Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites – cranberry and goat cheese pair perfectly in a bite sized puff pastry. This easy holiday appetizer will elevate your dinner party and impress even the most persnickety guests.
Puff Pastry is a precious gift from the culinary gods; the perfect canvas waiting patiently for a modern day hostess to add some sticky filling or roasted concoction and create the ultimate holiday appetizer. It is quite possibly the easiest way to impress dinner guests while maintaining your sanity. On any given day, you’ll likely find a pack of it in my freezer… just waiting to be stuffed and baked into a golden, flaky masterpiece.
How to make Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites
You can’t mess this up. Start by thawing 2 sheets of puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight OR on the counter for about an hour. Once thawed, unfold each sheet onto parchment paper. Using a rolling pin (or bottle of wine if you like to party) roll puff pastry into an 11 x 11 inch square. Then, using a 2 inch biscuit cutter, cut at least 16 rounds out of each sheet. Place half the rounds onto a cookie sheet. Now, it’s time to fill.
Sure, you could make your own cranberry filling.. you could also go buy goats milk and make your own cheese. But why? You’ve got a holiday meal to prepare. Be easy on yourself and use a good ol’ fashioned can of cranberry sauce. Put 1/2 teaspoon of cranberry sauce on each round then a small piece of goat cheese. I actually use a honey flavored goat cheese and it is delightful, but original will work just fine. (If you don’t like goat cheese you can substitute Brie or cream cheese). Using a pastry brush (or your finger), brush egg around the edges of each round.
Using the second half of the rounds, cover the filling and seal using the prongs of a fork. Brush again with egg wash; this will create a golden brown crust during the baking process. Sprinkle each pastry with raw turbinado sugar and place the cookie sheet into the preheated oven to bake for 12 minutes.
The Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites should come out of the oven golden and puffed. They’re perfect for any dinner party, brunch or wine night!
Give the recipe below a try and let me know how it goes! Happy Holidays!
Kelsey Renee
Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites
Ingredients
- 2 (10x10 inch) sheets of puff pastry (thawed)
- 1/2 can cranberry sauce (whole berry)
- 2 ounces goat cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/4 turbinado cane sugar
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- 2. Using a rolling pin, roll each sheet of puff pastry into an 11 inch square. Using a 2 inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut at least 16 rounds in each sheet. You may be able to squeeze more in.
- 3. Place half the rounds evenly spaced on a cookie sheet. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon cranberry sauce and one small piece of goat cheese (about 1/4 teaspoon) onto the center of each round.
- 4. Beat egg in small bowl. Lightly brush the outside of each round with egg. Set the egg aside for later.
- 5. Carefully place the remaining rounds over the cranberry and goat cheese. You may need to stretch them a bit. Lightly press the end of fork around the outside of each pastry to seal the edges. This will keep the sauce from leaking out during baking.
- 6. Once all the pastries are sealed, lightly brush the tops with egg and sprinkle turbinado sugar on each.
- 7. Place cookie sheet in the oven and bake cranberry puff pastries for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
- 8. For best results, enjoy immediately.
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