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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast

    Vegemite & Cheddar Muffins

    By Nancy Mock January 13, 2020 Updated January 23, 2022 2 Comments

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    A curious, Australian spread known as Vegemite gives a mouthwatering, savory-salty flavor to these cheesy muffins.

    Five vegemite and cheese muffins topped with diced chives on a white plate, with a tube of vegemite behind.
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    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Consider a donation to organizations that continue to help the people and animals of Australia recover from the aftermath of extensive wildfires, like WWF-Australia.

    When I first created these savory, cheesy muffins it was right after I had seen a YouTube clip of American news anchors trying Vegemite on toast. Their reaction was mixed, to say the least. Opinions on this thick, savory spread are as strong as Vegemite itself, and you either love it or you hate it!

    I have grown to love it, not only on toast but in these cheesy muffins.

    Yellow tube of Vegemite spread on a black slate board.

    A little history

    Vegemite was invented in 1922 by Australian chemist Cyril Callister. He was hired to create a yeast extract spread similar to Marmite, an English product which was popular in Australia but difficult to import after World War I. Callister created his spread using discarded brewer's yeast from local beer breweries, and it was trademarked with the name Vegemite. 

    Measuring cup holding thick, dark Vegemite spread, next to chives and a tube of Vegemite.

    It's a very thick, dark brown paste, very salty and with a pungent smell that's challenging to describe: kind of like dark, bitter beer; a bit like a very strong cheese. And it has a bit of a burned, salty smell.

    Jar of Marmite spread next to a tube of Vegemite spread.

    When I went shopping locally for some Vegemite I had zero luck. At one grocery store I did find a jar of Marmite, but, in the end I had to go to Amazon to get some Vegemite. And it came in a little, squeezy tube!

    Man and teenage male toasting with two slices of toast.

    The taste test

    Armed with both Vegemite and Marmite, I found myself with a wonderful opportunity: to subject my loved ones to a taste test. (I'm sure my daughter is relieved that this taste test took place after she went back to college.)

    Hugh Jackman shared his tips for enjoying Vegemite with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show:

    YouTube video

    To summarize, here's what Mr. Jackman says to do:

    1. Get some white bread, the crappy, spongy, pre-sliced kind
    2. Lightly toast the bread
    3. Butter the toast
    4. Spread a tiny amount of Vegemite on the slice, about a 1/4 teaspoon
    Two gray plates holding squares of toast spread with Vegemite and with Marmite.

    I toasted slices of wheat bread and spread one slice with a thin coating of Vegemite, the other with Marmite. (I forgot the butter.)

    The Marmite was up first, my husband and son taking the tentative first bites. Their reactions were... well, pretty much what I expected. Perhaps remembering the butter would have helped, but they both said the flavor was pretty strong and a little hard to take.

    They moved on to the Vegemite toast, with understandable reluctance... and found that the flavor here was even more intense. Vegemite is thicker, more bitter, hits the back of the tongue with a slap, and is a salty, yeasty, umami overload.

    My family does a lot of taste testing for me and I couldn't create my recipes without them. I feel bad because I know I burned through some trust on this one! Next time some nice and easy chocolate chip cookies guys, okay?

    Baked Vegemite muffins topped with cheese and chives in a muffin pan.

    The muffins!

    So maybe enjoying Vegemite or Marmite spreads straight up on toast is a challenge, but as a backdrop for flavorful Cheddar cheese and diced chives the Vegemite is very tasty!

    That sharp, intense flavor is softened in the muffin batter and is a great pairing with the sharp cheese and light, oniony taste of fresh chives.

    Teen male and man eating bites of Vegemite muffins.

    By some miracle the boys agreed to try these muffins despite the experience of yeast extracts on toast, and to my relief they agreed that Vegemite finds its redemption here.

    Taste them for yourself! The recipe for the muffins is below. And here are a few other treats you'll like:

    Sausage Roll Bites
    An easy appetizer of pastry-wrapped sausages sliced into bite-sized portions that are perfect for your next party or gathering!
    Take me there
    Circle of toothpick skewered sausage pieces on a plate
    Ham, Onion & Cheese Toasties
    This toastie is a delicious and melty sandwich that is perfect for a midday snack, lunch, or late night noshing! The filling in this toastie is ham, Cheddar and onion.
    Take me there
    Quiche Lorraine
    This is a classic quiche with bacon and Gruyère cheese, a sophisticated and more importantly, delicious choice for breakfast or lunch!
    Take me there
    White plate holding four Vegemite muffins and 1 muffin split in half.

    >> Have you tried these Vegemite & Cheddar Muffins? Scroll down to leave a comment and give the recipe a star rating!

    Vegemite & Cheddar Muffins

    Nancy Mock
    A curious Australian spread known as Vegemite gives a mouthwatering, savory-salty flavor to these cheesy muffins.
    4 from 9 votes
    Print This Recipe Pin This Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 17 mins
    Cooling Time 5 mins
    Total Time 37 mins
    Course Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Side Dish, Snack
    Servings 8 servings

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
    • 4 teaspoons baking powder
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • ¾ cup milk, room temperature
    • 2 large eggs
    • 6 ounces unsalted butter, melted
    • ¼ cup Vegemite yeast extract spread
    • 1 small handful of fresh chives, chopped (about ¼ cup once chopped)
    • 1 ¼ cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
    • Pinch of black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 400° F. Grease 8 wells of a regular muffin tin, or line them with paper liners.
    • Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set this aside.
    • Whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter and Vegemite in a medium bowl. The Vegemite is very thick so scrape down the sides of the bowl several times to make sure it is all incorporated.
    • Add the liquid ingredients and the chopped chives to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir everything together with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula: it's important not to over-mix the batter, so use the spoon or spatula to stir with big strokes that get under all the ingredients and bring it all together quickly - a few floury lumps are okay.  Stir one cup of the shredded Cheddar cheese through the batter.
    • Divide the batter evenly between the 8 greased or lined muffin wells - they should 3/4 to completely full. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar cheese over the tops along with a little black pepper.
    • Place the pan in the oven and bake the muffins for 15-17 minutes. The tops should be browned, but not too dark - so watch the muffins closely during the last few minutes. A toothpick inserted in the muffins should come out clean.
    • Remove the pan from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife along the inside edges of the cups to release the muffins and place them on a cooling rack.
    • The muffins are tastiest when enjoyed warm, split open with butter spread over the insides. They can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days - reheat them gently in a toaster oven or for a few seconds in a microwave before enjoying.
    • Makes 8 muffins.

    Notes

    • Try to find Vegemite at a store near you - look in their international section, and support them for carrying diverse products. If you have no luck locally you can get some online at this link.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1muffinCalories: 387kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 12gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 436mgPotassium: 462mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 820IUCalcium: 262mgIron: 2.3mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment, tell me what you think!
    White plate holding five Vegemite muffins topped with cheese and diced chives.
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