25 Creative Ways to Use Muffin Tins

Muffins shaped food. Kids love ’em cause they can eat it with their hands. Moms love ’em cause they cook so fast. None of the usual suspects in this list. No muffins. No mini frittatas. Be surprised with these creative and easy bite size treats made using muffin tins!

BREAKFAST

Baked Eggs…a clear favourite on most muffin-tin-tray recipe lists, but not on my list. Why? Because the cooking time for eggs is so sensitive, I found that they didn’t cook evenly in the muffin tray.

1. Bacon & Egg Toast Cups from The Noshery – bacon and eggs gets a cute makeover!  4 ingredient brilliance. Because the eggs are not in direct contact with the tin, these definitely cook much more evenly than plain baked eggs in muffin tins.  Get the recipe.

2. Pancake Bowls by the Just A Pinch. Why slave over a hot stove making pancakes one by one when you can make a whole batch in one go? Brilliant! Get the recipe.

3. Baked Doughnuts – a higher power made these  just for me, knowing my weakness for doughnuts…. Get the recipe.

5. Parmesan Hashbrowns by The Yummy Life. Golden brown crunchy exterior, tender, moist and cheesy interior. Hashbrowns never tasted so good – and in perfect bite size too! Get the recipe.

6. Crunchy Granola Bites – forget muesli bars! Get the recipe.

SAVOURY

7. Baked Spinach Dip Mini Bread Bowls by Picky Palate. Irresistible individual double-dip proof appetisers! I made this using ordinary slices of bread – just cut off the crusts, flatten the bread and press into the muffin tin. Get the recipe.

8. Taco Cups made with wonton wrappers by Becoming Martha. Made using wonton wrappers – great shortcut! Get the recipe.

9. Meatloaf Cupcakes by First Look Then Cook. For all the moms out there, this is for you – what a way to hide veggies for the kids! Get the recipe.

10. Mini Pizzas by Dashing Dish. Brilliant shortcut ideas using a tin to cut rounds from tortillas to use as the pizza base! Get the recipe.

11. Mini Lasagne Cups. Made with wonton wrappers. So clever! Get the recipe.

12. Bacon Bowl by Not Martha. Think of the possibilities! Love the attempt to balance the calories by filling it with salad….. Get the recipe.

13. Chicken Salad Wonton Cups by Eat Drink Love. Chicken salad is good in any form. But particularly in these crunchy little wonton cups! Get the recipe.

14. Spaghetti Nests – what a brilliant use of left of leftover spaghetti and extra motivation to get the kids interested in dinner! By Hadia’s Lebanese Cuisine – get the recipe.

15. Mini Mac ‘N Cheese with a crunchy topping! There are so many muffin tin Mac ‘N Cheese recipes “out there”, this is by far the best I have tried!! Get the recipe.

16. Potato Gratin – crunchy golden goodness in a tin. Brilliant! Get the recipe.

17. Kale Ricotta Cups – get veggies into the kids! This recipe is from an expert – Muffin Tin Mania. Get the recipe.

18. Nori Salmon Cakes – this is brilliant! It’s like onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) without needing the skills to make perfectly shaped balls! Another recipe from the expert Muffin Tin Mania. Get the recipe.

19. Risotto Cakes – brilliant use of leftover risotto! Get the recipe.

SWEET

20. Rice Krispie Treats – adorable! Get the recipe.

21. Berry Cups by Lauren Conrad. 3 ingredient super easy sweet little morsels. Get the recipe.

22. Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes – slices of tinned pineapple fit in perfectly into muffin tins!! It’s mean to be! By Eclectic Recipes – get the recipe.

23. Shortbread Cup – deliciously adorable way to serve sorbet or berries or anything that needs to be served in a cup! From Martha Stewart – get the recipe.

DRINKS

24. DIY Smoothie Packs – This recipe says to do it separately but I combine yoghurt and fruit pieces together into the muffin tins. Brilliant! Get the recipe.

25. Fruit Ice Cubes! So cute. Idea and photo from http://kimwhitten.blogspot.com.au