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Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Puff Pastry Bites Recipe

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3.8 from 71 reviews

Delightful and easy-to-make Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Puff Pastry Bites perfect for entertaining or as a savory snack. Crisp puff pastry rounds are baked until just puffed, then filled with sweet and spicy pepper jelly and creamy full-fat cream cheese, garnished with fresh thyme for a touch of herbal aroma.

Ingredients

Puff Pastry

  • About 16 ounces store-bought puff pastry (or ½ batch rough puff pastry, prepared)
  • All-purpose flour (for work surface)
  • Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon of water or cream)

Filling and Garnish

  • 1 cup hot pepper jelly
  • 4 ounces brick full-fat cream cheese, cold
  • 6-10 sprigs of fresh thyme

Instructions

  1. Prepare Puff Pastry: Prepare rough puff pastry or defrost frozen puff pastry. Use only half a batch if making from scratch, freezing the remainder or doubling filling to make more bites.
  2. Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC) and position a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Roll Out Pastry: Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface to about ⅛-inch thickness or roughly 10 by 14 inches. If using store-bought, lay it out on a floured surface to prevent sticking.
  4. Cut Pastry Circles: Using a 2-3/4-inch round cutter, cut out at least 16 circles from the dough. Avoid rerolling scraps; save them for another use.
  5. Dock and Indent Pastry: Using a 2-inch cutter, gently press an indentation in the center of each pastry circle without cutting through. Dock the center with a fork to prevent over-puffing during baking.
  6. Position and Egg Wash: Place circles evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each lightly with egg wash for a golden finish.
  7. Chill Pastry: Set the tray aside in the freezer or refrigerator while preparing filling.
  8. Prepare Cream Cheese: Cut the cream cheese into ½-inch pieces. Optionally, roll pieces into small balls for a neater appearance. Keep refrigerated until use.
  9. Prepare Pepper Jelly: Place pepper jelly into a pastry bag or a resealable plastic bag for piping.
  10. Par-bake Pastry: Bake pastry rounds for 12 minutes or until just puffed but not golden brown.
  11. Fill Pastry: Quickly press down the centers if puffed using a small cookie cutter or spoon. Pipe about 2 teaspoons of pepper jelly into each indentation, then place a piece of cream cheese on top.
  12. Finish Baking: Return filled pastries to the oven for 5 to 8 minutes, baking until golden and cream cheese is puffy.
  13. Cool: Remove from oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack.
  14. Garnish and Serve: Strip thyme leaves from stems and sprinkle over tarts. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • Do not re-roll scraps from puff pastry; they lose their flaky texture. Save for other recipes or snacks.
  • Ensure cream cheese is cold to maintain its shape during baking.
  • You can adjust the amount of pepper jelly to taste, but 2 teaspoons per tart balances sweet and spicy perfectly.
  • Use fresh thyme leaves for best flavor; dried thyme will be too intense.
  • These bites are best served same day but can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

Find it online: https://justsosavory.com/cream-cheese-and-pepper-jelly-puff-pastry-bites-recipe/