‘Tis the time of year to celebrate togetherness, good cheer, and quite notably, appetizers. Pop a Cheesy Mushroom Puff Pastry Bites into your mouth, and let’s rejoice!
The holidays are prime season for dips, chips, and all sorts of cute little morsels made to be munched in a single chomp. Whether you’re hosting a soiree, feeding surprise guests, or drifting from party to party in your light-up snowman sweater, the appetizer spread is a critical component of any holiday event.
My go-to easy appetizer: puff pastry anything.
The Best Puff Pastry Appetizers
Ever since making these Cranberry Brie Bites, I’ve been smitten with puff pastry as the ideal vehicle for all manners of tasty toppings. Flakey, buttery, and universally appealing, frozen puff pastry is effortless and irresistible.
While I love using a baby biscuit cutter to stamp my puff pastry sheets into bite-sized rounds, feel free to use any size you like.
Don’t have a round cutter? Slice the puff pastry into squares instead. Cheesy mushroom puff pastry bites are scrumptious in any shape.
Puff pastry can be used to make stuffed pockets of joy, but an even quicker, easier option is to treat the puff pastry like a mini-pizza crust and smother it in tasty toppings.
For today’s cheesy mushroom puff pastry bites, I added a small dollop of zippy whole grain mustard to each puff pastry round, then sprinkled on a delectable combo of sweet caramelized onions, garlicky mushrooms, fresh thyme, and gooey Gruyere cheese.
In the oven, the cheese melts, the caramelized onions crisp slightly, and the pastry becomes puffed and golden. The bites are light, earthy, and addictive.
In addition to being a special time to gather with the people we love and nibble all things cheese and puff pastry, the holidays are also an important time to give back, which is why I’m so excited to be teaming up with the American Dairy Association Mideast to support the Great American Milk Drive (GAMD), a campaign focused on providing milk to families who need it most.
For every “like,” share or comment my Cheesy Mushroom Puff Pastry Bites recipe receives on the ADA Mideast Facebook page from Giving Tuesday (that’s today! December 2nd) through December 12th, the ADA Mideast will donate $1 to the GAMD, and then the country’s dairy farmers and milk companies will match the total donation, doubling the amount! With just a few clicks of your mouse, you can help give the gift of milk, a nutrient-rich drink rarely stocked in food pantries.
To help raise additional funds, I’m also joining the ADA Mideast for a Twitter party tomorrow December 3rd from 9 to 10 p.m. EST, and you can too! The hashtag will be #GiveGallons, and for everyone who attends and uses #GiveGallons, another $1 will be donated to the GAMD. Doing good has never been so simple or so fun.
If you’ve read my FAQ page, you’ve spied this gem of a photo of me getting personal with Linda the cow (yes, that is really her name). It was snapped on the Ohio Dairy Adventure trip I took with the ADA last fall, and I’m so happy that the opportunity made it possible for me to participate in fantastic causes like the Great American Milk Drive. I hope you’ll join us too!
Cheesy Mushroom Bites Make Ahead Tips
- To Make Ahead. Fully bake the cheesy mushroom puff pastry bites. Place them in an airtight storage container, separating any layers with parchment or wax paper, and freeze for up to 2 weeks.
- To serve, reheat directly from frozen in a 400 degree F oven for 5 minutes, or until hot.
- Alternatively, the mushroom onion topping can be prepped and refrigerated 2 days in advance. Top the cut puff pastry just before baking.
More Tasty Appetizers for Parties
Now, go bake some cheesy mushroom puff pastry bites. Linda the cow approves.
Cheesy Mushroom Puff Pastry Bites
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 16 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded Swiss Gruyere, or similar cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)
- 2, 10- inch square sheets frozen puff pastry thawed
- 1 egg beaten
- 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set side.
- In a large skillet over medium low heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the onions and salt. Sauté the onions until beginning to brown, then reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and caramelized, about 25 minutes total. Remove the onions to a large bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil over medium low and sauté the mushrooms until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and black pepper and sauté 1 additional minute. Place in the bowl with the onions. Stir in the cheese.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry into an even 10.5-inch square. With a 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the pastry into rounds (alternatively, you can slice the puff pastry into squares). You should have approximately 5 rows of 5 rounds (25 total rounds per sheet). Transfer the cut puff pastry to a prepared baking sheet, then brush lightly with the beaten egg. Prick each round with a fork to allow air to escape, then top each round with a scant 1/4 teaspoon of the whole grain mustard, then 1 tablespoon of the mushroom and onion filling. Repeat with the second pastry sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp, rotating the pans 180 degrees and switching the positions of the baking sheets on the upper and lower racks halfway through. Let bites cool 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- TO MAKE AHEAD: Fully bake the Cheesy Mushroom Puff Pastry Bites, place in an airtight container separating any layers with parchment or wax paper, and freeze for up to two weeks. To serve, reheat directly from frozen in a 400 degree F oven for 5 minutes, or until hot. Alternatively, the mushroom onion topping can be prepped and refrigerated 2 days in advance. Top the cut puff pastry just before baking.
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RegisterI created this post and recipe in partnership with the American Dairy Association Mideast as part of its #GiveGallons holiday recipe exchange. As always, all opinions are my own, and thank you for supporting the organizations that make it possible for me to continue to provide quality content to you!
I can’t wait to try this recipe for Christmas.
I hope you love it!