The Entertaining Shortcut That Helps Me Make 48 Party Bites at Once

Parties love to see me coming because I’m always carrying a big tray of bites. Sometimes savory, sometimes sweet, and sometimes both, I love to share bite-sized appetizers and desserts that are easy to pass around at gatherings of any size.

And the reason that I am able to crank out 100-plus bites without breaking a sweat? My beloved oxymoron of a giant mini muffin tin that holds 48 muffins, brownies, cupcakes, puff pastry bites, egg muffins, and so many more miniaturized versions of party foods. If you’re planning a bridal or baby shower, this pan will make baking up a storm so much faster.

GoodCook 48-Cup Nonstick Steel Mini Cupcake and Muffin Pan

GoodCook 48-Cup Nonstick Steel Mini Cupcake and Muffin Pan

$22Amazon

Use boxed mixes for easy mini treats

If you want to go sweet and simple for desserts or brunch bites, boxed mixes are your best friend—especially if you add brown butter to make them taste more homemade—and all you have to do is adjust the bake time.

Set yourself up for success: First, prepare the pan with paper mini cupcake liners for easy cleanup, then use a small cookie scoop to help portion the batter equally.

For brownie bites

I made peanut butter brownie bites for a friend’s birthday using a Betty Crocker Reese’s mix using a small cookie scoop that holds 1 tablespoon of batter, which fills each mini muffin cup perfectly.

Yield: 72 bites

Timing: It took about 30 minutes to bake them (compared to the suggested 36 to 39 minutes in an 8- by 8-inch baking pan), and they came out chewy with crispy edges and disappeared fast at the party.

For mini muffins

I used Martha White blueberry muffin mix.

Yield: 18 mini muffins, which left room to fill with another type of batter

Timing: Baked at 400°F for 15 minutes and the muffins came out moist and springy in texture.

You can bake two different flavors of muffins together in one pan if they have similar baking times.

For mini corn muffins

I used Jiffy corn muffin mix with a handful of sliced scallions and shredded sharp Cheddar stirred into the batter

Yield: 30 mini corn muffins, which fit perfectly into the pan alongside the mini blueberry muffins above

Timing: Baked at 400°F for 15 minutes and the muffins came out moist and springy in texture.

Also try

Any of your favorite muffin, cupcake, or brownie recipes, portioned into the wells. Just make sure to check the baking time earlier as the mini versions will be done sooner.

Turn wrappers into crispy edible dippers

From BIG DIP ENERGY by Alyse Whitney. Copyright © 2024 by Alyse Whitney. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow Cookbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Food styling by Nick Torres; prop styling by Casha Doemland; creative direction by Alyse Whitney

But this pan can do so much more than sweets. I originally bought it to develop “dipper” recipes for my cookbook Big Dip Energy, using it to shape tortillas, scallion pancakes, phyllo dough, and wonton wrappers into “Lil’ Scoopz.” Each one bakes up into a crisp little cup that works as both an edible bowl and a vehicle for dip.

Wonton wrappers are one of my favorites because they can be savory (for Crab rangoon dip or Buffalo chicken dip) or sweet (tossed with cinnamon sugar for “dipsserts” like strawberry shortcake dip or creamy cannoli dip).

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Spray your pan with nonstick spray or neutral oil.

2. Gently press a wonton wrapper into each cup—which will crinkle slightly to fit—then spray again and sprinkle with salt

3. Bake until crisp and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes.

4. Filled with anything your heart desires.

From BIG DIP ENERGY by Alyse Whitney. Copyright © 2024 by Alyse Whitney. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow Cookbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Food styling by Nick Torres; prop styling by Casha Doemland; creative direction by Alyse Whitney

For a sweet variation: Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar after baking for a sweet version.

These can stay crisp in an airtight container lined with a paper towel for up to a week.

Bake puff pastry bites with no extra effort

Another great option is cutting 1½-inch squares of thawed puff pastry and tucking them into the cups. No oil needed, thanks to the butteriness of the pastry—but make sure to dock each piece (prick with a fork a few times) so steam can escape and it puffs evenly.

For perfectly puffed shells: Bake at 400°F until the pastries are puffed and beautifully golden, about 15 minutes.

For savory fillings: Try garlicky sautéed mushrooms and Gruyère, or any cheesy, herby combo you love.

For sweet options: Let them cool, then fill with curd, pudding, or other creamy desserts.

Yield: Exactly 48 bites—perfect for filling the whole pan—when using two sheets of puff pastry.

For serving: These disappeared quickly at a birthday party, especially alongside a cheese and charcuterie board and the Green Goddess Hummus from my cookbook.

The creativity and efficiency of this one-stop-shop pan are endless. Nothing can stop you from throwing a no-stress party now!