Bite Size Cheese Puffs...the perfect holiday appetizer!
Recipe courtesy of Sandra Pantall, A.K.A Mom. Adapted from Suburbia Today, August 1964
These bite size cheese puffs use just 5 ingredients and take 30 minutes to make. They are perfect for a holiday appetizer!
My mom used to make these all the time to serve little cheese puff sandwiches at social functions she attended or hosted. I remember eating 3 or 4 right after she finished filling them with either chicken or ham spread! The texture is light and airy just like a cream puff ...in fact, omit the Parmesan cheese and fill these little babies with custard or cream and you have a quick and easy dessert!
I recently asked her for her recipe so I could make these cheese puffs for an upcoming holiday party. The finished product looks so delicate, you would think they would be a bit complicated to make...they aren't! I've made a few batches since then and just can't believe how easy and fast they are to whip up and they freeze really well!
Make a few batches, pop them in the freezer and when you need a quick appetizer just get them out (thaw) and fill. They thaw in minutes and taste like you just made them.
The beauty of these Bite Size Cheese Puffs is you can fill them with any smooth spread you like; chicken salad, turkey salad, tuna salad, and even a smooth egg salad would work! I was just thinking about coming up with a mushroom mousse recipe to fill the puffs with! I'll keep you posted!
If you have any ideas for great fillings, please let us know in the comment section!
What you need for Bite Size Cheese Puffs:
- Water
- Butter
- Salt
- Flour
- Eggs
- Parmesan Cheese
Step One:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This is extremely important, your oven must be hot when you put the cheese puffs in or they will not puff. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside.
Step Two:
Fill a 3 quart or larger metal saucepan with water, salt and butter. Heat on medium until boiling. Add flour while stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon (not exactly sure why mom says to use a wooden spoon, but I've learned to do as she says!) until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a smooth ball. Remove from heat.
Step Three:
Using an electric (hand held) mixer, beat in eggs one at a time until thoroughly mixed and dough is thick and smooth. Stir in cheese.
Step Four:
Using a small scoop or rounded teaspoon, drop onto greased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Place in hot (400 degrees Fahrenheit) oven, reduce heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove puffs from cookie sheet and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
Step Five:
Cut the cheese puff in the middle and fill with your favorite filling. I filled my Bite Size Cheese Puffs with turkey and thyme spread. These cheese puffs are so light and airy, they melt in your mouth. Serve and Enjoy!
*If you want to freeze them, I recommend freezing the puffs on a cookie sheet and once they are frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. These bite size cheese puffs are delicate and can get flattened if you put them in a bag to freeze.
Bite Size Cheese Puffs
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 Cup of Water
- ½ Cup of Butter salted
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup of Flour
- 4 eggs room temperature
- ½ Cup Parmesan grated
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a 3 quart metal saucepan heat water, salt and butter until boiling
- Add in flour while stirring vigorously until mixture separates from from side of pot and becomes a ball of soft dough
- Remove from heat. Using an electric mixer beat in one egg at a time until you have smooth, soft dough.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese
- Drop rounded teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet, place cookie sheet in oven
- Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 20-25 minutes or until puffs are golden brown.
- Remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool on cooling racks
- Spit in half and fill with your favorite filling.
- Serve & Enjoy!
Notes
Bonnie Asquith
Do you think these would turn out just as well using other types of cheese?
Louise
Bonnie, I don't see why not. Some recipes call for cheddar, Asiago or Gruyere. The Parmesan cheese is very subtle in this cheese puff recipe so it compliments most any filling. You can change the flavor by adding any cheese you like, but be careful not to add too much cheese or your puffs might not puff. I would also make sure it's very finely grated so it melts into the warm dough. You just got me thinking about a new recipe...Cheddar Cheese Puffs with a bacon jam! My mouth is watering just thinking about that combination!