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Tater Tot Mini Cheeseburger Bites Party Appetizer
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Tater Tot Mini Cheeseburger Bites Party Appetizer

These easy and delicious Tater Tot Mini Cheeseburger Bites are the perfect bite sized appetizer for your next party! This recipe uses a quick and easy oven method for cooking the bacon infused mini burgers for an easy appetizer you can whip up in no time!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Keyword: burger
Servings: 55 burgers

Equipment

  • baking sheets or sheet pan
  • cocktail toothpicks

Ingredients

  • 1 30 oz bag of frozen crispy crowns or tater tots (may have a bit extra) 
  • 1 lb ground beef ( I used 80/20, but can use lean)
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder 
  • 1 2.5 oz bag bacon bits, or ¼ cup cooked finely chopped bacon
  • ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 
  • 8-10 slices cheddar cheese (cut into 6 equal squares)
  • caramelized onion jam or sauce of choice 
  • dill pickle chips, or sliced pickles 

Instructions

  • Cook tater tots in the oven according to package directions (alternatively, you can air fry or deep fry them according to package directions). These typically bake at 425 for about 18-20 minutes. Once the tots are cooked, set them aside and reduce the oven temperature to 400. Place 2 half sheet pans, or 1 large sheet pan into the oven, and preheat for 10 minutes.
    2. Mix together ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, bacon bits, and shedded sharp cheddar until just combined (do not over-mix or it will result in tough burgers).
    3. Form the ground beef mixture into little patties slightly larger than the width of the crispy crowns or tater tots (burgers will shrink a bit as they cook). This is about the size of the top of a shot glass. I typically use a teaspoon measure to scoop them, and form them into even, relatively flat patties so they cook evenly.
    4. Cut the cheddar cheese for topping the baked burgers. You'll cut each slice into 6 equal squares, making 3 cuts crosswise and 3 cuts lengthwise to form 6 mini slices.
    5. Transfer burger patties to the preheated baking sheet(s) and bake burgers for 3-4 minutes, flip, top with cheese and cook until cheese is just melted, about 1-2 minutes.
    6. Assemble the mini cheeseburgers by adding caramelized onion jam to the top of a tater tot, then adding the cheeseburger patty on top, followed by a pickle chip and another tater tot. Secure each assembled burger with a toothpick.