Ham and Cheese Savory Muffins
These ham and cheese savory muffins are perfect for breakfast, brunch or to enjoy along with a cozy bowl of soup! Serve these homemade bread rolls warm or pack them in lunch boxes, they are delicious both ways.
Unlike most sweet muffin recipes, these savoury muffins are made with a standard yeast bread dough recipe and loaded with ham and cheese! They are just as perfect for a grab and go breakfast as they are as part of a weekend brunch.
Whether you serve them as a snack for the kids or as a side to your bowl of hearty chili or soup, ham and cheese savory muffins are so tasty! They are crispy on the outside, soft and warm on the inside and have the best flavor that just begs to be slathered with a smear of butter.
If you love all things savoury, add cheese buns, refrigerator dough cheese bread and homemade cheddar jalapeno bread to your baking list!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Savory Ham and Cheese Muffins
- All purpose flour: Provides structure to your bread dough muffins.
- Swiss cheese: Freshly shredded Swiss cheese is best.
- Ham: Your ham needs to be cooked and chopped into pieces.
- Instant yeast: Gives rise to these soft bread dough muffins.
- Milk: At least 2% for best taste. You will also need some to brush the top of the muffins.
- Greek yogurt: Plain unsweetened Greek yogurt adds moisture to the muffins.
- Egg: A large egg binds the ingredients together and adds additional moisture.
- Vegetable oil: A neutral oil is best in these ham and cheese muffins.
- Salt and pepper: Enhances the flavor in the muffins.
- Seeds for sprinkling: Sunflower, sesame, pumpkin or even poppy seeds all add a soft crunch to the top of the muffins.
How to Make Ham and Cheese Savory Muffins
Make dough: In a medium sized bowl beat together the egg, yogurt, milk, yeast and oil then add ½ the flour and combine with a spatula or if it’s easier use your hands! Add the salt and pepper and remaining flour and combine again until fully incorporated.
Knead dough: If the dough looks dry add additional milk then knead the dough by hand until smooth or if you are using an electric mixer knead the dough with the dough hook until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Add savory ingredients: Roll the dough into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Add the cheese and ham and combine to mix evenly. Form dough into a ball, place back into the medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
First rise: Remove dough from the bowl, flatten again, fold 3-4 times and then place back in the bowl to rest covered for 30 minutes.
Shape muffins and second rise: Remove dough from the bowl and roll it gently into a log then cut it into 6 parts. Shape into small balls, place in a muffin tin, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
Bake and serve: When your ham and cheese savory muffins are doubled in size, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the muffins with milk, sprinkle with seeds and bake for approximately 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then serve warm. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Fresh yeast: Always use fresh yeast for best bread dough results.
- Room temperature ingredients: Your Greek yogurt and egg should be room temperature as they will incorporate into the dough better.
- Fingerwarm milk: Your milk should be lukewarm and warm when touched with your finger. Using too of hot milk will kill your yeast and too cold milk won’t activate the yeast properly.
- Measure ingredients with a scale: This will ensure the best accuracy.
- Shaping your muffins: When rolling your ham and cheese savory muffins into balls move your cupped hand in quick, tight circles. This will cause the seam to come together and create tension on the surface of the dough for a small muffin shape.
Variations
- Fresh herbs: Freshly chopped parsley or chives would add even more delicious flavor to these savoury muffins.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese would be delicious in these ham and cheese muffins or try Monterey jack, provolone, or havarti.
- Spice: Add up to ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper for a spicy kick.
- Sour cream: Can be used instead of Greek yogurt.
- Green onions: Chopped green onion could be added to the batter.
How to Serve Ham and Cheese Muffins
Savory ham and cheese muffins are delicious to serve at breakfast or brunch along with scrambled eggs and fresh fruit. For a light lunch in the summer served with a salad or for a cozy dinner in the winter try them along with a bowl of soup. Kids love these as a snack or in their lunchbox!
When these are fresh out of the oven, try these cheese breakfast muffins with a drizzle of honey or melted butter. So good!
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for three to four days. It is not recommended to refrigerate your muffins as they will go stale quickly. Reheat in the microwave.
You can also freeze leftovers for longer storage. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature, reheat and enjoy.
FAQs
What is the origin of these ham and cheese muffins?
If you are in Denmark or familiar with Scandinavian baking, you might see these called hyggeboller (ham and cheese rolls). Hygge translates to comfort or coziness and these rolls can fill you with those same feelings or inspire you to make them for others to impart the same feeling!
Can I add any other ingredients?
Sure! Bacon, Parmesan cheese, spinach, chopped red bell pepper or spinach would all be delicious!
Do I have to use a muffin pan?
I love the shape these turn out when made in a muffin pan but you could use a parchment lined baking sheet. They will be more of a dinner roll shape.
What type of yeast should I use?
This recipe is best with Instant yeast. If you only have active yeast, it may work but you will need to add 25% more yeast and the rise time will be longer.
More Savory Recipes to Enjoy
- Easy Sausage Rolls
- Steak and Guinness Mini Pies
- Pizza Babka
- Italian Pizza Bread
- Fig, Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Pizza
Ham and Cheese Savory Muffins
Ingredients
- ¾ cup + 1¼ tablespoons All purpose flour (100 grams total)
- 1¼ ounces Swiss cheese
- 1¼ ounces Ham – cooked in pieces
- 1½ teaspoons Instant yeast
- â…” tablespoon Milk – lukewarm 2%
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt – room temperature
- 1 large Egg – room temperature
- ¾ tablespoon Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Seeds for sprinkling – sunflower, sesame or pumpkin
Instructions
- In a medium bowl beat together the egg, yogurt, milk, yeast and oil then add ½ the flour and combine with a spatula or your hands if it's easier and add the salt and pepper and remaining flour and combine again.
- If the dough is too dry add some milk. Knead the dough until smooth. If using an electric mixer knead the dough with the dough hook until it pulls away from the sides.
- Lightly flour a flat surface and roll the dough into a rectangle. Add the cheese and ham and combine to mix evenly. Form into a ball, place into a medium bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Flatten the dough again, fold 3-4 times and let it rest in a bowl covered for 30 minutes.
- Roll gently into a log and cut into 6 parts. Roll them into 6 small balls and place them in muffin tins and cover them again with plastic wrap. Let rise for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
- When the muffins are almost completely doubled in size, pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C). Brush the muffins with milk, sprinkle with seeds and bake for approximately 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm. Enjoy!