Trader Joe’s Puff Pastry Cups

0

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

When you need appetizers that feel special but don’t take a ton of work, puff pastry appetizers are the answer. And these Trader Joe’s Puff Pastry Cups will be a crispy, cheesy, festive addition to your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or other holiday table.

close up image of puff pastry cups on a half sheet pan

These Trader Joe’s Puff Pastry Cups went viral the first time I shared them on Instagram, and since then, I’ve had so many questions about how to make them. They’re a bit inspired by the Trader Joe’s Pastry Bites with Feta and Caramelized Onions. Those are so delicious and disappear FAST every time I buy them. 

The good news is that it’s incredibly easy and affordable to make puff pastry appetizers yourself, and the flavor combination of this version with Pizza Sprinkle and Hot Honey is seriously out of this world. 

Want to save this recipe?
Get it emailed to you directly! Enter your email below.

By the way, if you found this page as part of a search for Thanksgiving appetizers, you might also love mini charcuterie boards, herb and cheese gougeres (also great for prepping ahead), puff pastry pinwheels, or bacon-wrapped dates

Variations

  • Make them vegetarian by skipping the pancetta
  • Change the cheese – use fresh mozzarella, gruyere, feta, or brie
  • Skip the hot honey and / or the pizza sprinkle – they’re still delicious even without these additions 
  • Use regular honey for a less spicy option 

Pin this now to save it for later

Pin It Now

How to Make Puff Pastry Cups Ahead

Since these work incredibly well as an appetizer for the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter), it can be really convenient to prep them ahead. You can fully assemble the puff pastry cups in the muffin pan up to 24 hours before. Cover them tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until just before ready to bake. 

They are best served just after baking, so take them out of the fridge and transfer them directly to the oven just before serving. 

FAQs

Can these be prepared the night before?

Yes. See instructions above, but they can be prepped a day ahead. Wait to bake them until right before serving. 

Should I bake the puff pastry before filling it?

No. If you are serving chilled ingredients inside the puff pastry cups, you want to bake them first and let them come to room temperature before filling them. In this recipe, the filling needs to be baked, so you can just bake them filled. That will get the cheese nice and gooey and the pancetta crisp.

Should I prick puff pastry with a fork before baking?

You don’t need to in this recipe. Some recipes for puff pastry will call for you to pierce the puff pastry with a fork which will allow heat to escape and help the puff pastry to bake evenly without different spots that are puffed up. For these puff pastry cups, you want the pastry to get nice and puffy and fill out the muffin tin cups. No need to pierce them with a fork. 

Can I make the puff pastry from scratch?

YES! I’m so impressed with you. If you make puff pastry from scratch, will you leave me a comment below? This is serious #goals for me.

overhead image of puff pastry cups on a wooden cutting board

More Holiday Appetizer Ideas

Pin this now to save it for later

Pin It Now
overhead image of puff pastry cups on a wooden cutting board
No ratings yet

Trader Joe’s Puff Pastry Cups

Store-bought puff pastry easily transforms into a fancy-feeling, flavor-packed bite-size appetizer in this five ingredient recipe. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s, you can easily make these with ingredients from your local grocery store (see notes in the recipe below).
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 24

Equipment

  • Mini Muffin Tin

Ingredients 

  • 18 ounces frozen puff pastry (one box usually contains two sheets – you’ll need both)
  • 1 tablespoon Trader Joe’s Pizza sprinkle, plus more for finishing (or use an even combination of paprika and dried oregano)
  • 4 sticks string cheese (substitute about 4 ounces of fresh mozzarella, brie, feta, or gruyere)
  • 5 ounces uncured diced pancetta
  • hot honey, for topping (substitute regular honey for a less spicy option)

Instructions 

  • Defrost the puff pastry according to package directions.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°. Get out a mini muffin tin.
  • Use the top of a small glass to cut out circles in the puff pastry that are slightly larger than the width of the spaces in your mini muffin tin. Tuck a circle of puff pastry into each space in the muffin tin.
  • Sprinkle the inside of each puff pastry with pizza sprinkle. Cut each stick of string cheese into 6 even pieces and tuck a piece of cheese in each pastry. Divide the pancetta between the pastries.
  • Bake until the pastry is golden and the cheese is melted, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • When they’re cool enough to handle, transfer the pastries to a serving plate. Sprinkle with some more pizza sprinkle and a generous drizzle of hot honey.
  • Enjoy!!

Notes

Prep ahead: You can assemble these up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate them, covered, until ready to serve. Bake according to the recipe instructions just before serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $7.00
Calories: 143
Keyword: baked appetizer, easy appetizer, easy recipe ideas, Holiday recipe, party recipe, party snacks, Trader Joe’s Recipe
Like this? Leave a comment below!Jump to Comments
Want to save this recipe?
Get it emailed to you directly! Enter your email below.

About Jess Smith

Jess is the recipe creator and photographer at InquiringChef.com. She spent nearly a decade as the Chief Recipe Developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Her colorful, healthyish recipes have been featured in popular online publications including Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.