Gluten Free Savory Bacon and Cheese Muffins

I’m a baker. That means I love baking for my friends and family. To most people during the holidays, that means sweets. Don’t get me wrong, my kitchen is full of sweets right now, but let’s be honest, there comes a point when we are all a little tired of sweets . . . I’m sharing a recipe with you today that I love making for my family, especially during the holiday season. We have friends and family coming in and out of our home to celebrate various times throughout the season. I love allowing people the ease of getting up slowly to then enjoy coffee and breakfast at their leisure. That’s why I love making my Savory Bacon and Cheese Muffins for everyone to enjoy when they are ready to rise and shine. This is a loved recipe in my family. I used to mix different gluten free flours to make them, but now I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour and it works perfectly! I’ve made various versions of this with ham or sausage as the meats, left out the meats altogether to then add broccoli and spinach, and they also work well with dairy or non-dairy milks and cheeses. So, you can quickly put together a savory baked good for your friends and family to please everyone this holiday season! Also, I want to add that these are perfect next to a bowl of soup or chili! They bake up well as mini muffins too (bake for half the time)! I hope you all enjoy them as much as we do!

Gluten Free Savory Bacon and Cheese Muffins

Makes 10

• 1 3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour
• 1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Medium Grind Cornmeal
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 cup Butter or Dairy Free Butter
• 3 Tbsp Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 cup Milk or Dairy Free Milk
• 1 cup Cheese or Cheese Substitute
• 3/4 cup Chopped Cooked Bacon
• 1/4 cup Chopped Red Peppers
• 1/4 cup Chopped Onion or Scallions
• Extra Cheese for Topping

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray oil into muffin cups. Combine the flour through garlic powder together in a bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs to the butter mixture and mix well, scraping the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet and begin to mix. Now, slowly pour the milk into the batter. Stir in the bacon, red pepper, onion, and cheese. Evenly distribute the batter into 10 muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with cheese and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool 5 minutes in pan and then remove. Enjoy warm or room temperature. Sarena Shasteen has been an avid health food and fitness enthusiast from an early age. She holds a degree in Culinary Arts from The Art Institute of Atlanta, a certification in Fitness Nutrition, and is a certified Fitness Trainer from International Sport Science Association (ISSA). Becoming a Personal Trainer and Specialist in Fitness Nutrition has been a lifelong goal of hers. Sarena enjoys helping others reach their health goals by teaching them that health and fitness are not only achieved in the gym, but also through fun everyday activities. Now a food writer, recipe developer, personal chef, Personal Trainer, and Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, she enjoys sharing with others that healthy living can be fun and delicious. Keep up with her at The Non-Dairy Queen and on Facebook and Twitter.