These cheeseburger muffins are small, golden cups with a soft biscuit-style base, a seasoned ground beef center, and a thick blanket of melted cheddar on top. One is cut open in the photo so you can see the filling: juicy beef packed inside, cheese pulled over the rim, and a little parsley on the glaze.
They taste like a cheeseburger in muffin form. No bun to toast. No skillet of separate toppings. Mix, fill, bake, eat.
Why You’ll Love These Cheeseburger Muffins
Done in about 30 minutes
Melted cheddar on every one
Easy to pack for lunch
Kid-friendly and party-friendly
Use a regular muffin tin
Freeze and reheat well
One muffin is a full savory bite
Ingredients
Makes 10–12 muffins
For the beef filling
1 lb (450 g) ground beef
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
For the muffin batter
2 cups biscuit mix (like Bisquick) or homemade mix*
⅔ cup milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the topping
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped parsley
*Homemade biscuit mix: 2 cups flour + 1 tablespoon baking powder + ½ teaspoon salt + 4 tablespoons cold butter rubbed in.
Optional additions
Dill pickle relish folded into the beef
A slice of pickle on top after baking
Jalapeños in the filling
Swap cheddar for American or a cheddar-mozzarella mix
A pinch of smoked paprika in the batter
Cooked, crumbled bacon in the beef
How to Make Cheeseburger Muffins
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin well, including the rims. These want to stick where the cheese meets the pan.
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the beef is browned and the onion is soft. Drain extra fat. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire. Taste. The filling should already taste like a burger. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a bowl, mix the biscuit mix, milk, egg, melted butter, salt, and pepper until you have a thick batter. Do not overmix.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup and spread it a little up the sides. You want a shallow nest, not a flat pancake.
Add a heaping tablespoon of beef filling to each cup. Do not pack it so high that it sits above the rim.
Cover the beef with another small spoon of batter, or leave the beef peeking through if you want a more open top. Sprinkle cheddar generously over each muffin. The cheese should look thick, like the photo.
Bake 16–20 minutes, until the edges are golden, the centers are set, and the cheddar is melted and browned in spots.
Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife around each muffin, lift out, and finish with chopped parsley. Serve warm.
How to Keep Them Soft
Do not overbake. Pull them when the cheese is bubbling and the muffin edge is golden. Extra minutes dry the batter.
If you are making them ahead, reheat covered for a few minutes so the steam softens the inside while the cheese remelts.
How to Serve
Serve warm, stacked on a plate like the photo.
Good with:
- Ketchup and mustard on the side
- Pickle slices
- A simple salad
- Tomato soup
- As a lunchbox main with fruit
- As a game-day tray with extra cheddar dip
They hold well at room temperature for a short party window, but they are best hot.
Variations
Bacon cheeseburger muffins
Add ¼ cup cooked crumbled bacon to the beef.
BBQ beef muffins
Swap ketchup and mustard for 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce.
Taco muffins
Season the beef with taco seasoning and top with cheddar and a little salsa after baking.
Low-carb version
Skip the biscuit batter. Press seasoned beef into the cups, top with cheese, and bake 12–15 minutes. They become crustless cheeseburger cups.
Breakfast version
Add a little cooked breakfast sausage and a pinch of extra cheddar. Same batter.
Tips
- Drain the beef well. Greasy filling makes the bottoms soggy.
- Cool the filling a few minutes before it goes into the batter. Hot beef can melt the raw batter.
- Shred your own cheddar if you can. It melts into that glossy sheet on top.
- Grease the tin more than you think you need. Cheese that drips will weld the muffins to the pan.
- A cookie scoop keeps the batter and filling even.
- Let them rest 5 minutes in the tin. They set and come out cleaner.
Make-Ahead, Freeze, and Store
Fridge
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container for 3 days. Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes or in the air fryer for 4–5 minutes.
Freezer
Freeze baked, cooled muffins on a tray, then bag them for up to 2 months.
Reheat from frozen
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15–18 minutes until hot in the center. Add a pinch of extra cheddar in the last 3 minutes if you want a fresh melt.
Make-ahead filling
Cook the beef up to 2 days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Assemble and bake when you need them.
FAQ
Can I use ground turkey?
Yes. Add a little extra ketchup or Worcestershire so it stays savory. Turkey is leaner and can taste dry without that.
Can I use canned biscuit dough instead of batter?
Yes. Flatten each biscuit, press it into the cup, add beef and cheese, and bake according to the biscuit package, usually 12–15 minutes.
Why did my muffins sink in the middle?
The filling was too wet or too heavy. Drain the beef and keep the scoop modest.
Do I need Bisquick?
No. The homemade mix in the ingredients list works the same.
Can I make mini muffins?
Yes. Use a mini tin, reduce the filling, and bake 10–13 minutes.
Are they good cold?
They are better warm. Cold, they taste like a firm breakfast muffin. A short reheat brings the cheese back.
Final Thoughts
These cheeseburger muffins are the shortcut version of a burger night. You get the beef, the cheddar, and the soft bun-like edge in one small cup. The tops brown, the centers stay savory, and a tray of them disappears faster than a plate of regular sliders.
Bake them, let the cheese set for a minute, and serve them while they are still glossy.
Printable Recipe Card
Cheeseburger Muffins
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 18 minutes
Total time: 33 minutes
Servings: 10–12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ small onion, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp mustard
- 2 cups biscuit mix
- ⅔ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar
- Parsley
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a muffin tin.
- Brown beef and onion. Drain. Season with spices, ketchup, and mustard.
- Mix biscuit mix, milk, egg, and butter into a thick batter.
- Add a spoon of batter to each cup. Fill with beef. Top with more batter if you want, then cheddar.
- Bake 16–20 minutes until golden and the cheese is melted.
- Rest 5 minutes. Add parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
Drain the beef. Grease the tin well. Reheat in the oven or air fryer.