26 Mini Snacks to Make in Muffin Tins

Mac and cheese is one of those dishes that kids can eat endlessly. When served in cupcake form, it's a perfectly portioned size to keep lil ones from overindulging!

Take the taco lunch to a whole deeper level with these muffin-tin tacos. Invite lil ones to fill their tortilla cups with their favorite toppings and watch the children's excitement build as these bite-size goodies cook!

A stack of french toast slices can be daunting to tots, but these french toast cups with sausage and apples pack all the flavor into a bite-size breakfast treat that tots and adults will love!

Using Trader Joe’s biscuits, Rebecca Coleman and her son whipped up a broccoli cheddar biscuit muffin that will feed your tot a fair portion of veggies!

French toast is the epitome of casual breakfast fare. This whimsical twist on a breakfast classic hits all the right flavor notes: sweet, warming, and toasty.

Serves four.

V, F (Recipe is vegetarian and can be frozen for later use)

French Toast:
6 slices whole-grain bread
3 large eggs
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-fat milk
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar or other granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt

Blueberry Compote:
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon cornstarch

For the French Toast: Cut the bread into one-inch cubes. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then beat in the milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cardamom, and salt. Stir in the bread cubes until they are all moist. Let sit for five minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the bread cubes among 12 medium muffin cups and pour any leftover egg mixture on top. Bake until they start turning golden on top and the egg has set, about 22 minutes.

For the Blueberry Compote: While the French Toast bakes, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the blueberries, maple syrup, cinnamon, and orange zest. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for five minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and simmer until slightly thickened, about one minute more. Serve the french toasties topped with the blueberry compote.

"This twist on a classic is a perfect choice when entertaining, yet simple enough to whip up for weekend snacks," Maeghan of The Way to His Heart says of her Chicken Cordon Bleu Wonton Bites.

Nothing says weekend breakfast like a stack of buttermilk flapjacks! Bakerella took a break from her popular cake pops to create these Mini Maple Pancake Muffins. Best of all, mama doesn't have to slave over a hot griddle to serve up tasty pancakes on a cold Winter morning!

This play on a diner classic comes together easily and gets a nutritional boost from tomatoes, mushrooms, and peppery arugula. These can be stored in the fridge for a few days, making them a great option when you need a breakfast lickety-split. Make sure to remove the seeds from your tomatoes so the mixture doesn’t become too watery. If possible, use nitrate-free, organic bacon. Serve with salsa or shredded aged cheddar cheese, if desired.

Serves six.

G (Recipe is free of any gluten-containing products)

9 large eggs
1/2 pound bacon, cooked and diced
1 tomato, seeded and diced
2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
1 cup diced cremini mushrooms
1 cup chopped arugula
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the cooked bacon, tomato, green onions, mushrooms, arugula, thyme, salt, and pepper. Divide the mixture among 12 medium muffin cups and cook until set, about 20 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding.

"We've all been in a rush before to whip a quick appetizer up. Last-minute get-together at someone's house or your own. Maybe not so last-minute, but you procrastinated and now you need something quick! You don't want to be the one that brings the veggie platter or chips and dips, although those are my favorite, they look like you didn't try. I've got a solution for you! Grab that container of dip anyways and turn it into something tasty, cute, and [that] will be sure to impress!" Maeghan of The Way to His Heart says of her Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Wonton Cups.

"You can add cheese, herbs, [or] hot sauce to these. You can scramble them up and create an omelet. You can even put a little piece of bread on the bottom and you'll have your toast too. The possibilities are endless," Maeghan of The Way to His Heart says of her Eggs Nestled in Bacon cups.

Wholesome and comforting, potpies are sometimes unbeatable. This recipe would be a good way to use leftover holiday turkey.

Serves six.

F (Recipe can be frozen for later use)

2 tablespoons grape-seed or canola oil, divided
1/3 pound turkey breast or thigh meat, diced into small cubes
1 leek, thinly sliced, white and light green parts
1 celery rib, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup frozen peas
7 ounces puff pastry (1/2 package), thawed
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the turkey and cook until no longer pink, about six minutes. Remove the turkey and rinse the pan. Then in the same pan, add the remaining one tablespoon oil and cook the leeks, celery, and carrot, stirring occasionally, until softened, about five minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about three minutes. Add the flour, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Slowly pour in the broth, stirring and scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked turkey and the peas. Turn off the heat.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry into a 12-inch square. Using a knife or pizza wheel, cut the pastry into 12 rectangular pieces by slicing four vertical rows and three horizontal rows. Fit the rectangles into 12 medium muffin cups, making sure there is some overhang. Divide the turkey mixture among the muffin cups. Pull in all four points of each crust over the filling so they meet in the middle, forming individual pot pies. Brush each pie with the egg wash and bake until crisp and deeply golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before umolding and serving.

A family favorite, lasagna is typically reserved for Sunday night dinner due to the amount of labor needed to create the dish. These Lasagna Cupcakes use wonton wrappers instead of pasta sheets to create the layers, and if you make a dozen, half can be frozen and reheated for a midweek treat!

Cinnamon rolls come out the perfect, uniform size with this cinnamon roll muffin recipe!

The standard weeknight dinner looks fresh when baked in individual portions and topped off with a dollop of mashed potatoes! Simply use your favorite meatloaf recipe and bake it in your trusty muffin tin!

A can of refrigerated biscuit dough, a sloppy joe recipe, and a muffin tin are all that are needed to create these scrumptious barbecue biscuits – a sure family favorite!