Quick & easy savoury muffins recipe made with ham, corn, cheese and chives... perfect for school lunch boxes, as a side to a bowl of soup, or on their own, warm and buttered!
With just 5 minutes prep time, no fancy equipment required (just one bowl and a mixing spoon!) and ready to eat in only 20 minutes - these simple savoury muffins will become your go-to snack after just one bite!
If you're looking for the most delicious savoury muffins recipe... then YAY - you've come to the right place!
It takes just 20 minutes to have a batch of these golden savoury ham and cheese muffins baked fresh from the oven - perfect on their own in school lunchboxes, or enjoy with a bowl of warming soup on those cool weather days.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
Healthy savoury muffins are the handiest little snacks to have on hand.
Make a double batch and eat them warm, straight out of the oven, slathered with butter... and have some leftover to freeze too!
- One bowl + 20 minutes - could it be any easier???
- Basic ingredients = budget friendly - if you have some leftover ham, a can of corn kernels and some cheese, I'm sure you will have the rest of the ingredients on hand.
- Great for toddlers feeding themselves! - let them enjoy pulling these muffins apart.
- Vegetarian option - just omit the ham!
- Grab and go snack - perfect for filling up hungry kiddies lunch boxes (and tummies!), or even for breakfast on the run. Keep some individually wrapped in the freezer for last minute meals or to pop in a lunch box - they'll be nicely thawed by lunchtime.
- Well balanced school lunch box - great for a healthy lunch with some raw veggie sticks or fruit.
- Conventional and Thermomix- this savoury muffins recipe can be made conventionally or in a Thermomix. You will find both the conventional and Thermomix methods in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
What You Need
Serve a batch of these ham and cheese muffins with bowls of soup for a satisfying and wholesome dinner. Or enjoy them on their own with a bit of chutney on the side - they make a great option for a light, but satisfying, lunch.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!
- Self raising flour - also known as self-rising flour. If you don't have self-raising flour, you can make your own using plain flour and baking powder.
- Cheese - grated, either a tasty or cheddar cheese is best.
- Chives - freshly chopped chives are beautiful to use in this savoury muffins recipe, but you can just as easily use dried chives from the baking/herb section of the supermarket.
- Butter - melted.
- Milk - I recommend using full-fat milk for a fuller flavour, however if you prefer to use a low-fat milk, this is perfectly fine to use as well.
- Egg - use a large (60g) egg, and have this at room temperature for best results.
- Ham - any type of ham is suitable to use, I usually just buy shredded or sliced ham from the supermarket and chop it a little.
- Corn kernels - either frozen or canned corn kernels. Drain well if using canned corn kernels, or thaw if using frozen corn kernels.
- Salt & pepper - to season.
Equipment Required
Totally minimal requirements for these cafe style savoury muffins - all you need is a bowl, a grater (if you don't have shredded cheese on hand), a muffin tray and an oven!
Of course, if you have a Thermomix (optional), you can use that too!
Step By Step Instructions
One mixing bowl and just 5 minutes is all it takes to have the best savoury muffins prepped and baking in the oven!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
Step 1 - Prepare
Place paper muffin cases in a 12 hole muffin tray, and preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan forced).
Sift the self-raising flour into a large bowl.
Step 2 - Add The Remaining Ingredients
Add the melted butter, grated cheese, milk, egg, chopped ham, corn kernels and chives to the bowl.
Mix all together gently.
Note: It's fine for the mixture to be a little lumpy.
Step 3 - Bake
Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases, filling two-thirds full, then bake into the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
FAQ'S
For light and fluffy textured muffins, it's important not to overmix the ingredients - a few little lumps in the mixture is fine.
Secondly, as all ovens differ, it's important to keep an eye on the muffins whilst baking - see my note below for baking and testing tips.
Towards the 15 minute mark, check your muffins with a skewer inserted into the middle. If the skewer comes out clean the muffins are ready, otherwise give them a few more minutes.
Allow the muffins to thaw (they don't take long), and then either pop in the microwave to reheat for a few seconds, or warm gently in the oven at a low temperature for 5 minutes.
Expert Tips
These savoury muffins are just so easy to make and they're versatile too!
- Serving suggestions - firstly, savoury muffins are best served warm, directly from the oven - with butter slathered on them! You can also serve these savoury muffins with a little chutney as a lunch snack, or to complement a big bowl of healthy soup for a complete meal.
- Storing - ideally I find muffins are best eaten on the day they're baked, but they will store well in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days (rather than refrigerated).
- Freezing - one of the best things about these savoury muffins is that they're freezer friendly. Firstly, let your savoury muffins cool completely on a cooling rack. Then wrap savoury muffins individually in plastic wrap (or in individual sealable bags), and place in a container for up to 3 months. By wrapping the muffins individually, it's so easy to grab one at a time for popping straight into lunch boxes.
Variations
I absolutely love this classic cheesy ham, corn and chive muffin recipe but it's just SO versatile and you can vary it with many other add-ins and flavourings that you like.
Here's some yummy variations using my basic savoury muffins recipe:
- sun-dried tomatoes, chopped baby spinach and feta;
- sliced black olives, capsicum and sun-dried tomatoes;
- zucchini and ham (just make sure you squeeze ALL of the liquid out of the zucchini so the muffins stay deliciously fluffy);
- cheese and bacon
Related Recipes
Whether you're looking for a lunch box snack or to make a winter soup meal complete, homemade savoury muffins and scrolls are a popular and tasty snack that I'm sure you'll love.
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Savoury Muffins Recipe - Cheesy Ham & Corn
Ingredients
- 300 g (2 cups) self-raising flour
- 40 g (½ cup) cheese grated
- 1 tbs chives chopped, fresh or dried
- 125 g butter melted
- 250 g (1cup) milk full fat
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 100 g ham chopped
- 125 g corn kernels drained, or thawed
- salt and pepper, to season
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Place paper cases into a 12 hole muffin tin and set aside.
- Sift the self-raising flour into a large bowl.
- Add all remaining ingredients and gently fold through with a metal spoon until just combined.
- Divide the mixture between the muffin holes, filling cases ⅔rd's full, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
- Allow to cool in the baking tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Place paper cases into a 12 hole muffin tin and set aside.
- Place the butter into the Thermomix bowl and melt for 3 minutes, 100 degrees, Speed 2.
- Add all remaining ingredients and mix for 10 seconds, Reverse, Speed 3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for a further 5 seconds or until combined.
- Divide the mixture between the muffin holes, filling cases ⅔rd's full, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
- Allow to cool in the baking tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- It's important not to overmix the ingredients for light and fluffy muffins - the mixture should still be a little lumpy.
- All ovens differ - so it's important to keep an eye on your muffins whilst baking. Towards the 15 minute mark, check your muffins with a skewer. If the skewer comes out clean the muffins are ready, otherwise give them a few more minutes. If you take them out too soon, the mixture will still be 'wet' inside, it you leave them too long, they will be dry.
- To reheat - allow the muffins to thaw (they don't take long), and then either pop in the microwave to reheat for a few seconds, or warm gently in the oven at a low temperature for 5 minutes or so.
- Storing - ideally I find muffins are best eaten on the day, but they will store well in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days (rather than refrigerated).
- Freezing - firstly, let your savoury muffins cool completely on a cooling rack. Then wrap savoury muffins individually in plastic wrap (or in individual sealable bags), and then place them in a freezer container for up to 3 months. that way they're easy to grab one at a time.
Elyneda Jo says
Absolutely amazing! I used soy milk, Nuttelex and plant based mozzarella (and last minute nearly forgot to add salt and pepper…)
Nuttelex melted and mixture made in Thermomix - opted to make Texas size - made 6 large muffins and they were *Chef’s Kiss* I rotated at around the 10 minute mark and let them cook for a total of about 25 minutes all up. 10/10! Highly highly recommend. I will be making this as my lunch treats for now and forever hahaha
Lucy says
Fantastic!!!