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My Spinach Puffs are a fancy finger food that's easy to make and tastes incredible! Using frozen spinach and puff pastry sheets, this is a simple recipe that's packed with flavor. Make these, and everyone who tries one will ask you for the recipe!
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Spinach Puff Pastry
Puff pastry appetizers are a favorite in my household. There is nothing like fluffy, flaky puff pastry stuffed with tasty ingredients like spinach and cheese! And this spinach puff pastry recipe is the best of the best.
Spinach puffs are effortlessly delicious, and make a perfect starter for any meal. I love bringing them to potlucks and holiday gatherings. They're easy to make ahead of time, and everyone always asks me for the recipe!
Whether you're serving them as an appetizer before the main event, or as part of a fancy finger food spread, I guarantee this simple spinach puff pastry recipe is sure to impress you!
This has now become one of my favorite holiday appetizers! So easy and everyone loves them at a party.
Colleen
Puff Pastry Spinach Ingredients
- Puff pastry, thawed: I use frozen puff pastry that I thaw in the fridge overnight. I've tried microwave thawing it, but find that it tends to thaw unevenly or even start cooking!
- Frozen spinach, thawed: You can use fresh spinach, too! I prefer frozen for the ease and smaller chopped leaves.
- Butter: Unsalted butter will leave you more control over the saltiness, but you can use salted.
- Shallot: You can also use onions or green onions. I find I prefer the sweeter shallots.
- Garlic: Using fresh garlic cloves will ensure the best flavor for this recipe; you want that sharp, full garlic flavor! In a pinch, however, you can also use garlic powder.
- Nutmeg: Nutmeg is the secret to a complex and layered flavor. It only takes a little, so don't add too much!
- Flour: Flour will be used to thicken the creamed spinach filling. To make these gluten free, you can use gluten free flour; it thickens up just as well!
- Heavy cream or whole milk: You can use heavy cream, whole milk, or a mix of both. I find that I like using half whole milk and half heavy cream, or more milk than cream.
- White cheddar cheese, shredded: Make sure your'e shredding your own cheese! It makes a huge difference in the silkiness of the filling. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent on it that can cause clumpy melting.
- Parmesan cheese, shredded: As with the cheddar, shredding your own Parmesan will have the best results.
- Salt: Add salt to taste! Bacon, parmesan, and cheddar are already quite salty, so you don't need to add too much.
- Bacon, cooked and divided: You can cook your own bacon for the best flavor, or use pre-cooked.
- Eggs: You'll need an egg at the end to make a beautiful egg wash!
- Water: A splash of water added to the egg wash helps it apply evenly.
Spinach Puffs Recipe Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Squeeze out any excess liquid from thawed spinach until it is as dry as possible.
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then add diced shallots and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes, until shallots become translucent.
- Sprinkle flour into the skillet, whisking for 1-2 minutes until it lightly browns.
- Add nutmeg, then slowly add heavy cream or milk, whisking continuously, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 3-5 minutes. By slowly, I mean slowly: a drip at a time. It will become extremely clumpy and then suddenly silk smooth as you keep stirring and adding cream.
- Stir in white cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese.
- Dice cooked bacon strips and add to the cheese sauce, reserving 2 strips. Stir until the cheese melts completely, then salt to taste.
- Add spinach to the mixture and stir to combine.
- Finally, remove from the heat and begin preparing your puff pastry dough. On a lightly floured surface, unfold the thawed puff pastry and roll each into a 12-inch square sheet.
- Cut each pastry sheet into 9 even squares. Place into greased mini muffin pans, pressing gently on the bottoms and up the sides, so the corners point up.
- Fill each cup with 2 Tablespoons of the creamed spinach mixture.
- Top with remaining chopped bacon.
- In a small bowl, mix egg and water to create an egg wash. Brush the remaining egg wash over the top of the puff pastry, then add to the oven.
- Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve, and enjoy!
Love spinach? Me too! Definitely give my guide on sauteing spinach a try, as well as my recipe for creamy spinach.
Spinach Pastry Expert Tips
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the puff pastry sheet into 9 squares quickly and easily.
- Brush the puff pastry with egg wash to help it brown nicely. It will taste great without the wash, but it really helps them look beautiful.
- You can make the process even easier by breaking it up into two parts. Make the creamed spinach filling a day ahead of time. Then, when you're ready to serve them, warm slightly before filling the puff pastries to bake fresh.
- To make these a gluten free spinach puff pastry, use gluten free puff pastry sheets. Be warned, they fall apart easily! I recommend letting the puff pastry warm up to room temperature to prevent breakage.
Isabel's Top Tip
Change up the cheeses! Instead of white cheddar, try a gruyere and swiss mix, or use mozzarella or pepperjack cheese. You can use any cheese you like to customize this recipe to your tastes!
Spinach Puff Pastry FAQs
First, thaw frozen puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you plan on using it and allow it to come to room temperature. Dust your working surface with flour to avoid the pastry sticking to it. When rolling the puff pastry out, do so quickly, keeping the sheet square. Then, when cutting the sheets, cut all of the way through without dragging the knife. A pizza cutter can be used. Finally, when baking, use greased muffin cups and egg wash to help it crisp up nicely.
Brush puff pastry with egg wash for best results. Egg wash is a mixture of water and egg beaten together (1 egg to 1 Tablespoon water).
Brushing puff pastry with egg wash is a guaranteed way to crisp up puff pastry as it bakes, in addition to baking it in greased muffin tins. This results in puff pastry appetizers that are crisp all over.
Make-Ahead Puff Pastry with Spinach
You can easily make spinach puff pastry ahead of time by preparing the filling beforehand.
Prepare the filling as instructed, then refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 day before baking. When ready to use, warm slightly in a skillet, then add to puff pastry cups and bake as instructed.
Alternatively, you can fully cook these pastries, then freeze them for an easy snack at any time! See below for instructions.
How to Freeze Spinach Puff Pastry
- Follow all instructions to fully bake spinach puffs.
- Allow to cool, then add to a freezer-safe container or freezer bags. Label with the date.
- Freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to enjoy, reheat directly from frozen at 400°F in the oven until heated through, or wrap in foil and heat in the air fryer until melty and crispy.
Fun Party Appetizers
- Pinwheel appetizers using puff pastry
- Pizza sticks
- Chicken rolls
- Sriracha Meatballs
- as a fun part of a Tapas Menu!
Spinach Puffs
Equipment
- 1 Muffin tin
- brush for egg wash
Ingredients
- 3 sheets Puff Pastry - thawed
- 16 ounces Frozen Spinach - thawed
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Shallot - finely diced
- 1 clove Garlic - finely diced
- 1 pinch Nutmeg
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 1.5 cups Heavy Cream - or Whole Milk
- ½ cup White cheddar cheese - shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan - shredded
- Salt - to taste
- 6 strips Cooked bacon - divided
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon Water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Squeeze out any excess liquid from thawed spinach until it is as dry as possible.16 ounces Frozen Spinach
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then add diced shallots and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes, until shallots become translucent.2 Tablespoons Shallot,1 clove Garlic,2 Tablespoons Butter
- Sprinkle flour into the skillet, whisking for 1-2 minutes until it lightly browns.2 Tablespoons Flour
- Add nutmeg, then slowly add heavy cream, whisking continuously, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 3-5 minutes.1 pinch Nutmeg,1.5 cups Heavy Cream
- Stir in white cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese.½ cup White cheddar cheese,¼ cup Parmesan
- Dice cooked bacon strips and add to the cheese sauce, reserving 2 strips to top the pastries later. Stir until the cheese melts completely, then salt to taste.6 strips Cooked bacon,Salt
- Add spinach to the mixture and stir to combine.16 ounces Frozen Spinach
- Finally, remove from the heat and begin preparing your puff pastry. On a lightly floured surface, unfold the thawed puff pastry and roll each into a 12-inch square sheet.3 sheets Puff Pastry
- Cut each pastry sheet into 9 even squares. Place into greased muffin cups, pressing gently on the bottoms and up the sides, so the corners point up.
- Fill each cup with 2 Tablespoons of the creamed spinach mixture.
- Top with remaining chopped bacon.6 strips Cooked bacon
- In a small bowl, mix egg and water to create an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the top of the puff pastry, then add to the oven.1 egg,1 Tablespoon Water
- Bake 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the puff pastry sheet into 9 squares quickly and easily.
- Brush the puff pastry with egg wash to help it brown nicely. It will taste great without the wash, but it really helps them look beautiful.
- You can make the process even easier by breaking it up into two parts. Make the creamed spinach filling a day ahead of time. Then, when you're ready to serve them, warm slightly before filling the puff pastries to bake fresh.
- To make these a gluten free spinach puff pastry, use gluten free puff pastry sheets. Be warned, they fall apart easily! I recommend letting the puff pastry warm up to room temperature to prevent breakage.
phong kham nam hoc ha noi says
Wow, Great !
Gayle says
An you rehear these
Isabel Laessig says
Absolutely, Gayle. I would reheat them in the oven or air fryer so they stay crisp, but you can also microwave them if you're short on time (this may change the texture). I would reheat at a temperature of about 350 for 5-10 minutes or so in the oven, or 3-5 minutes in the air fryer.
Teresa says
Thanks SO much for adding the measurements in the instructions. That saves so much time scrolling back and forth. Can't wait to try this!
Isabel Laessig says
Teresa, you are so welcome! Thank you for your comment! I'm happy to hear it's helpful!