Recipes Everyday Cooking More Meal Ideas Mini Foods 17 Mini Recipes That Taste Better Bite-Size By Bailey Fink Bailey Fink Bailey Fink is a devout home cook and assistant editor at Allrecipes. She has written over 200 stories covering everything from cooking methods and storage techniques to grocery shopping on a budget, how-to guides, product reviews, and important food-related news. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on January 14, 2022 Close Photo: Allrecipes Magazine We don't know the reason, but everything tastes better when you can pop it in your mouth in just one or two bites. If you love all your foods tiny, we've rounded up these mini recipes scaled down from their full-size versions, perfect for appetizers, snack dinners, and dessert buffets. Scroll through to find your next miniature creation, from mini cheesesteaks and tot sliders to baby BLTs and lasagna cupcakes. 01 of 18 Mini Philly Cheesesteaks View Recipe Mini Philly Cheesesteaks on a white plate. Chef John These open-faced mini cheesesteaks capture all of the best cheesesteak flavors in the perfect bite-size package. Reviewers recommend cooking the steak first and letting it cool before you assemble and brown the crostini. 02 of 18 Meatloaf Cupcakes View Recipe bernie These scaled down meatloaves may look like dessert, but they're actually "cupcakes" topped with mashed potato "frosting." To make the mashed potatoes look like frosting, reviewers recommend piping them on with the largest tip you have for your piping bag. 03 of 18 Corn Dog Bites View Recipe photo by footballgrl16. This kid-friendly recipe is quick and easy to make in your muffin tins. Serve with ketchup and mustard for a delicious appetizer or lunch. "These bad boys were a HIT at our football party. Bite-size was a great way to go as they were easy to dip and pop in your mouth. Next time I'm going to try adding jalapeños," says reviewer Heather. 04 of 18 Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Muffins View Recipe Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza Muffins. Chef John Chef John's the pizza muffin man, delivering a Chicago-style deep-dish pizza that you can actually eat with your hands! This method is great for customizing individual mini pizzas. "Do you love sausage, but your better half prefers mushrooms and peppers? With this easy and fun technique, that's easily do-able," says Chef John. "The sauce and cheese char slightly on the outside as they bake, resulting in a super savory taste." 05 of 18 Tot Sliders View Recipe Allrecipes Magazine Make your sliders even smaller by using potato rounds as buns. These adorable sliders are the perfect appetizer for any potluck. Simply cook your potato rounds and ground beef then thread them onto a toothpick with your favorite hamburger toppings. 06 of 18 Pot Pie Cupcakes View Recipe Molly These chicken pot pie cupcakes are made easy in a muffin tin with store-bought biscuit dough. These hearty pot pies come together in just 30 minutes, and you can save on prep time by using rotisserie chicken. Reviewers recommend substituting the garlic salt for garlic powder as the filling can taste a bit salty. 07 of 18 Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes View Recipe waimea16 Shrink a traditional pineapple upside down cake into cupcakes with this easy 5-star recipe. Using packaged pineapple cake mix saves you extra time on this recipe. Reviewers suggest using pineapple tidbits instead of crushed pineapple to make the cupcakes easier to eat. 08 of 18 Baby BLT View Recipe KGora Cherry tomatoes are stuffed with bacon, mayonnaise, green onions, and parsley to make these BLT appetizers. "WOW!! These are certainly tasty little devils. My six-year-old loves them. I am not a huge tomato fan, but I loved them too. Guests were fighting over the last one and decided to cut in half," says home cook RaisinKane aka Patti. 09 of 18 Lasagna Cupcakes View Recipe lutzflcat These lasagna cupcakes are made with wonton wrappers, ground beef, mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan cheeses, and pasta sauce in a muffin tin. They will turn out brown and crispy on the outside but cheesy and moist on the inside. 10 of 18 Chicken Cordon Bleu Bites View Recipe SunnyDaysNora This five-ingredient appetizer is made with ground chicken, diced ham, egg, breadcrumbs, and Swiss cheese. You can fry them in oil or with an air fryer or bake them in the oven. Reviewers suggest having a sauce to dip them in — such as blue cheese or sour cream and Dijon mustard. 11 of 18 Mini Hot Chicken and Waffle Sliders View Recipe NicoleMcmom Chicken and waffles are a great combo — and even better in miniature! "A fun addition to a brunch menu, and great for a football party alongside an ice cold beer," says Nicole McMom. "The waffles are slightly sweet and pair perfectly with the salty chicken and spicy sauce. Dill pickles and slaw add tang and crunch, delivering the perfect bite. They're easy to make and I promise, they'll be the hit of the party! " 12 of 18 Apple Pie Bites View Recipe Joey These bite-size apple pies are made in wonton wrappers stuffed with apples, sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Fold the wontons and bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm with melted caramel on top. 13 of 18 Easy Mini Bagel Pizzas View Recipe Photo by House of Aqua. Your family will love this homemade take on a frozen favorite. Top a mini bagel with pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and your favorite pizza toppings before baking it in the oven. "Perfect for a quick dinner that the kids can help with. Definitely kid friendly. Very versatile since you can add whichever toppings you desire," says reviewer a.jay87. 14 of 18 Green Bean Casserole Tartlets View Recipe Trusted Brands Turn your favorite side dish into an appetizer with this green bean casserole tartlet recipe. Stuff puff pastry with onion, sour cream, green beans, and Cheddar cheese before baking. Top with French fried onions halfway through the bake. 15 of 18 Mini Waffle Pops with Dark Chocolate, Roasted Peanuts, and Flaked Salt View Recipe foodelicious These mini waffle treats are an easy party dessert ready to serve in under 30 minutes. This recipe tops the waffle pops with dark chocolate, roasted peanuts, and flaked salt, but you can top them with anything you want — such as sprinkles, coconut, or candies. 16 of 18 Shrimp Scampi Cheesecake Appetizer View Recipe Deb C Don't let the title of this recipe frighten you. These savory appetizers are made with puff pastry, cream cheese, heavy cream, smoked Gouda, and shrimp. But many reviewers recommend using phyllo cups instead of puff pastry. 17 of 18 Pizza Cupcakes View Recipe lutzflcat "They're portable, sort of like a mini pizza, except shaped like a cupcake. They're a great savory snack and a great addition to a casual buffet. Feel free to customize to your family's tastes with additions like ham, sausage, bell peppers, salami, mushrooms, olives, jalapeños, etc. I recommend not omitting the tomato, that really adds something special," says Allrecipes Allstar lutzflcat. 18 of 18 More Inspiration Kim's Cooking Now Finger Foods So Good You'll Add Them to Your Dinner Plans Mini Foods Recipes Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit