Mini Cheeseburger Bites

Name: Mini Cheeseburger Bites
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 24 bites
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp instant yeast; ¾ cup warm milk (110°F/45°C); 3 tbsp butter, melted; 1 egg; 1.2 lbs (540 g) ground beef; 1 tbsp ghee or butter; 2 tsp ketchup; ½ tsp smoked paprika; A pinch of garlic powder; 1 tsp maple syrup; Salt and pepper to taste; 2–3 slices American cheese, cut into 1-inch squares (optional for half the bites); Additional ketchup for assembly

AI Kitchen

Dec 5, 2024

Sink your teeth into these adorable Mini Cheeseburger Bites! Soft, rich dough encases juicy, seasoned beef and a hint of tangy ketchup, with a melty square of American cheese on top for half of them. Perfect for parties, snacks, picky eaters or anytime you want bite-sized burger goodness!

Jump to recipe

As usual, dinner time crept up on me, and I was out of ideas. With limited ingredients and a nearly expired pack of ground beef, I had to think out of the box, while still pleasing my picky eaters. I wrote the following prompt in ChatGPT:

I want to create small bite size dough balls filled with ground beef.

It provided:

Here’s a recipe for bite-sized dough balls filled with ground beef! These can be baked or fried, depending on your preference.

Bite-Sized Ground Beef Dough Balls

Ingredients

For the Dough:

2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
¾ cup warm water (110°F/45°C)
1 tbsp sugar
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter, softened
1 egg

For the Filling:

1 tbsp ghee or butter
½ lb (225 g) ground beef
½ small onion, finely ground or minced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 tbsp fresh parsley or basil, finely chopped (optional)

For Finishing:

1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the Dough:
1. In a small bowl, mix warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add softened butter, yeast mixture, and the egg. Mix until the dough comes together.
3. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Prepare the Filling:
1. Heat ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent.
2. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks.
3. Season with cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Cook until beef is browned and no longer pink.
4. Stir in chopped herbs (if using) and let the mixture cool completely.
Assemble the Dough Balls:
1. Punch down the dough and divide it into 20–25 small pieces.
2. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a small circle (about 3 inches wide).
3. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the center. Pinch the edges together to seal, forming a ball. Ensure the seam is well-sealed.
4. Place the balls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake or Fry:
1. To Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the dough balls with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if desired. Bake for 15–18 minutes or until golden brown.
2. To Fry: Heat oil in a deep skillet to 350°F (175°C). Fry the dough balls in batches, turning until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Serve: Enjoy warm with your favorite dipping sauce or as-is!

Would you like any tweaks to suit picky eaters or dietary preferences?

Simpler, I said:

I want it simpler, like an inverted burger. In fact that what I like to call the dish, just bite sized. still needs to be soft, rich dough. New recipe please

Although it is technically not inverted, it agreed and created the following adjustment:

Here’s a simpler recipe for your Inverted Burgers: bite-sized, soft, rich dough balls with ground beef filling!

Inverted Burgers

Ingredients

For the Dough:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
¾ cup warm milk (110°F/45°C)
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg

For the Filling:

½ lb (225 g) ground beef
1 tbsp ghee or butter
½ small onion, finely ground
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 tbsp ketchup or BBQ sauce for flavor

Instructions

Prepare the Dough:
1. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
2. Add warm milk, melted butter, and egg. Stir until combined.
3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5–8 minutes until smooth. Cover and let it rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Prepare the Filling:
1. Heat ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent.
2. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it browns. Season with salt and pepper. Add ketchup or BBQ sauce for a touch of flavor, if desired.
3. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Assemble the Inverted Burgers:
1. Punch down the dough and divide into 16–20 small pieces.
2. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a small disc (about 3 inches wide).
3. Place a teaspoon of beef filling in the center. Pinch the edges together to seal the dough completely, forming a smooth ball.
Cook:
- To Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place dough balls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let rest for 15 minutes. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until golden.
- To Pan Fry (for a crusty base): Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little butter or oil. Place dough balls seam-side down. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the base is golden, then cover the skillet and reduce heat to low. Cook for another 5 minutes to steam the dough.
Serve: Serve warm with a side of dipping sauce or enjoy on their own as bite-sized delights!

Would you like to make the filling richer or add cheese?

Not same amounts of beef, so I asked for quantity adjustment:

I'm using 1.2 lbs beef. please adjust recipe

It did:

Here’s the adjusted recipe for Inverted Burgers using 1.2 lbs of beef:

Inverted Burgers

Ingredients

For the Dough:

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
¾ cup warm milk (110°F/45°C)
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg

For the Filling:

1.2 lbs (540 g) ground beef
1 ½ tbsp ghee or butter
1 small onion, finely ground
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 2 tbsp ketchup or BBQ sauce for flavor

Instructions

Prepare the Dough:
1. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
2. Add warm milk, melted butter, and egg. Stir until combined.
3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5–8 minutes until smooth. Cover and let it rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Prepare the Filling:
1. Heat ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent.
2. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it browns. Season with salt and pepper. Add ketchup or BBQ sauce for extra flavor, if desired.
3. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Assemble the Inverted Burgers:
1. Punch down the dough and divide into 20–24 pieces.
2. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a disc (about 3 inches wide).
3. Place about 1 tablespoon of beef filling in the center. Pinch the edges together to seal, forming a smooth ball.
Cook:
- To Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place dough balls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let rest for 15 minutes. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until golden.
- To Pan Fry (for a crusty base): Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little butter or oil. Place dough balls seam-side down. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the base is golden, then cover the skillet and reduce heat to low. Cook for another 5 minutes to steam the dough.
Serve: Enjoy warm as bite-sized burgers with a dipping sauce or on their own!

Would you like to adjust any spices or add a topping to the filling?

I wanted some additional adjustments:

it should be named bite size inverted burgers or something like that. no onion.

It provided:

Here’s the updated recipe for Bite-Sized Inverted Burgers without onion:

Bite-Sized Inverted Burgers

Ingredients

For the Dough:

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
¾ cup warm milk (110°F/45°C)
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg

For the Filling:

1.2 lbs (540 g) ground beef
1 tbsp ghee or butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 2 tbsp ketchup or BBQ sauce for flavor

Instructions

Prepare the Dough:
1. Mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl.
2. Add warm milk, melted butter, and egg. Stir until combined.
3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5–8 minutes until smooth. Cover and let rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Prepare the Filling:
1. Heat ghee in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it browns. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in ketchup or BBQ sauce, if desired.
3. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Assemble the Burgers:
1. Punch down the dough and divide into 20–24 pieces.
2. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a small disc (about 3 inches wide).
3. Place about 1 tablespoon of beef filling in the center. Pinch the edges to seal, forming a smooth ball.
Cook:
- To Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange dough balls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let rest for 15 minutes. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until golden.
- To Pan Fry (for a crisp base): Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little butter or oil. Place dough balls seam-side down. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the base is golden, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes to steam.
Serve:Serve warm and enjoy these delicious, bite-sized treats!

Would you like to explore adding any spices or herbs for the filling?

I then had some adjustments to how I wanted to make it (a few prompts together for ease of read):

I'm mixing salt and flour first and sugar and milk separately and then everything else

Sorry I meant sugar and yeast with milk to activate it

I'm going to knead inside a bowl

And here's the latest response after the 3 prompts:

Here's the updated recipe with your preference to knead the dough inside a bowl:

Bite-Sized Inverted Burgers

Ingredients

For the Dough:

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
¾ cup warm milk (110°F/45°C)
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg

For the Filling:

1.2 lbs (540 g) ground beef
1 tbsp ghee or butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 2 tbsp ketchup or BBQ sauce for flavor

Instructions

Prepare the Dough:
1. In a small bowl, mix warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until frothy.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, and egg. Stir until a rough dough forms.
3. Knead the dough inside the bowl for 5–8 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Prepare the Filling:
1. Heat ghee in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it browns. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in ketchup or BBQ sauce, if desired.
3. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Assemble the Burgers:
1. Punch down the dough and divide into 20–24 pieces.
2. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a small disc (about 3 inches wide).
3. Place about 1 tablespoon of beef filling in the center. Pinch the edges to seal, forming a smooth ball.
Cook:
- To Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange dough balls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let rest for 15 minutes. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until golden.
- To Pan Fry (for a crisp base): Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little butter or oil. Place dough balls seam-side down. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the base is golden, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes to steam.
Serve:Enjoy these delicious, soft, bite-sized snacks that are perfect for any occasion!

Would you like any further adjustments?

I then thought- why not make it a cheeseburger? So I asked:

I want to add small American cheese squares on top of the meat, for half of them. I feel like that would be cute

So it made adjustments:

Here's the updated recipe with small American cheese squares added to half of the burgers:

Bite-Sized Inverted Burgers

Ingredients

For the Dough:

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
¾ cup warm milk (110°F/45°C)
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg

For the Filling:

1.2 lbs (540 g) ground beef
1 tbsp ghee or butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 2 tbsp ketchup or BBQ sauce for flavor
2–3 slices American cheese, cut into small squares (about 1-inch)

Instructions

Prepare the Dough:
1. In a small bowl, mix warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until frothy.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, and egg. Stir until a rough dough forms.
3. Knead the dough inside the bowl for 5–8 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Prepare the Filling:
1. Heat ghee in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it browns. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in ketchup or BBQ sauce, if desired.
3. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Assemble the Burgers:
1. Punch down the dough and divide into 20–24 pieces.
2. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a small disc (about 3 inches wide).
3. Place about 1 tablespoon of beef filling in the center. For half of the balls, add a small square of American cheese on top of the meat filling.
4. Pinch the edges to seal, forming a smooth ball.
Cook:
- To Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange dough balls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let rest for 15 minutes. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until golden.
- To Pan Fry (for a crisp base): Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little butter or oil. Place dough balls seam-side down. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the base is golden, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes to steam.
Serve:Enjoy these adorable, bite-sized burgers! The ones with cheese will surprise and delight with a melty center.

Would you like to tweak anything else?

I started to feel really creative:

If I mix ketchup with a little smoked paprika, will it mimic barbecue taste?

It said:

Yes, mixing ketchup with a little smoked paprika can mimic a barbecue-like flavor. Smoked paprika brings a subtle smokiness, while ketchup provides the sweetness and tang that are key components of barbecue sauce. To enhance it further, you can add a tiny bit of:

Brown sugar or maple syrup for extra sweetness.
A dash of vinegar (like apple cider or white vinegar) for tang.
A pinch of garlic powder or onion powder for depth.

This simple mixture will give your filling a nice BBQ-inspired taste without needing actual barbecue sauce! Would you like exact proportions for this mix?

So I said :

I mixed 2 tsp ketchup, half a tsp paprika, a pinch of garlic powder and a tsp of maple syrup.

So it replied:

That sounds like a great blend for a barbecue-like flavor! The smoked paprika and maple syrup combo will add that sweet-smoky kick, while the garlic powder enhances the depth. Would you like to add this mix to all the meat or just part of it for variation?

So I added:

I mixed in the ketchup sauce and salt and pepper before cooking the meat is that ok?

And and it said:

Yes, that's perfectly fine! Mixing the ketchup sauce and seasonings into the meat before cooking allows the flavors to meld deeply as the meat cooks, giving the filling a richer and more cohesive taste. If it worked well for you, feel free to keep it that way!

And I asked:

Will it taste better if I put a small drop of ketchup on the dough and then the meat and then the cheese? To mimic an actual burger?

And it responded:

Yes, adding a small drop of ketchup on the dough before placing the meat and cheese can enhance the burger-like experience! It will mimic the layering of a real burger with a touch of tangy sweetness from the ketchup in each bite. The melted cheese on top of the meat will complete the effect beautifully.

Would you like me to add this detail to the recipe?

I responded:

Yes. I want to call it mini cheeseburger bites.

Enjoy:

Servings: 24 bites

Calories per Serving: ~130 calories

Total Time: 2 hours (1 hour prep, 1 hour rise and bake)