Instant Pot Egg Bite Molds: They're Not Just for Egg Bites

Last Christmas, my husband gave me an Instant Pot. This Christmas, my sister and brother-in-law gave me a set of egg bite molds. I'm having so much fun experimenting with them! Here are some of the recipes I've tried, along with a few I haven't (but they're on my list).

Pancake Bites

You can use an actual pancake recipe for these (I recommend this one), but I just used my good ol' Krusteaz mix and threw in an egg for good measure (which is basically the waffle recipe but without the oil). Mix it up as usual and let stand for a few minutes. Spray your molds well with non-stick spray, fill each well 3/4 full, and put the lid on (or cover tightly with foil). Add one cup of water to the IP, then put in your long-handled trivet or silicone sling and stack the molds, then lower them in carefully to avoid spilling. Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes, then natural release for 5 minutes before quick releasing remaining pressure. Lift the molds out, remove lids, and let cool for a minute or two. Invert the molds onto a plate. If the bites stick, squeeze the mold gently or loosen with a small knife or spoon.

Serve with maple syrup or other flavored syrup. Store leftovers in fridge or at room temperature for 24 hours, tightly covered.

Note: The texture is different than pancakes, almost like a very soft donut. I really like these but my kids were not as big fans. I think cooking them for another minute might have dried them out a big more and made them more "pancake-y," so feel free to experiment with the cook time. You could also add a bit of crumbled bacon, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, or a few chocolate chips to each bite before cooking to make them fancy.

Egg Bites

There are plenty of variations on this recipe, but I like the richness that the sour cream adds to these. You can use any add-ins you want: various cheeses, all kinds of meats (or none), fresh herbs, veggies, whatever you like. I made mine with crumbled bacon and Mexican blend cheese, but I'm looking forward to experimenting with chives, rosemary, and other herbs, as well as mushrooms and bell peppers.

4 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup shredded cheddar (or other) cheese
3/4 cup cooked ham (or bacon, or sausage), diced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together in a mixing bowl*. Spray molds with non-stick spray and fill each mold 3/4 full with egg mixture using a small ladle. Cover tightly with lid or foil. Add 1 cup water to Instant Pot, place molds on long-handled trivet or silicone sling and lower into Pot. Seal and cook on high pressure for 9 minutes, followed by 9 minutes natural release. Release remaining pressure and carefully remove molds. Remove lids, allow to cool for a few minutes, and invert molds onto a serving dish. Serve warm; may be refrigerated or frozen and reheated.

* I use a 4-cup glass measuring cup and pour directly into the molds - much easier and neater!

Meatloaf Bites

I've made meatloaf in the Instant Pot and it was surprisingly good; I've also made mini-meatloaves in the oven using muffin tins. This method seems to combine the best of both worlds. 

15 saltine crackers, crumbled (or use 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs)
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 egg
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lb lean ground beef (or chicken, or turkey)

Combine all ingredients. Scoop into molds sprayed with non-stick cooking spray (fill each well completely). Cover loosely with foil. Add 1 cup water to Instant Pot. Stack molds on a long-handled trivet or silicone sling and lower into Pot. Seal and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes then quick release. Remove molds from Pot and invert mold onto plate. 

If desired, make a glaze by combining 1/4 cup ketchup with 2 tsp cider vinegar. Place meatloaves on a cookie sheet, add glaze, and place under broiler for 3 minutes.

Note: You can also push a small chunk of cheese into the center of each scoop of meat before cooking.

Corn Dog Bites

I love cornbread, and I love corndogs, so I can't wait to make these little cuties! I'm sure you can adapt this recipe to use your own preferred cornbread recipe, but using a box of Jiffy Mix makes it super quick and easy.

8.5 oz box Jiffy cornbread mix 
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
4 hotdogs

Put 1 cup water in the Instant Pot. Combine mix, egg, and milk in a mixing bowl according to package directions. Cut each hot dog into thirds (bun-length dogs may need to be cut into quarters). Spray molds with non-stick spray and fill about halfway with muffin batter. Put a piece of hotdog in each mold and add batter to cover (cups should be about 3/4 full). Cover snugly with lids or foil. Stack molds in silicone sling or long-handled trivet and lower into Pot. Seal and cook on manual for 10 minutes, allow to natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure. Invert mold onto a large saucer and serve warm with honey mustard or ketchup for dipping.

Note: You can also make plain cornbread bites by just leaving out the hotdogs. No need to make any changes in the cooking time.

Oreo Cheesecake Bites

One of the first recipes I ever made in my IP was cheesecake, and it comes out so creamy and perfectly set! But I'm the only real cheesecake fan in the family, and it's hard to freeze an entire cheesecake. But these little babies can be tossed into a ziploc freezer bag so I can pull out one or two and thaw them in the fridge for a quick treat without being tempted to eat the entire cheesecake all at once. Win!

8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
7 Oreo cookies

In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar just till combined. Add egg and vanilla and beat just till combined. Do not overmix. Spray mold with non-stick spray and spoon batter into wells, topping each with a cookie. Cover mold loosely with foil. Add 1 cup water to Instant Pot, then place mold in silicone sling or long-handled trivet and lower into Pot. Seal and cook on manual for 20 minutes, followed by a full natural release (15-20 minutes). Remove the mold from pot and refrigerate (in mold) 4-6 hours. Invert and pop out the bites. Top with chocolate drizzle, curls, or jimmies if desired. 

Recipe may be doubled.

Blueberry Muffin Bites

Much like the corndogs above, you can use a cheapo boxed mix or you can use your own favorite recipe. Muffin bites freeze easily and are handy as a quick breakfast on-the-go or as school snacks or an extra treat with lunch. 

1 box Betty Crocker blueberry muffin mix (or whatever brand you like)
3/4 cup water
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients as directed on package (use whatever amounts of water/eggs/oil called for). Spray molds with non-stick spray and fill wells 3/4 full. Cover tightly with lid or foil. Add 1 cup water to Pot. Place molds in a silicone sling or long-handled trivet and lower into Pot. Seal and cook on manual for 10 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of natural release then a full quick release. Remove molds from Pot and remove lids. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from mold. 

No-Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Do you hate peeling hard-boiled eggs? So don't! Break them into the wells of your molds and cook them shell-less! They're still firm enough that they pack well for a mobile breakfast, lunch, or snack, or just chop them up for egg salad. Added bonus: You can add salt and pepper and cook it right in! So convenient!

1-7 eggs (or however many your molds can hold)

salt and pepper to taste

Spray mold with non-stick cooking spray and break desired number of eggs into wells, one egg per well. Cover tightly with lid or foil. Add 1 cup water to Pot and lower molds into Pot with silicone sling or long-handled trivet. Seal and cook on manual for 5 minutes, followed by 5 minutes natural release (you may need to adjust the cooking time based on the thickness of your mold as well as your preferred firmness - I found one recipe that called for 13 minutes!). Remove the mold and pop the eggs out of the mold, loosening with a small knife or spoon if needed. 

Jasmine Rice Molds

My husband taught me the trick of packing cooked sticky rice into a small dessert bowl to make a fancy mound on the plate, but this lets you actually cook the rice in perfect single-serving mounds. 

Rinse and drain jasmine rice. Fill wells of mold halfway with rice then fill to top with water*. Do not cover. Put 1 cup water in Pot and place mold in Pot on trivet or in sling. Seal and cook on manual for 13 minutes, then quick release. Invert mold onto place and pinch if needed to release rice.

* I think I'd add a pinch of salt and a tiny pat of butter on top of the rice before adding the water.

Happy cooking!