Ham and Cheese Rye Muffins

These muffins are a wonderful take on the ham and cheese on rye sandwich. They are made with freshly milled whole rye flour, bread flour, and contain ham and Swiss cheese. They also contain a bit of onion powder, which adds to the savory flavor. Add some grated Swiss cheese on top and you have the perfect quick savory breakfast. Let’s just say, these didn’t last long when I took them to work.

Forget what you think about the taste of rye. What most people think of as rye flavor is actually the flavor of the caraway seeds that are typically in store bought rye bread.

I ground my rye flour for these muffins from organic berries, and found the flavor to be very mild, much milder than whole wheat.

While I made these muffins with ham, they can also be made with cooked bacon for an extra rich treat. Do you like toasted, almost burnt cheese? These muffins are topped with some of the Swiss cheese, which gets nice and melty burnt while baking. Seriously good.

Another thing about working with rye… you should not overwork the batter because it can get gummy if you are not careful. Mix the batter just until it comes together, and don’t worry too much if there are bits of flour that have not been fully incorporated. Once the muffins start baking, rest assured, the bits of flour will disappear.

This recipe has been adapted from King Arthur Flour’s Whole Grain Baking cookbook.

Ham and Cheese Rye Muffins

 

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Ingredients

• 7½ ounces whole rye flour
• 3⅛ ounces unbleached bread flour
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 6 ounces grated Swiss cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1½ C buttermilk
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
• 4 ounces diced cooked ham

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and spray a 12 cavity muffin tin with spray oil.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
3. Add all but ¼ C of the Swiss cheese and toss to coat the individual pieces of cheese.
4. In another bowl, mix the egg, buttermilk, and the butter. Pour it into the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated.
5. Add the ham and stir until evenly distributed.
6. Using an ice cream scoop, portion the batter into the 12 cavities, and top each with some of the reserved cheese.
7. Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
9. Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.... or eat while still warm!

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