Stuffing Muffins

These stuffing muffins are cute little individual servings of Thanksgiving-style bread stuffing. They are moist on the inside and extra crispy on the outside. If you favor the crispy edges of baked holiday stuffing, you will love these. 

One of my favorite courses for Thanksgiving dinner is the stuffing. I've baked it, made it in the slow cooker, incorporated it into dinner rolls, and used leftovers for pancakes. 

If you love the crispy edges of the stuffing that comes from the side of the baking pan, this recipe for stuffing, baked in a muffin tin, maximizes those crispy edges while still bringing the moist interior. Plus, no one can monopolize the crispy corners by being first in the buffet line. 

I love it smothered in turkey gravy. 

You can actually use this concept to make any bread stuffing you like. 

Ingredients I used: 

Bread: I used hamburger buns, but a hearty sandwich bread will work too. I've also used sourdough bread. Whatever bread you use, cut it into 3/4 inch pieces and dry it out in the oven. 

Butter: You'll need some for cooking the onions and and celery, as well as more for brushing the tops of the muffins before baking. 

Onions and Celery. 

Seasonings and Herbs: I used chopped fresh parsley and sage, along with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. 

Better Than Bouillon Chicken or Turkey Base mixed with Water: Use this to create a concentrated broth for tossing in the bread mixture. 

Eggs: To help hold the the mixture together in a muffin form. 

These stuffing muffins are a great make-ahead option as well. You can wrap them individually in plastic wrap and keep them for a day or two in the fridge or up to 30 days in the freezer. It's one less thing to worry about for the holiday dinner. 

Just reheat them at 350 until heated through. 

To Make These Stuffing Muffins:

First, bake the bread cubes in the oven to dry them out and brown them. 

Next, sauté the onions and celery in butter until softened, add some poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper, and then add the mixture to the bread cubes. Sprinkle the herbs over the the bread cubes as well. 

After that, mix the broth mixture with the eggs and then toss it with the bread and vegetable mixture until combined. Mound the mixture into the cavities of a muffin tin, brush with butter, and bake for about 30 minutes. 

The hardest part to making these is extracting the stuffing muffins from the muffin tin. Be sure you use nonstick spray or Bakers Joy in the cavities of the muffin tin. Also, use a small, thin, sharp knife to run around the edges of the muffin tin before turning out the stuffing muffins. 

You could also use tulip-style paper liners in the muffin tin to hold everything together and then remove the liners before serving. 

Holiday Side Dish Week:

Welcome to this year's Holiday Side Dish Week, hosted by Heather of Hezzi D's Recipe Box. 

Every year, we've been sharing recipes for holiday side dishes, just in time for holiday season. Some of my favorites from past years include Cheesy Corn Casserole, Creamed Lima Beans with Bacon, Creamed Spinach Gratin, and Potato Gratin. 

Check out all my favorite food bloggers' recipes for Holiday Sides! There will be more on Wednesday and Friday too! 

No Yeast Dinner Rolls by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Pumpkin Miso Risotto by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Easy Popovers by Jolene's Recipe Journal

Brussels Sprout Salad with Maple Dressing by Blogghetti

Butternut Squash Methi Falafel by Magical Ingredients

Sweet and Savory Thanksgiving Green Beans by Shockingly Delicious

Stuffing Muffins by Karen's Kitchen Stories

Quick and Easy Charred String Beans by A Day in the Life on the Farm

No Knead Focaccia by Sneha's Recipe

Smoked Macaroni and Cheese by The Spiffy Cookie

Stuffing Muffins

Yield: 12 servings

Author: Karen Kerr

Prep time: 1 H & 30 MCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 2 Hour

These stuffing muffins are cute little individual servings of Thanksgiving-style bread stuffing.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds white sandwich bread or hamburger buns, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 3 tablespoons of melted butter
• 2 brown or yellow onions, chopped
• 4 celery ribs, including leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken or Turkey base
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes over two rimmed half sheet pans and bake them for 30 minutes on separate oven racks, tossing the cubes and rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
2. Add the toasted cubes to a very large mixing bowl and raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
3. Melt 9 tablespoons of the butter in a 12 inch skillet and add the onions and celery. Cook, stirring regularly, until transluscent, about 7 minutes. Add the poultry seasoning, the pepper, and the salt and stir. Pour the mixture over the bread cubes in the bowl and add the fresh herbs. Toss everything together to mix.
4. Whisk together the water, Better Than Bouillon, and eggs. Pour the mixture over the bread cube mixture and fold everything together until evenly mixed and the liquid is distributed and absorbed.
5. Spray a 12-cavity muffin tin with spray oil or Baker's Joy. Divide the stuffing mixture among the muffin cavities, gently press it down. Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to mound the remaining stuffing over the tops.
6. Brush the tops of the muffins with the rest of the melted butter.
7. Bake the stuffing muffins for about 30 to 35 minutes, until crispy.
8. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, and then run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen the sides. Place a baking sheet over the top of the pan and gently turn the pan and baking sheet upside down to let the muffins fall out. Flip the muffins over by hand so that the dome sides are up.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

277

Fat (grams)

14 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

8 g

Carbs (grams)

30 g

Fiber (grams)

2 g

Net carbs

29 g

Sugar (grams)

4 g

Protein (grams)

7 g

Cholesterol (grams)

61 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2024/10/stuffing-muffins.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

stuffing

side dish

American

Recipe adapted from Cook's Country Magazine, October/November, 2024 .. recipe developed by Matthew Fairman.