Taco cupcakes are a fun new twist on classic tacos perfect for parties, game nights, or even a delicious weekday dinner. With crescent roll dough enveloping seasoned ground beef, taco cupcakes let you indulge in all your favorite taco toppings in mini bites of bold flavors.
Bite into the crispy gold on the outside and soft, gooey melted cheese within these fave cupcakes. Whether you love them warm with a glop of sour cream on top or with a slice of jalapeño for the heat, this snack may be gone right from the plate!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Kid-Friendly: Kids fall head over heels for these hand-held taco cupcakes, making dinner exciting and interactive.
Party-Ready: Game days? Potluck? Gathering of friends or family? The crowd around here loves a taco in cupcake form!
Customizable: Add what you want to these yummy taco cupcake toppings or change ingredients to suit your taste or needs.
Quick and Easy: Made with crescent roll dough and prepared taco seasoning, these are ready in less than 30 minutes.
Mess-Proof: No broken taco shells that leave into bits before you even take a bite—you get a perfect cup-size bite of wonderfully concocted ingredients in one of these little taco cups!
Key Ingredients
Ground Beef: Ground beef have everything to the recipe-it provides a rich, protein-packed filling, or one can even substitute it with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter variation.
Taco Seasoning: This is a blend of seasonings in a sachet so that the product tastes like what one might expect. but you can always make your mixture at home for all-natural parts.
Crescent Roll Dough: Each can of crescent roll dough a ready-made outer shell for the base, is crisp, and, gold in the taco cupcake. Puff pastry or phyllo dough may also be used when substituted for another possible base.
Shredded Cheddar: Melt this right over your beef on getting cheesy…add a gooey, cheesy layer over every bite. Mexican blend will be a great and good substitution.
Fresh Diced Tomatoes and Red Onion: You get fresh tomatoes and sweet red onions diced that all balance out the richness of the meat and the gooeyness of cheese on the cupcake.
Fresh Cilantro: For those who can stand some cilantro, add taste, and a hue in the way of garnish completes each cupcake. Chopped green onions will work for those who aren’t thrilled with cilantro.
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
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Instructions
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
This ensures the crescent rolls bake evenly and develop a golden, flaky crust.
2. Cook the Ground Beef
Heat a medium skillet over medium heat.
Brown the Ground Beef: Cook the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon. This should take 7-10 minutes.
Drain Excess Grease: Remove any grease from the skillet to prevent a greasy filling.
Season the Meat: Add taco seasoning, following the packet instructions (usually includes adding water and simmering). Stir to coat the beef evenly.
Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Prepare the Crescent Roll Cups
Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into individual triangles.
Shape the Cups: Press each triangle into a muffin tin, ensuring it lines the bottom and sides of each cup to form a sturdy base.
4. Assemble the Taco Cupcakes
Fill with Beef: Spoon the seasoned ground beef mixture into the crescent roll cups, filling each about halfway.
Add Toppings:
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the beef.
Add diced tomatoes and red onions.
Top with chopped cilantro for freshness.
5. Bake
Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the crescent roll cups are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Keep an eye on the oven to prevent over-baking.
6. Serve
Remove the muffin tin from the oven and allow the taco cupcakes to cool slightly (2-3 minutes) for easier handling.
Top as Desired:
Add a dollop of sour cream to each cupcake.
Garnish with sliced jalapeños or more cilantro for added flavor and heat.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
On such numerous ways, tacos cupcakes have their several ways of serving that include:
Main Course: Have with Mexican rice, black beans, or a simple side salad as a whole meal.
Entrée for a party: Assemble on a platter with various toppings for guests to decorate their own taco cupcakes.
One version of a Taco Meal: Goes well with regular tacos as well as burritos and therefore makes for one fun “Taco Night” meal.
Kids’ Lunchboxes: Take the cooled cupcake for a mess-free school lunch.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Refrigerate: Put taco cupcake leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Freeze: First, wrap each in foil before placing it in a freezer safe bag. It can stay perfectly in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and heat it up.
Reheat: To get back their crispiness, place them in the oven at 350°F(175°C) for 10-12 minutes, or fast-microwave-30-60 seconds, but the base might get a little softer.
Variations
Vegetarian Taco Cupcakes: Sautee black beans, corn, and colored bell peppers instead of ground beef, to make it meat-free.
The Elements of Spice: Add some good heat with jalapeno dices or a little cayenne to your ground beef mix.
The Low Carb Option: Thinly sliced zucchini or bell peppers can be used instead of crescent roll dough as a carbohydrate.
Breakfast Cupcakes: Use scrambled eggs, sausage, and fresh cheddar cheese instead of seasoned ground beef for a brunch-dedicated brunch menu.
Seafood Twist: Use seasoned taco shrimp or crab meat in place of beef for a whole different retro treat.
Conclusion
The best part of the tacos cupcakes is the taste, which is combined with the most effortless way to prepare them and the fun they add to any experience, regardless of whether you are making it with your family on a taco night or for a crowd-pleasing appetizer that seems to disappear before it has even been fully opened.
Pro tip: Double batch these because they are so charmingly tasty, you will wish you made extras.
So, get that oven preheated, gather your ingredients, and fix yourself for the most adorable (and delicious) tacos you’ve ever seen. I assure you, they will become a regular in your recipe rotation!
Taco Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough 8 ounces
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- sour cream optional, for topping
- sliced jalapeños optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure even baking.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 7-10 minutes, breaking it into small pieces. Drain excess grease. Add taco seasoning and follow the packet instructions (usually adding water and simmering). Stir to coat evenly.
- Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate into individual triangles. Press each triangle into a muffin tin, covering the bottom and sides to form a cup shape.
- Fill each crescent roll cup with the seasoned ground beef, filling about halfway. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top, followed by diced tomatoes, red onion, and chopped cilantro.
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the crescent roll cups are golden brown and the cheese is melted. Monitor closely to prevent over-baking.
- Remove the taco cupcakes from the oven and let cool slightly for 2-3 minutes. Top with sour cream, sliced jalapeños, or more cilantro as desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
