases.
10. Then add either 2 cubes of mozzarella, to the top of the batter, in the centre. Or, about 1 tablespoon of grated/shredded mozzarella, that you will need to squeeze together to mould into a rough ball/oval shape. Then place on top of the batter, in the centre & push down slightly. See Photo 4. Repeat for all 12 cases.
11. Divide the rest of the batter on top of the mozzarella, making sure to keep the mozzarella in the middle. The cases will be about 80% full.
12. Smooth the batter down a little and then sprinkle on some parsley.
13.Tap the cupcake tray on the counter/worktop a few times, before popping in the centre of the pre-heated oven to bake.
14.Bake for about 12-16 minutes, until risen & a cocktail stick comes out clean of crumbs.
15. Leave in the cupcake tray and place on top of a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then remove from the tray and cool just on the rack.
Serving & Storing
1. If you want to experience the cheese-pull, you will need to eat the cheese muffins when still a little warm.
2.Otherwise you can re-heat, out of the paper case, in the microwave for no more than 30 seconds at a time.
3. Eat as they are or alongside your breakfast. Spread on some butter. Even use them in place of bread rolls with a soup or meal. Perfect for picnics and BBQs too.
4. Store the muffins in a metal cake or cookie tin, at room temperature, and they will be fine for up to 1 week.
5. The muffins also freeze well. Just wrap individually in paper, then in foil or cling film/plastic wrap. Then finally in a labelled bag or airtight container and they will be fine frozen for about 2 months1. Defrost at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. Re-heat in the microwave as directed, or in a warm oven till warmed through.
DIFFICULTY – easy, beginner
Recipe card
Mozzarella Cheddar Cheese Muffins

Equipment
- Digital scales or measuring cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Stand/Hand-mixer
- Medium mixing bowl
- Sieve
- Whisk
- Spatula or Wooden Spoon
- 12-hole Cupcake tray/sheet
- 12 Muffin Paper Cases
- Wooden Cocktail stick
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 292 grams Plain Flour (10⅓ oz, 2⅓ cup, All Purpose flour)*
- 3 tsp Baking Powder (Omit if using UK Self-raising Flour)
- ¾ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika (not hot kind)*
- 1¼ tsp Mustard Powder (or increase smoked paprika amount)*
- Pinch of Garlic Pepper (see notes)*
- 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
- 1 tsp Dried Parsley
- 100 grams Extra Mature Cheddar (3½ oz, extra sharp cheddar*)
- 76 grams Mozzarella (2⅔ oz, cubes or grated/shredded)*
Wet Ingredients
- 3 Medium Eggs (US large-extra large size)
- 83 grams Unsalted Butter (3 oz, ⅓ cup, ¾ stick, cubed & softened)
- 180 ml Milk (¾ cup, 6 fl oz)
* – see notes
Instructions
Prepare Muffin Batter:
- Cube the butter small, (about 1cm or ⅓” ) to soften and come to room temperature quicker.
- Sieve the 292 grams Plain Flour & 3 tsp Baking Powder into a medium mixing bowl. Add the ¾ tsp Salt, 1 tsp Smoked Paprika, 1¼ tsp Mustard Powder, Pinch of Garlic Pepper, 1 tsp Dried Rosemary &1 tsp Dried Parsley & whisk together. **For UK Self-raising flour, omit the baking powder.
- Pre-heat your oven to: 190°c/170°c fan oven/ 375°f/Gas mark 5.
- Add the softened 83 grams Unsalted Butter, 3 Medium Eggs & 180 ml Milk to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer & mix together. Start on low, progressing up to high for at least 15 seconds. Beat until bubbles & foam forms. **Note the butter might look a little strange & not combine fully at this point, but will be fine.
- Add the flour/seasoning mixture & briefly mix by hand. Then use the mixer to bring together into a smooth but thick batter. See video. Fold in the cheddar cheese cubes in 2 batches.
- Line a 12-hole cupcake tray with 12 paper muffin cases. Then add about 1 heaped tablespoon worth of the batter into the bottom of each case. Place 2 cubes of the 76 grams Mozzarella on top of the batter, into the centre. Alternatively, for grated/shredded mozzarella, take about 1 tablespoon worth & mould into a rough ball/oval shape. Gently push down into the centre of the batter. Then cover the top with the remaining batter. *The cases will be about 85% full. Sprinkle dried parsley on top & tap the cupcake tray on the counter/worktop a few times before popping in the oven to bake.
Baking The Muffins:
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 12-16 minutes, until set, risen & a cocktail stick comes out clean of crumbs. Leave in the tray on top of a cooling rack for 10 minutes before lifting out the tray. **Note, the cases will be a little greasy from the cheese fat.
Serving & Storing:
- For a cheese-pull, eat the savoury muffins while still warm. You can re-heat, out of the wrapper, on a plate in a microwave for no more than 30 seconds at a time.
- Eat halved with some butter, use to dip into soup or serve alongside a main meal as you would with dinner rolls. Great for breakfasts, picnics or potlucks!
- Store cheese muffins in a metal cake or cookie tin, at room temperature, for up to 1 week. To freeze, wrap individually in paper, then foil or cling film/plastic wrap & finally in a labelled food bag or air-tight container, for about 2 months1. Defrost at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. Warm as described above, or in a moderate oven/air fryer till warmed through.
Video
Notes
Reference: see reference at bottom of the recipe page.
Nutritional Information – I am not a qualified nutritionist & all values are approximate. Values are based on 1 serving of 1 muffin, from a yield of 12, using all the ingredients listed above. Make bigger or smaller muffins & these values will change. All values calculated via MyFitnessPal.com.
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Reference:
- Freezing cheese muffin information from Freeze It.com @freezeIt.com/freezing-muffins/ ↩︎