Name: Loaded Tater Tot Cup Appetizers
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12 Servings
Cuisine: American

OnlineCook Verified

April 29, 2025

7 Ingredients

EASY

Move over potato skins — these extra-crispy tater tot cups are sure to be a hit at your next get-together. Just bake frozen tots in a mini muffin pan, give 'em a smash, and doctor them up with all the fixin’s, including cheese, sour cream, bacon, and green onions. What’s not to love? The recipe, which makes 24 tater tot cups, is a Yummly original created by Ashley Strickland Freeman.

From the Cook

1/2

Loaded Tater Tot Cup Appetizers

OnlineCook Verified

Ingredients

Servings

WarningMilk and 4 other allergens identified

Instructions

Preheat oven oven to 450°F. Coat a 24-well mini muffin pan (or two 12-well pans) with cooking spray. Place 2 tater tots in each mini muffin cup.

Bake tater tots for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned and crispy, 12-14 minutes. Drain on paper towels and crumble.

Remove muffin pan from oven. Protecting hands, carefully use the bottom of a shot glass or a rounded tablespoon to smash the tater tots in each muffin indentation and create a cup shape. (The cups will hold together once baked.)

Bake until crispy, 5 more minutes. Remove pan from oven, immediately sprinkle tater tot cups with 1/2 cup cheese, and let stand until cheese melts, 2-3 minutes.

Using a small metal spatula or a table knife, remove tater tot cups from the muffin pan to a platter. Top each with a small spoonful of sour cream, some bacon, more cheese, and green onion. Serve with hot sauce on the side if you like.

Smart Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Muffin Pan Prep Magic 🧈
Thoroughly spray the mini muffin pan with cooking oil and use a silicone brush to ensure every crevice is coated for effortless tot removal and golden crispy edges.
Smash Technique Perfection 👊
Use the bottom of a shot glass or small measuring cup to gently but firmly press down the partially baked tots, creating uniform, crispy cup shapes with maximum surface area.
Bacon Crispness Secret 🥓
Pre-cook bacon until extra crispy and then finely chop it to ensure each tot cup gets maximum crunch and concentrated bacon flavor without soggy bits.
Cheese Melting Hack 🧀
Add shredded cheese during the last 2-3 minutes of baking and switch to broil for 30 seconds to achieve perfect golden, bubbling cheese coverage.
Green Onion Pro Tip 🌱
Slice green onions very thinly on a sharp diagonal and sprinkle immediately before serving to maintain their bright color and fresh, sharp flavor.