These appetizer bites are a definite crowd-pleaser! Sweet caramelized onions on top of soft gruyere cheese all layered on flaky puff pastry and baked in the oven.
Appetizer bites are a definite go-to for any get-together or party. They are delicious right out of the oven and still tasty for round two. I love how easy they are to put together, and yet at every party, someone is always impressed with my culinary skills. You can impress all your friends with these simple, yet delicious bites too!
I first made these for a Thanksgiving party we had at my house. I wanted to find some easy appetizers that were also delicious. I found a variation of this one on Pinterest and ran with it, and even topped it with some extra cranberry sauce I had! I've since made them in all different forms and they are always crowd-pleasers. Keep reading for steps on how to make them and tips on variations of mini appetizer cups I know you'll love.
How to make these appetizer bites
These brie appetizer bites are so simple to make and can be done in 3 easy steps.
- Defrost the frozen puff pastry and cut it into 12 squares. Cut and caramelize the onions.
- Lay each pastry square across an opening on a muffin tin, place a small piece of brie cheese in the center, and top with the caramelized onion.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the pasty poofs and the cheese melts. Top with a couple of thyme leaves.
Storage
These are a little delicate and benefit from being stored in an air-tight container rather than a plastic bag. You can keep in the fridge for up to three days. Put them in the microwave for 10 seconds or in the air fryer on 350 for 3 minutes to reheat. They are perfect to freeze, too. I suggest placing them on a pan in the freezer first to make sure they don't stick together. Then you can place them in an air-tight bag and put them back in the freezer. They last up to 3 months. A great way to save yourself some time on the day of a party is to make them the week before and freeze them.
Mini appetizer ideas
Really, once you get the concept, it's so easy to make variations of all different types.
- To make game day bites, wrap cheddar around mini sausages.
- For Mediterranean bites, use fontina, kalamata olives, and a splash of olive oil.
- Create dessert bites with cream cheese and a spoonful of cherry pie filling.
Once you get your imagination rolling, there really is no end to the wonderful things you can create with this recipe. Don't forget to add a little topping to give them that extra punch. This might include:
- Thyme
- Lemon zest
- Oregano
- Red pepper flakes
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Pairings for these easy appetizer bites
Here are some ideas on when to make them:
- Easter
- Mother's Day
- 4th of July
- Dinner parties
- Labor Day BBQs
- Thanksgiving
- Holiday parties
- Christmas dinner
- New year's eve parties
If you try it out, let me know how it goes in the comments or on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.
Caramelized Onions and Brie Appetizer Bites
Equipment
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Muffin tin
- Sauté pan
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 6 ounces brie cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 frozen puff pastry box
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Slice the onions. Melt the butter in a sauté pan on medium-low. Add the onions and cook for about 15 minutes until they are carmelized.
- Thaw the puff pastry, roll it out and cut it into 12 equal pieces. Lay each piece over the top of a hole in the muffin tin.
- Cut the brie cheese into 12 equal pieces and place one on top of each puff pasty.
- Spoon the onions on top of the cheese. Sprinkle each with a small amount of thyme.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the pastry puffs and the cheese softens.
FYI, your recipe does not state the baking temperature
Hi Zoe,
Thanks for pointing this out! I've updated the recipe card 🙂
I love this recipe, but I felt unsure of what "one" onion was. I ended up sort longing for more onion by the time I was filling pastries. Other than that this recipe was delicious!
I don't think I was specific enough, I used one medium/large onion and it didn't feel enough. I think having maybe a rather large or two medium sized onions would work well
Thanks for this tip David!
Feel free to add more onions if you'd like!
are these good to make the day before? make them this evening, then in to moring pull out of the fridge, and pop in the oven to reheat the onion, and cook the pastry and cheese?
Yes, you can definitely prep them the night before and cook them the next day!
Was delicious - just make sure to add salt to the onions. It took closer to 30 minutes to caramelize the onions.
I brushed some melted butter and sprinkled more salt over the top of the puff pastry before baking as I saw someone do that in a TikTok of a similar recipe.
I’ll definitely make this again.
Thanks for the update Ashley! I'm glad you loved it!
You didn’t indicate whether a cooking spray or butter should be used in the muffin tin. My first batch was a disaster as they all stuck to the pan (followed your instructions regarding oven time).
Thanks for pointing that out Jeff! I'll be sure to add that to the recipe.
I’m wondering if we can mini these in a tiny cupcake tin instead. Maybe just adjust the cooking time?
Yes, you can use a mini muffin tin! The cooking time will need to be lowered slightly.