Cheesy Loaded Hashbrown Bites (Printer-Friendly)
Crispy hashbrown cups packed with cheddar, bacon, and green onions. Perfect for brunch or parties.
# 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 kosher salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Binders
11 - 1 large egg
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously 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, pepper, and egg. Stir until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
03 - Spoon the mixture evenly into each cup of the prepared mini muffin tin, pressing gently to firmly pack each one.
04 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops and edges are golden brown and crispy.
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.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- They come together with ingredients you probably already have sitting in your fridge and freezer right now.
- The edges get impossibly crispy while the centers stay soft and cheesy, which is a texture combination nobody can resist.
02 -
- If you skip patting the hashbrowns dry, you will end up with soft, steamed bites instead of crispy ones, and there is no fixing that after the fact.
- Letting them cool those few minutes in the pan is not optional because they will fall apart if you try to remove them while still piping hot.
03 -
- Use a small cookie scoop to portion the mixture into the tin so every bite is the same size and cooks evenly.
- Running a thin butter knife around the edge of each cup before removing the bites prevents any stubborn ones from breaking apart.