20 Surprising Recipes That Use a Muffin Tin

Layers of phyllo dough transform into a flaky crust that cradles melty feta, tart olives and juicy chicken breast. Top with tzatziki, a popular Greek cucumber-mint yogurt sauce.

Chicken Feta Phyllo Cups with Tzatziki

A breadcrumb topping gives these ooey-gooey cups some crunch. Not quite sure if Gorgonzola is the cheese for you? Swap it out for grated Parmesan.

Tuscan Mac and Cheese Cups

Turkey or chicken meatballs perch atop little nests of Parmesan-coated noodles in this easy twist on every kid’s favorite Italian dish.

Mini Spaghetti and Meatball Pies

Made in a muffin pan using ham as a "crust," these playful little quiches are loaded with cheese and veggies.

Ham and Corn Quiche Cups

The filling in these soft cookies is a lot like pecan pie, but replacing pecans with pistachios creates pretty green flecks. Dried apricots add a touch of tart flavor.

Pistachio Cookie Cups

Our first reaction to these turkey-and-onion stuffed pizza-muffins? A round of “awws.” They make a cute appetizer, but we understand if you want them all to yourself.

Savory Stromboli Cups

We’re obsessed with the spicy red pepper-and-tomato sauce atop these mini meatloaf “cupcakes.” Whip up extra and use it to top chicken breast or crispy French bread.

Mini Turkey Meat Loaves with Fiery Tunisian Sauce

What’s better than barbecue with a side of cornbread? Barbecue inside cornbread. Serve these tender muffins warm to take full advantage of the melted cheddar on top.

BBQ Sloppy Joe Cups

Muffin tins are a secret weapon of sorts when making filled appetizers like these spicy enchiladas: the chicken-and-chile filling stays put in the crisped-up tortilla.

Green Chile Enchiladas

Buttermilk creates a tangy aroma and soft crumb in these dense, cloverleaf-shaped rolls. To reheat leftovers (because who likes cold rolls?) wrap in foil and pop into a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through.

Buttermilk-Sage Dinner Rolls

We are 100 percent on-board with sprinkling some bacon crumbles on top of these salty-and-sweet fluffy masterpieces. 

Maple-Walnut Sticky Buns

No crumbly mess here: Crab cakes with cayenne, lemon-pepper seasoning and Asiago cheese bind nicely in the muffin tin. Dress up the salsa verde topping with mangos and cucumbers.

Crab-Shrimp Cakes with Mango-Cucumber Salsa

A fusion of flavors— tart cherries, earthy rosemary, savory butternut squash—give this classic side dish a fun, punchy twist. Slivered almonds add crunch to the tender muffin.

Rosemary, Cherry and Ham Stuffing Cups

You’ll need mini muffin tins to make these cute, cheesy tartlets. For a sweeter taste without losing the pop of color, try swapping out the beets for a dollop of strawberry jam. 

Beet and Farmer Cheese Tartlets

Use a mound of hashbrowns as a nest for the cheesy cups of ham, egg and scallion. The protein-filled breakfast wins over kids and adults alike.

Ham and Egg Breakfast Cups with Hash Browns

Surprise! These rich cheesecake bites have a little chocolate kiss hidden between the peanut butter cream and crunchy chocolate-wafer crust.

Tiny Peanut Butter Cheesecakes

Our recipe suggests mushrooms, onions, pepperoni, olives and sun-dried tomatoes, but feel free to customize these puffy, golden pizza bites.

Muffin Pan Pizza

We gave the childhood fave an update: Thanks to a batter made with oatmeal, quinoa and sunflower seeds, these snacks are tasty and healthy. 

PB&J Bites

Pillowy Morning Burns, inspired by the original Brittany Buns from Madison, Wisconsin, need no caramel or pecans. They're perfect in their buttery, sugar-crusted simplicity. The recipe is from The New Midwestern Table (clarksonpotter.com) by Minnesota chef Amy Thielen.

Morning Buns

Ok, ok, you knew cupcakes could be made in a muffin tin. But that towering pile of chocolate-pecan ice cream, caramel sauce and toasted coconut is also made in a muffin tin. Cool trick, right?

German Chocolate Cupcakes