25 Brilliant Bite-Size Meals and Snacks You Can Make in a Muffin Pan
Our wide-ranging selection of irresistible mini foods includes mac and cheese cups, mini pizzas, sticky buns, phyllo cups, and more.
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Muffin tins aren't just for muffins or cupcakes. They can be a real workhorse in the kitchen as long as you're armed with the right recipes. To that end, we're sharing a sublime selection of recipes that put your muffin tin to good use in both sweet and savory applications.
The options here take you through the day, from breakfast to lunch to snacks. Some, like Mini Ham-and-Cheese Quiches and Tomato Hand Pies, could even be dinner appetizers or a full meal when paired with a hearty side. The beauty of these mini foods lies in their diminutive size—you get to enjoy a few bites of tasty filling, often encased in a crispy layer of pastry, bread, or potato. And they lean sweet as well as savory, which means we've got dessert covered. Mini cheesecakes with raspberry hearts on top? Upside-Down Mango Tartlets? Mini Pecan Tassies? All these options (and more!) are here for you to choose from.
Most of the recipes included in this collection use a regular size six-cup muffin tin, as is the case with the Easy Florentine Egg Cups pictured here. With that being said, there are a few recipes, like the Mini Frittatas and the Easy Peanut Butter Cups, that call for a mini muffin tin, and one recipe, the Brown Sugar and Pecan Sticky Buns, that requires a jumbo muffin tin.
So, why make these bite-sized foods? We think you'll find is that individual portions are cute to prepare and fun to eat. They tempt picky kids or anyone whose appetite is slight. What's more, these mini dishes help with portion control, allow you try several things rather than just one, and transform your muffin pan into a multi-functional piece of cookware.
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Corned-Beef Egg Cups
These no-fuss egg cups require just five ingredients and 20 minutes of bake time, so you can rise and dine in no time. Slices of potato bread line greased muffin tins to create tasty baskets, which are then filled with sautéed shallots, baby spinach, and chopped corned beef or ham. Crack eggs on top, bake just until the whites wobble, and dish them out for guaranteed smiling eyes.
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Cranberry Tartlets
It's amazing what you can do with leftover cranberry sauce, pie dough, and a muffin tin. We like to think of this as the day-after-Thanksgiving treat ever, but they're so good that you'll want to make them all year long.
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Muffin-Pan Potato Gratins
All you need for this delectable weeknight side dish is potatoes, butter, and cream. It pairs beautifully with roast beef, steak, chicken, or sautéed fish.
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Mini Deep-Dish Pizzas
Personal muffin-pan pizzas? Yes, please! Use store-bought dough to get them on the table even faster and be sure to pile on all your favorite toppings.
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Mini Cranberry Meringue Pie
Is there anything better than a personal pie for everyone at the table? These individual desserts boast a tender crust brightened with orange and lemon zest, a blood orange-cranberry filling, and a fluffy cloud of meringue.
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Popovers
You don't need a popover pan to bake the titular roll; a muffin tin works just as well. We break down our classic recipe step by step and then experiment with variations galore—Gruyère and thyme, dark chocolate, chive, cinnamon sugar, bacon and black pepper, and orange.
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Mushroom-and-Spinach Cups
This recipe is a surefire crowd-pleaser! Crisped up tortillas are filled with a healthy mix of sautéed mushrooms, baby spinach, and pepper Jack cheese and finished with creamy avocado.
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Tomato Hand Pies
A great make-ahead recipe, these hands-free pastries can be baked a day in advance and refrigerated. They'll come to room temperature on your way to the potluck or picnic.
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Easy Peanut Butter Cups
You'll never linger in the candy aisle of the grocery store again once you try these four-ingredient wonders made in mini-muffin tins.
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Cheesecakes with Raspberry Hearts
For those who can't resist sneaking one more sliver of cheesecake (that's all of us, right?), muffin-tin desserts offer built-in portion control.
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Bacon, Egg, and Toast Cups
Muffin tins crank out perfect single servings of your favorite savory breakfast trio.
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Mini Frittatas
Use a muffin pan to quickly whip up dozens of these bite-size hors d'oeuvres. They'll be the first to go at your next brunch!
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Brown Sugar and Pecan Sticky Buns
Break out your jumbo muffin pans for this impressive make-ahead recipe. Everyone will love the flaky, rich dough and sticky-sweet glaze.
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Upside-Down Mango Tartlets
Use store-bought puff pastry and a muffin pan to make a quicker, cuter version of the classic French caramelized tart. A splash of dark rum brings out the flavor of the mango topping.
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Mini Ham-and-Cheese Quiches
These retro treats call for an easy crust made of white sandwich bread instead of the usual tart dough, which means you can get them on the breakfast buffet table in a flash.
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Cherry-Lime Cups
A buttery crust and rich, custardy filling are the best way to showcase ripe summer cherries. The dessert cups can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge.
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Phyllo Cups with Cappuccino Cream
Bake sheets of frozen phyllo dough into delicate golden cups and fill them with an espresso-and-cardamom whipped cream. A sprinkling of cocoa powder completes the elegant dessert.
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Denver Omelet Cups
The traditional Denver omelet add-ins (ham, onions, and bell peppers) are nestled in a golden hash-brown crust and topped with perfectly runny baked eggs.
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Orange Spiral Rolls
Add unexpected flavor to your breadbasket with orange zest-spiked dinner rolls. They go well with ham or any roasted meat.
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Eggplant-Feta Phyllo Pies
Roasted eggplant, feta, and pistachios make a healthy, hearty filling for these individual pastries. Serve them alongside a salad or vegetables-and-hummus platter for a delicious meat-free supper.
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Individual Mac and Cheese Cups
We take our classic macaroni and cheese and up the cute factor by divvying it up in a muffin tin.
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Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
Ground turkey makes these domed little beauties a healthy weeknight supper. Bonus: Baking them in a muffin tin instead of a loaf pan means they cook in a fraction of the time.
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Crispy Prosciutto Cups with Pear
You just need three ingredients—prosciutto, pear, and fresh lemon juice—to put this easy salty-sweet appetizer together.
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Pecan Tassies
These miniature versions of pecan pies are a cross between a tart and a cookie and make the perfect after-dinner bite.