Name: Loaded Tater Tot Cups
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 48 frozen tater tots (4 per muffin tin cavity); 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese; 3/4 cup cooked, crumbled bacon (about 6 strips); sour cream, ranch dressing, parsley or chives (for topping)

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These loaded tater tot cups are crispy, cheesy, and full of crumbled bacon! They’re always the first thing to go at any gathering and are perfect for when you need a satisfying snack.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

This easy appetizer only requires 4 ingredients and 30 minutes to make! Loaded tater tot cups are packed with your favorite loaded baked potato flavors and uses frozen tater tots for the base of these cups. You’ll partially bake them, press a shot glass in the center to form the cup shape, then finish baking until crispy.

If you want the flavors of a loaded baked potato, top these cups with a dollop of sour cream. If you want something reminiscent of the loaded french fries at your favorite bar, finish them with a hefty drizzle of ranch! You really can’t go wrong either way…

Ingredients you’ll need:

Tater Tots
Shredded cheddar cheese
Crumbled bacon
Optional for topping: sour cream, ranch dressing, parsley, or chives

My favorite thing about these tater tot cups is how versatile they are! I’ve seen variations made into taco cups with ground beef, cheddar cheese and lettuce, or even pizza cups with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and marinara sauce!

This “loaded” version the best because it’s an excuse to enjoy loaded baked potato flavors in the warmer months when you don’t feel like making a rich pot of soup or eating the heaviness of a whole loaded baked potato!

How to make the best loaded tater tot cups:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F, then grease a muffin tin with cooking spray, olive oil, or melted butter.
Add 4 frozen tater tots into each muffin tin cavity, then bake for 10 minutes.
Once baked, use a shot glass to press the tater tots into cup shapes. Sprinkle on shredded cheese and crumbled bacon, then bake for another 15-20 minutes.
Top with your choice of sour cream or ranch dressing, then garnish with parsley or chives before serving!

When I’m not sharing desserts with you guys, the food is almost always some form of comfort food and that usually comes with a few calories, but let’s look past that!!! We all need a treat every now and then 😉 To make these the best tater tot cups you’ve had, I’ve included some extra tips and tricks for you below!

My top tips:

You’ll want to be sure you grease your muffin tin with cooking spray, olive oil, or melted butter before adding the tater tots. This step will prevent any sticking and ensure the exterior of the tater tots get super crispy!
I like cooking my bacon fresh for this recipe. When I have a lot of bacon to cook, I opt for the oven method of 425 degrees for 25 minutes (if using thick bacon) and about 15 minutes (if using thin bacon). I then transfer the crispy bacon to paper towels to drain off excess grease and chop it up to make bacon crumbles! If you’re in a pinch, pre-cooked bacon bits will work here as well.
I highly recommend using a shot glass to shape the tater tots into cups. It’s the perfect size because it doesn’t make the edges or base of the cups too thin. If you don’t have a shot glass, try finding something similar in size.
Feel free to make these tater tot cups in advance. You can do this by following the instructions through melting the cheese and adding the bacon. Let them cool, then cover and refrigerate. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the prepared cups in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes, then finish with the toppings of your choice.
These tater tot cups can also be made in a mini muffin tin for a super cute bite-sized snack or appetizer! I recommend only adding 2-3 tater tots into each muffin tin cavity since they’ll be smaller, but everything else in the recipe stays the same!

Looking for more muffin tin appetizers? Try these out!

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