Easy and delicious! Packed with tasty olives and tangy cheese, these fabulous savoury muffins are perfect for a picnic or lunch box, or just as a snack.
Oh, the joys of the English summer’s unpredictable weather!
We recently spent a lovely evening at the Botanic Gardens listening to live music and picnicking in the company of several hundred like-minded folks. Our decision to go had been a bit last minute though, and the picnic reflected our haste – humous, crudités, wraps, fishballs etc. Just whatever I’d been able to forage from the fridge.
Time to prepare
When we decided to go to another, similar event a week later, I had a much better run-up. I decided to make some savoury picnic muffins, packed with tasty olives and tangy cheese. You can use any cheese in these muffins, but I suggest a crumbly, flavoursome cheese such as Cheshire, Lancashire or even feta. (This is also a great opportunity to use up odds and ends of cheese.)
Savoury cheese muffins
I am quite fond of a savoury muffin, and DH likes them too – he can’t eat bread, so any picnic food that doesn’t involve a sandwich is always going to get a nod of approval. My daughter Kipper loves them because it’s basically CAKE with OLIVES – two of her favourite things!
Whatever the weather!
Of course, once these olive and cheese muffins were mixed up and in the oven, the heavens opened and it poured with rain. Although it had stopped before the concert was due to begin, we decided to abandon our picnic plan on the basis that it would be uncomfortably soggy under-bottom.
A picnic at home
Still, we put our most picnic-y tablecloth on the table, and at Kipper’s insistence put the radio on to provide the music. There was a little less fresh air (we did open the window) and a lot less rain, but we had fun nonetheless. She even had a little dance around the kitchen.
Ingredients in cheese and olive picnic muffins
Making these muffins is easy, and only requires a few ingredients. To make a batch, you will need:
- Plain flour – also called all purpose flour (especially in the USA)
- Baking powder – for nice, light muffins
- Dried mixed herbs – or use your favourite herb blend
- Milk – or use a plant-based alternative
- Natural unflavoured yogurt – or a plant-based alternative
- An egg
- Olive oil
- Garlic – I used a fresh clove but you could also add some garlic powder if it’s easier
- Pitted olives, sliced – use black or green or a combination of both
- Tangy cheese – such as feta, Lancashire, Cheshire etc.
Easy and delicious olive and cheese muffins
The muffin recipe is super easy to make. Weigh out the dry ingredients, whisk up the wet ingredients, and then mix the lot together. Bob’s your uncle. I spent a few minutes arranging olive slices decoratively on the tops, but you could skip that step if you’re in a hurry (or just can’t be bothered).
The picnic muffins were wonderful – eaten slightly warm, with a pile of fresh salad. Yum. Try taking a bite of muffin with a piece of tomato or some leaves of baby spinach. Delicious!
Do you like to eat al fresco? What’s your favourite picnic food?
Read my guide to the Perfect Picnic here!
There are more picnic opportunities coming soon. Fingers crossed for better weather!
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📖 Recipe
Cheese and olive picnic muffins
Ingredients
- 125 g plain flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
- 60 ml milk
- 60 ml natural yogurt
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 65 g pitted olives, sliced (approx. 12-14 olives)
- 50 g crumbled tangy cheese e.g. Cheshire, Lancashire, feta etc. (approx. ⅓-½ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and prepare a 6-hole muffin tin with silicon or paper liners.
- 125 g (1 cup) plain flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp mixed herbsIn a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, pepper and herbs.
- 60 ml (¼ cup) milk, 60 ml (¼ cup) natural yogurt, 1 egg, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 clove garlic, crushedSeparately, whisk together the milk, yogurt, egg, oil and garlic.
- 65 g (2¼ oz) pitted olives, sliced, 50 g (1 ¾ oz) crumbled tangy cheese e.g. Cheshire, Lancashire, feta etc.Add the milk mixture to the flour, together with the olives and cheese – reserve some olive slices for the tops of the muffins if desired. Gently stir the mixture until just combined – do not overmix.
- Divide the mixture between the muffin cases – they will be quite full. Decorate with the reserved olive slices if using.
- Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden, and a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack and serve slightly warm or cold.
Notes
Nutrition
More delicious savoury baking recipes
If you enjoy a savoury bake, why not take a look at this delicious vegetable soda bread, these vegan savoury muffins with caramelised onions and smoked tofu, or these delicious muffins with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes.
And for everything you need make sure you’re picnic’s totally perfect, click here!
I’m entering these yummy savoury muffins into the following link-ups:
Treat Petite, hosted this month by Cakeyboi and co-organised by The Baking Explorer, with the theme ‘anything goes’.
Cook Once Eat Twice, hosted by Searching for Spice.
Love Cake, hosted by JibberJabber, on the theme of ‘it’s a mystery’ – because olives are a bit of an unusual ingredient in a cake, plus it’s just how I feel trying to predict the weather this summer!
Elaine
Cheese and olive… is there a better combo than this… These muffins are so easy to make and so delicious!
Helen
thanks Elaine – so glad you enjoyed making and eating them!
Mahy
I am all ready for a picnic now. These muffins are absolutely amazing, and I can’t wait to make them.
Helen
Thanks Mahy! I hope you get a picnic soon 🙂
Jacq
Prepared these with dairy-free cheese and they were delicious. My daughter loves anything with olives so these were a huge hit. Thanks! 🙂
Helen
So glad you enjoyed them Jacq! Great to know about the dairy-free cheese sub.
Dannii
Anything that combines cheese and olives is good with me. These muffins look amazing.
Helen
Thanks Dannii. Cheese and olives are a favourite pairing here too!
Dana
I’ve never thought of savory muffins before and I love this! We need more recipes like this 🙂
Helen
Thanks Dana! We love a savoury muffin. You might also like these pesto and sun-dried tomato ones, or these vegan savoury muffins with smoked tofu and caramelised onions.
Claire Martin
What am I missing? I followed the recipe, and I can’t even peel the paper liner off the muffins.
Helen
Really sorry to hear that Claire 🙁 The only thing I can think of is that maybe you missed out the oil? That would make them stick to the papers a bit more than usual. I hope they tasted OK anyway. Take care, Helen x.
Baiba
They are so delicious! I made vegetarian style. I replaced egg with 4 tbs sour cream. Thank You for recipe. My husband told- it’s best salty savory ?
Helen
Thanks Baiba! I’m so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Claire
Delicious easy to make muffins. How long do they last in the fridge. Thanks for the recipe!
Helen
Hi Claire – I’m glad you enjoyed them. I would keep them in an airtight box rather than in the fridge, but eat within about 24 hours.
lesley@lostinfood
I love the look of these savoury muffins, cheese and olives a lovely combination. Will have to make these.
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
These sound fabulous Helen, and I just love the cute little slices of olives – definitely worth the coupleof minutes extra effort.
Angela x
nessjibberjabberuk
What a great alternative to sandwiches. The cheese and olives combination looks delicious.
Helen
Thanks Ness! I might make some for the back-to-school lunch boxes now that you mention it…
Stuart Vettese
I bet these taste soooo flavourful. The olives on top are so cute too. Thanks for taking part in Treat Petite!
Helen
Thanks Stuart. Yes, packed with flavour – olives FTW!
Kat
What a yummy combination of flavours – olive and cheese are perfect together! Thanks for linking up with #TreatPetite
Helen
Thanks Kat. We love olives with anything!
Corina
I’ve only made savoury muffins once before but really enjoyed them. I love the sound of these with the cheese and the olives. My children also love olives so this might well be a recipe they’d enjoy too! Thank you so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice.
Nayna Kanabar (@SIMPLYF00D)
I rarely bake savoury muffins, but these sound amazing and look so tasty.
Helen
Thanks Nayna. I don’t make savoury ones often but they usually come out yummy! I made some with sundried tomatoes a while ago which were fab too. Give them a whirl!
Cathy @ Planet Veggie
I have been lusting over these for days! They’d be really easy to veganise too (I’m not actually vegan but I like veganising things).
Helen
Interesting idea! What would you use to replace the egg?
Kavey F
Given how much I like savoury cheese-flavoured bakes I should do them more. These muffins, with olives as well, look super!
Helen
I think savoury cake is definitely the way forward 🙂
And olives make everything better!