Fiesta Cheesy Masa Cups

24 servings
30 min

Cheesy Masa Cups are little bites that deliver some South of the Border flavor for your Cinco de Mayo celebration or summer fiesta. Serve with the fillings of your choice and a cold cerveza or frosty margarita!

These little cheesy corn cups make an ideal party bite, as fun to make as they are to eat. Best of all you can make them in advance and fill when ready to serve or let guests fill with their favorite ingredients.

The dough is made with Masa Harina. If you’re not familiar with Masa Harina, it’s a Mexican corn flour that’s naturally gluten free, used for making tortillas and tamales. You can find it on the international foods aisle at most grocery stores with other Mexican and Latin American ingredients.

The dough comes together quickly using a food processor. See alternative directions in the notes section of the printable recipe if mixing by hand.

Roll dough into 24 balls and place in mini muffin tin sprayed with nonstick spray. Use a melon baller to press down in center to form a well for the filling.

Half way through the baking time, remove pan from oven and press the puffed dough down in the center again. Return to oven until golden in color. Remove to wire rack and allow to cool, then store them in an airtight container until ready to serve. Reheat before filling or serve at room temperature.

Serve them with a variety fillings or let guests fill the cups themselves with their favorite ingredients: Guacamole, corn, black beans, salsa, pulled pork or chicken. Top with Mexican crema or sour cream, cilantro, sliced jalapenos, tomatoes, green onion, pico de gallo, or cheese.

Find a fiesta of flavor and more recipes for your Cinco de Mayo celebration, HERE.

Recipe details
  • 24  servings
  • Prep time: 15 Minutes Cook time: 15 Minutes Total time: 30 min
Show Nutrition Info
Hide Nutrition Info
Ingredients

  • 2 cups instant Corn Masa Flour I used Maseca®
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, Monterey jack or pepper jack for some heat)
  • 1 stick cold butter cubed
  • ½ cup cold water add additional tablespoons, one at a time if needed
Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray mini muffin tins with nonstick spray.
Use the food processor for easy mixing:
Pulse the flour, salt, and cumin in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and cheese and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-size bits of butter.
Drizzle in cold water and pulse to combine. Add additional water a tablespoon at a time as needed if dough feels dry.
Roll dough into 24 balls and place a ball in each well of a mini muffin tin. Using end of wooden spoon or melon baller press down in center to form a well for filling.
Bake 15 - 20 minutes. Half way thru baking time, remove pan and use back of spoon or melon baller to press down the center.
Cool 5 minutes in pan, remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
Store in an airtight container until ready to fill and serve. Reheat or serve at room temperature.
Tips
  • To make without food processor: Place masa flour into a medium bowl, add salt and cumin. Cut in butter using pastry blender until pea-sized chunks are formed. Add grated cheese. Add 1/2 cup cold water, until dough comes together to form a ball, adding additional an tablespoons of water at a time if dough is too dry.
  • Serve these cups with a variety fillings including guacamole, corn, black beans, salsa, pulled pork or chicken. Top with Mexican crema or sour cream, cilantro, sliced jalapenos, tomatoes, green onion, pico de gallo, or cheese.
Mary @ Home is Where the Boat Is
Want more details about this and other recipes? Check out more here!
Go
Comments
  • Nicole P Nicole P on Apr 21, 2021

    Yum!

  • Cj Cj on May 01, 2021

    Instead of pressing them down halfway through baking, could they be left unpressed and served as breakfast biscuits?


Next