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 tbsp 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 & Pantry
07 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
08 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Binder
11 - 1 large egg
# Directions:
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, black pepper, and egg. Stir until evenly incorporated.
03 - Spoon the mixture evenly into each cup of the prepared mini muffin tin, pressing down gently to firmly pack each one.
04 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and crispy.
05 - Let the bites cool in the tin for 3 to 5 minutes before carefully removing. Serve warm with additional sour cream or extra chopped green onions on top.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- They crisp up like bite sized latkes but require zero frying and almost no hands on fuss.
- Freeze beautifully, so you can stash dozens and reheat them straight from the freezer on busy mornings.
- The sour cream in the mix keeps the centers tender while the edges go outrageously crunchy.
02 -
- Skipping the step of patting the hashbrowns dry will leave you with soft, steamy bites instead of the crispy edges you are after.
- Letting them cool in the pan for a few minutes is not optional because they fall apart if you try to remove them while piping hot.
- These reheat from frozen at 375 degrees F for about 10 minutes and taste almost as good as fresh from the oven.
03 -
- Thaw the hashbrowns overnight in the fridge rather than the microwave so they release moisture slowly and evenly.
- Use a small cookie scoop to portion the mixture into the tin for uniform size and even baking across all 24 cups.