Za'atar and Labneh Breakfast Muffins
Savory muffins swirled with tangy labneh and a generous hit of za'atar, perfect warm from the oven.
The swirl is the point: don't overmix it. You want ribbons of labneh running through the crumb, not a uniform batter. A quick 20-minute bake and a short rest in the tin give you tender, slightly craggy muffins that are best eaten warm, split and smeared with a little extra labneh.
They keep well enough to make on a Sunday and eat through the week, and they freeze beautifully. Serve them alongside eggs, a bowl of olives, or just a strong cup of coffee.
Ingredients
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons za'atar, plus 1 tablespoon for topping
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 180 ml whole milk
- 80 ml olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 150 g labneh, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for brushing the tin
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and brush a 12-hole muffin tin generously with olive oil, or line it with paper cases.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 2 tablespoons of the za'atar until evenly combined.
- In a jug, whisk the eggs, milk, olive oil and honey until smooth and slightly emulsified.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains — the batter will be thick and a little lumpy. Stop there; overmixing makes tough muffins.
- Spoon about two-thirds of the batter into the prepared tin, filling each hole roughly halfway.
- Dot a heaped teaspoon of labneh into each muffin hole, then cover with the remaining batter, dividing it evenly. Use a skewer or the tip of a knife to make one or two gentle figure-eight swirls through each muffin — do not stir thoroughly.
- Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon za'atar with the sesame seeds and scatter over the tops.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, until risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the cake part (not straight into a labneh pocket) comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift out onto a rack. Eat warm, or let cool completely before storing.
Cook’s tips
- Bring the labneh to room temperature so it spoons easily and doesn't chill the batter.
- Swirl sparingly — two passes with a skewer is plenty. Overworking the labneh into the batter loses the marbled effect.
- If your za'atar blend already contains a lot of salt, reduce the fine sea salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
Substitutions
- Labneh can be replaced with thick Greek-style yogurt strained for 30 minutes, or with full-fat cream cheese.
- Swap the honey for maple syrup to make the muffins vegan-adjacent in flavor (note the eggs are still needed).
- Use whole wheat flour for up to half of the all-purpose flour, adding 1 extra tablespoon of milk.
Storage & reheating
Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for 4; reheat for 3 minutes in a 160°C oven, or freeze individually wrapped for up to 2 months.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make these muffins ahead of time?
Yes. Bake them, cool completely, then store airtight at room temperature overnight or freeze. Warm them in a low oven before serving so the crumb softens again.
Why did my labneh sink to the bottom?
Labneh pockets sink if the batter is too loose or the dollops are too large. Keep the labneh chilled but spoonable, use about a teaspoon per muffin, and make sure the batter isn't over-thinned with extra milk.
What can I use instead of labneh?
Strained full-fat Greek yogurt or full-fat cream cheese both work well. Avoid low-fat versions, which release water and can make the muffins soggy.
Are these muffins sweet or savory?
Savory, with just a background note of honey to round out the za'atar. They pair better with eggs, cheese or olives than with jam.
