Pouring that favorite muffin mix or homemade recipe into a muffin tin is an easy way to make a yummy breakfast or dessert. However, there are actually lots more tasty bites to eat that can be made simply and easily in a muffin tin. It's completely possible to make a family-sized breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert, all in a single muffin tin. From savory foods like pizza and corn dogs to more decadent things like cheesecake and cookies, the muffin tip recipes are abundant.
Sometimes it's hard to get thekids to eat certain things, like veggies or meat, but when a main-course meal comes in a cute, bite-sized serving, it becomes instantly more appealing. These fun foods can be great for hosting a party or for being on-the-go as well.
More from CafeMom: 15 Post-Workout Snack Ideas That Won't Leave You Hungry
So don't limit that muffin tin to only various flavors of muffins and the occasional frosted cupcakes. There are plenty of other amazing recipes to make that usually bake quickly and don't involve too much prep work either. Small foods like this can be easily packed for lunches and road trips or they can just be a fun way to switch it up for dinner.
Here are 15 ways to utilize that muffin tin for way more than just muffin mix.
More from CafeMom: 14 Crock-Pot Dinners Kids Can Serve Themselves
Chicken Pot Pies
This Tablespoon recipe explains how to make mini chicken pot pies. Great for a lunch or dinner, these little pies are just as good as a full-size one, only cuter. The kids will love them.
More from CafeMom: 15 Healthy Ways to Feed Your Kids Cookies for Breakfast
Pineapple Upside Down Cakes
This classic dessert can now be made in miniature form, thanks to Thrifty Fun. Complete with pineapple slices and maraschino cherries, this makes a great treat.
Ranch Bacon Mac and Cheese Cups
For all mac and cheese lovers, this recipe from The Weary Chef is sure to please. These savory snacks are loaded with two kinds of cheese, bacon, and ranch flavoring.
Cheeseburger Puffs
If the family enjoys burgers for dinner, then this is definitely a fun recipe to try. SpendWithPennies.com and Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons shared this recipe for making mini cheeseburgers from scratch — and it only takes about 10 minutes of prep time.
More from CafeMom: 15 Boxed Cake Mix Hacks That Go Way Beyond Birthday Parties
Mini Corn Dogs
Corn dogs are the best, but they can be even better bite-sized! Iowa Girl Eats made this cute and yummy snack that's essentially just cornbread and cut-up hot dogs. It's so simple, why didn't we think of it?
Mini Deep-Dish Pizzas
By using flour tortillas as the crust and everyone's favorite pizza toppings, Awesome Food Recipes made delicious-looking mini deep-dish pizzas.
Broccoli Cheese Bites
This Play Party Plan recipe is great for a dinner side. Make veggies more fun for your kids with these cheesy broccoli bites. All the recipe calls for, besides the cheese and broccoli, are some Ritz crackers and egg.
More from CafeMom: 5 Kid-Approved Breakfasts That Moms Love, Too
Taco "Cupcakes"
You can't really go wrong with tacos, especially when they're mini and crispy. These taco "cupcakes," created by Plain Chicken, use wonton wrappers as the shell, then add taco ingredients (beef, cheese, beans, lettuce, etc.) topped off with some salsa and sour cream after they're baked.
Ham Quiche Cups
Perfect for breakfast on the go, this Dinner Mom recipe uses ham as the "crust" and fills it with fluffy eggs, cheese, onion, and seasoning.
No-Bake Rice Crispy Cups
If you want to make a quick and easy dessert or snack, consider trying these no-bake rice crispy treats from The Big Man's World. You only need three ingredients!
More from CafeMom: 16 Costco Salad Hacks to Bring to Your Next BBQ
Lemon Blueberry Pancake Bites
These sweet and portable pancake bites from Say Grace are made with fresh blueberries and lemon and drenched in cream cheese icing. Sounds absolutely delightful for a weekend breakfast.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites
Kristyn from Lil' Luna shared a delicious-looking recipe for chocolate chip cookies that you can use your muffin tin for. It's really easy and really chocolaty!
Muffin Tin Meatloaves
Frugal Family Home shared this dinner recipe for mini meatloaves. And according to blogger Shelly, they bake a lot faster than a whole meatloaf, so they are perfect for those nights when you start dinner a little (or a lot) later than you would like.
More from CafeMom: 13 Meals You Didn't Know You Could Make in a Rice Cooker
Mini Salted Caramel Cheesecakes
Another fun dessert option is bite-sized cheesecake! This salted caramel recipe from Jo Cooks uses a graham cracker crust, a regular cheesecake recipe, and is then topped with gooey salted caramel sauce.
Fruit-Filled Lemon Crepe Cups
These muffin tin lemon crepes from Swanky Recipes are filled with homemade coconut whipped cream topping and garnished with fresh fruit and powdered sugar. They are perfect for breakfast or dessert.
