‘Tis the time of year to celebrate togetherness, good cheer, and quite notably, appetizers. Pop a few 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 like today’s mushroom puff pastry bites.
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.
I mean, a party without Crab Stuffed Mushrooms or Salmon Croquettes is just sad—right?!
My go-to easy appetizer: puff pastry anything.
5 Star Review
“This appetizer is a timeless hit. It was delicious, and everything you promised. The combinations of flavored garnish it a perfect five stars.”
— Giselle —
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 an effortless shortcut that is nonetheless impressive and irresistible.
- Leave large for an Easy Asparagus Tart or use a baby biscuit cutter to create bite-sized, poppable hors d’oeuvres.
- Sweet or savory—both are splendid options. Why not make both? Try Pesto Pinwheels for a starter and Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls for dessert!
For today’s puff pastry bites, I’m keeping things savory with caramelized onions, tender earthy mushrooms, and flavorful Gruyere cheese.
Better call some guests over because these mushroom puff pastry bites are about to be all dressed up and need a place to go!
How to Make Mushroom Puff Pastry Bites
With aged Gruyere, slightly crisp caramelized onions, tender earthy mushrooms, and slightly, and puffed golden pastry, these mushroom puff pastry bites won’t last long at your next event (better bring a batch of these Brie Bites for backup).
The Ingredients
- Frozen Puff Pastry. A versatile freezer staple that can be used to make stuffed pockets of joy (ahem, Salmon Wellington), or, an even easier option, mini pizza-like tarts smothered in tasty toppings.
- Mushrooms. Earthy, tender, and aromatic, I went for everyday baby bella (aka crimini) mushrooms for these savory little tartlets, just like I used in Mushroom Soup. (If you love mushroom apps, definitely try Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms or Crab Stuffed Mushrooms.)
- Onions + Garlic. Adding caramelized onions to any appetizer with a hint of garlic somehow adds at least 10 fancy points to any recipe.
- Mustard. A small dollop of zippy whole grain mustard on each puff pastry round adds a little zip.
- Gruyere. This pungent, aged cheese tastes and smells AMAZING as it melts and pairs perfectly with the mushrooms. Swiss or an extra sharp cheddar would also be nice options. (It’s also divine in these Crab Artichoke Toasts.)
- Thyme + Parsley. For color, freshness, and a little extra woodsy aromatic flair.
- Egg. Adds shine to each puff pastry piece as it bakes.
The Directions
- Caramelize the onions. Set aside.
- Sauté the mushrooms, then add garlic, thyme, and black pepper.
- Combine with the onions and stir in the cheese.
- Roll out the puff pastry and cut into 50 equal-sized rounds or squares.
- Brush the pastry with an egg wash, prick each with a fork, then top lightly with the mustard, and mushroom mixture.
- Bake until the pastry is golden and crisp. ENJOY!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Puff pastry bites may be kept refrigerated for up to two days in an airtight container.
- To Reheat. To warm and crisp up chilled mushroom puff pastry bites, bake in a 400 degree F oven for 3-5 minutes until heated through.
Make Ahead
Option 1
- Fully bake the mushroom puff pastry bites, as directed, then place them 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.
Option 2
- The mushroom onion topping can be prepped and refrigerated 2 days in advance.
- When ready to bake, top the puff pastry with the mushroom mixture and finish the recipe as directed.
So where’s the party? I have a platter of mushroom puff pastry bites in hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Take care when brushing the puff pastry with egg wash before baking. Try to keep it only on the top and don’t let it run down the sides. If egg wash runs down the sides, it will harden as it bakes and can act like glue to bind the layers of pastry together.
Pricking the puff pastry with a fork before baking allows for steam to escape while the mushroom bites bake. Trapped steam is what gives puff pastry its rise, allowing some to escape controls the rise so the bites remain a manageable size and shape.
Absolutely! If you have a knack for pastry making and the time to do so, by all means, make the puff pastry from scratch. I’m sure it would be delicious!
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 Gruyere Swiss, 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 the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
- 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 them 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 for 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 to limit waste). 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 for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- TO STORE: Puff pastry bites may be kept refrigerated for up to two days in an airtight container.
- TO REHEAT: To warm and crisp up chilled mushroom puff pastry bites, bake in a 400 degree F oven for 3-5 minutes until heated through.
- TO MAKE AHEAD: Fully bake the mushroom puff pastry bites, as directed, then place them 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. When ready to bake, top the puff pastry and finish the recipe as directed.
Nutrition
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This looks so delicious! Two questions: I found this recipe by pinning it from your original pin on Pinterest. I hope this contributes to the sharing of the post. Secondly, I have never worked with puff pastry dough before but does it really get that puffy from that flat of dough? If so, that’s awesome! I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Shay! First of all, thank you so much for sharing this recipe on Pinterest! That really means a lot :-) Also, puff pastry really is that flat, and yes it really does puff up that much. The trick is to keep it as cold as possible. When the butter in the dough stays cold, it expands much better when it hits the hot oven, which is the secret to all flaky baked goods. It’s one of the many reasons why I love it so much, and I hope you do too!
I made these for Thanksgiving 2015, which goes to show … This appetizer is a timeless hit. It was delicious, and everything you promised. The combinations of flavored garnish it a perfect five stars. I’ll be making this again, and again, and again. Although… What can I do with all the odd shaped scraps?? Hmmm. Maybe some butter, sugar and cinnamon…
Giselle, I am so happy to hear how much you enjoyed this!! For the scraps, cinnamon and sugar sounds perfect. You could also sprinkle them with a bit of extra cheese for a more savory twist. Another alternative is to avoid scraps all together by cutting the dough into squares with a knife so that you use 100% of it, instead of cutting out the circles (though personally, I’m a sucker for how cute they the round ones look!)
Hello,
Love this recipe! I’ve worked with puff pastry only once before and it really got puffy. Is there a trick to keeping it on the smaller side of puffy like your pictures above? Thank you!
Hi Kelly! It might just be a difference in brands (I usually get my puff pastry from Trader Joe’s). Definitely be sure to prick a small hole as described in the directions too. I hope you enjoy them!
Can we make it eggless ??
Hi again Mahak! I spoke too soon. I think you could try brushing the pastry with cream instead of the beaten egg. It would be an experiment, but if you really want to try the recipe, I *think* it would work. I hope that helps!
I know this is an older post and I hope u can answer this before tomorrow’s New Year’s get together!
I only have Sharp, Mozzarella, Provolone and Parmesan cheese here! Will one of those work??
Becky, you can really use any cheese you like! I think sharp cheddar would be great (it melts nicely). Otherwise I’d do provolone with a bit of extra Parm (those 2 are a great combo). Mozz doesn’t have as much flavor, so the others would be my top picks. I hope you enjoy them!
Hello, can you make the mushroom puff pastry bites in advance like the cranberry brie or no?
Hi! You can fully bake the Cheesy Mushroom Puff Pastry Bites, and place them in an airtight container separating any layers with parchment or wax paper, and freeze for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to serve them, you can 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. I hope you love the recipe if you try it!
These turned out great. I wanted to leave a review because someone commented that these were bland. Far from it! That little bit of mustard dabbed on the bottom gave these bites great depth. (I used Edmond Fallot seed style mustard from France) I brought these to a dinner party of picky eaters and they disappeared in no time. I experimented on a few and used only mustard and the gruyere cheese. They were fabulous too! My puff pastry puffed more than these pictures so I would suggest two fork pricks rather than one. A side note: I was led to this recipe because I had paid $1.50/each for similar bites for a catered party I gave. Thanks for posting this delicious recipe.
Thank you for sharing this kind review, Karen! I’m so happy to hear that the recipe was a hit!