Cheesy Loaded Hashbrown Bites (Printable)
Crispy hashbrown cups loaded with melted cheddar, bacon, and green onions for any occasion.
# What You'll Need:
→ Potatoes
01 - 3 cups frozen shredded hashbrowns, thawed and patted dry
→ Dairy
02 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
03 - 1/2 cup sour cream
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Meats (Optional)
05 - 1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled (omit for vegetarian version)
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
06 - 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
→ Seasonings
07 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Egg
11 - 1 large egg
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the thawed hashbrowns, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, melted butter, crumbled bacon if using, chopped green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and the egg. Stir until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
03 - Spoon the mixture evenly into each cup of the prepared mini muffin tin, pressing gently to pack the mixture firmly into each cup.
04 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bites are golden brown with crispy edges.
05 - Allow the bites to cool in the tin for 3 to 5 minutes before carefully removing. Serve warm with additional sour cream or chopped green onions on top if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The crunch on the outside gives way to this ridiculous cheesy pull that makes everyone in the room go quiet for a second.
- You can throw them together with stuff you probably already have hanging around your freezer and fridge.
02 -
- Skip the thawing and drying step and you will end up with soggy middles that no amount of extra baking time can fix.
- Running a butter knife around each bite before removing them saves you from the heartbreak of leaving half your work stuck to the pan.
03 -
- Squeeze the thawed hashbrowns in a clean kitchen towel until you cannot get any more liquid out, and your crunch factor will double.
- Let the muffin tin preheat in the oven for a couple minutes before filling it so the bottoms start crisping the moment the mixture hits the pan.