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About This Recipe
I love grabbing recipe inspo from my favorite fast-food places and putting a healthier spin on them. That’s why I made these mini McGriddle Muffin Bites! They have all the best flavors of a McDonald’s Sausage McGriddle but with less fat and more protein. Plus, they’re made into the perfect bite-sized muffins so they’re great for meal prep or breakfast on-the-go!
To make these McGriddle Bites healthier, I used lean ground turkey with a couple simple seasonings. This gives them a similar taste as McDonald’s sausage patties but with a lot less fat and more protein!
And just like my Mini Chocolate Chip Pancake Bites, these muffin bites are easy to make and great for enjoying a quick breakfast during a busy week! You can even pair them with my Sun Dried Tomato Egg Bites or Bacon and Cheese Egg Bites for a complete breakfast!
Why You’ll Love These McGriddle Bites
- Healthier alternative to fast food! Made with wholesome ingredients.
- An easy breakfast for busy mornings!
- Super easy to make! They’re also freezer-friendly.
- All the taste of a classic sausage mcgriddle but with a homemade touch!
- Easily customizable! Add extra mix-ins like cheese or eggs or use a protein pancake mix!
- Ground turkey: I used 93/7 lean ground turkey to keep the fat lower. You could also use turkey sausage or cooked sausage crumbles to save time!
- Pancake mix: I used Bisquick but any pancake or protein pancake mix will work. Make these breakfast bites gluten-free by using your favorite gluten-free pancake mix.
- Spices: you’ll need salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and rubbed sage.
- Baking powder: This gives rise to our muffin bites so they’re nice and fluffy!
- Maple syrup: You can also substitute for sugar-free pancake syrup for less calories.
- Butter: Helps gives the mc griddle bites that rich flavor and adds moisture so they don’t turn out dry.
- Add cheese: Toss in some shredded cheddar cheese to your pancake batter to enhance the sweet and savory combo even more.
- Eggs: You can also add scrambled eggs into your bites or replace some of the water with egg whites for extra protein!
- Swap milk for water: Replace the water with milk for an airier texture and to make these bites even richer.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the ground turkey to a skillet and cook over medium heat, crumbling as you go, until no longer pink.
2. Drain well, then mix in the salt, crushed red pepper and sage and set aside to cool.
3. Add the pancake mix, baking powder, water, maple syrup and melted butter to a large bowl and mix until combined.
4. Fold in the cooked ground turkey.
5. Grease 36 mini muffin cups with cooking spray and scoop batter evenly into them. Fill 7/8 of the way full, you may have extra batter to make more.
6. Add muffin tins to preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool then serve with pancake syrup and enjoy!
There are several ways to reheat these mini mcgriddle bites:
- Microwave – pop a few bites in the microwave for 7-10 seconds on 70% power. I like wrapping them in a slightly damp paper towel to make sure they don’t dry out. Don’t overheat or bites will become tough and dried out.
- Oven – place bites in the over at 350F for about 5 minutes or until heated through (this works great if you’re trying to reheat a large batch at one time)
- Air fryer – you can also pop these bites in the air fryer at 350F for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through
Helpful Tips
- Use a cookie scoop: If you can’t pour the batter into the muffin tin, I love using a cookie scoop to evenly fill the muffin tins!
- Don’t overfill: Be careful not to overfill the muffin cups with batter. Leave a little space at the top to allow the McGriddle Bites to rise while baking without overflowing.
- Use a butter knife: Be sure to grease your muffin tin well with cooking spray or use a silicone muffin pan. If your bites are stuck to the tin after baking, you can use a butter knife the ream the edges so they don’t ripe when trying to remove.
Can I use a regular size muffin pan?
Yes, if you don’t have a mini muffin pan you can use a regular-sized muffin tin and bake for 18-23 minutes or until cooked through.
How do I know when my muffin bites are done?
These mcgriddle bites are done when a toothpick comes out clean.
Can I make these with homemade pancake mix?
Of course! I love the ease and convenience of using Bisquick but you can certainly use your homemade recipe to make the pancake batter for these mcgriddle muffins.
Can I freeze these mini muffins?
Yes, you can freeze these bites. To freeze, let cool completely. Then place the mini mcgriddle bites in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze. To reheat, thaw and reheat in the microwave, oven or air fryer.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
McGriddle Bites
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground turkey 93/7
- 1/2 tsp each: salt, crushed red pepper flakes, rubbed sage
- 2.5 cups pancake mix (308g) I used Bisquick
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1.5 cup water (240g)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (60g)
- 2 Tbsp melted butter (28g)
- Pancake syrup for serving
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add the ground turkey to a skillet and cook over medium heat, crumbling as you go, until no longer pink. Drain well, then mix in the salt, crushed red pepper and sage and set aside to cool.
- Add the pancake mix, baking powder, water, maple syrup and melted butter to a bowl and mix until combined. Fold in the cooked ground turkey.
- Grease 36 mini muffin cavities and scoop batter evenly into them. Fill 7/8 of the way full, you may have extra batter to make more.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool then serve with pancake syrup and enjoy!
Notes
- Microwave – pop a few bites in the microwave for 7-10 seconds on 70% power. I like wrapping them in a slightly damp paper towel to make sure they don’t dry out. Don’t overheat or bites will become tough and dried out.
- Oven – place bites in the over at 350F for about 5 minutes or until heated through (this works great if you’re trying to reheat a large batch at one time).
- Air fryer – you can also pop these bites in the air fryer at 350F for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.
- Use a cookie scoop: If you can’t pour the batter into the muffin tin, I love using a cooking scoop to evenly fill the muffin tins!
- Don’t overfill: Be careful not to overfill the muffin cups with batter. Leave a little space at the top to allow the McGriddle Bites to rise while baking without overflowing.
- Use a butter knife: Be sure to grease your muffin tin well with cookie spray or use a silicone muffin pan. If your bites are stuck to the tin after baking, you can use a butter knife the ream the edges so they don’t ripe when trying to remove.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
