Savory apple & cheddar puff pastries are an easy fall appetizer for your next party or holiday. They’re sprinkled with sage & drizzled with salted maple syrup.
I never met a puff pastry recipe I didn’t like.
It’s like the holy grail of easy-appetizer-making and takes anything from just ehhh to “OMG this is so good”.
I’m guessing it’s that buttery, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth texture that does it.
These easy fall appetizers are made with a cheesy apple & cheddar sage filling, that’s baked on top of a buttery puff pastry square until golden brown, then finished with a drizzle of salted maple syrup and a sprinkle of fresh sage.
WARNING: These little sweet & salty bites of deliciousness are slightlyyyy addicting so you better make extra (good thing they’re super easy to make!)
I tested these out for a surprise 60th birthday for my dad and you can always tell how good something is by the amount you have leftover.
Needless to say there was 1 left so I think that means they were a hit!
How to make savory apple & cheddar puff pastries:
- Defrost your puff pastry sheets about 30 min prior to using. Cut each sheet into 9” squares and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and keep in refrigerator until ready to use.
- To make the apple & cheddar filling: sauté onions, apples, ginger, cinnamon, sage and salt in butter over medium heat until apples and onions are softened and slightly caramelized. Stir in ½ cup of the cheddar cheese until melted.
- Spoon about 1 tbsp of the filling onto the middle of each puff pastry square. Top with remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
- While the pastry is baking, add maple syrup to a small bowl and stir in the sea salt. Set aside.
- When the pastry comes out of the oven, immediately drizzle with the salted maple and sprinkle with fresh chopped sage.
Can you make puff pastry ahead of time?
For these appetizers, you can make the apple cheddar filling up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator.
As for the puff pastry, you can assemble the squares with the filling and store them in the refrigerator up to 2 hours prior to baking.
The key is to make sure the puff pastry dough is cold and firm before baking.
My grandmother loves her homemade apple pie with a slice of melted cheddar cheese on top.
The first time I saw her do it I thought "Ew, that's so weird". Not till about 2 years ago did I finally try and bite and all I can say is yum.
The tart and sweet apples paired with the creamy sharp cheddar cheese is so delicious.
That's where my inspiration for these savory apple and cheddar puff pastries came from. They're a little tart, sweet, and salty. The fresh sage and salted maple really makes them stand out adds that extra "Fall" flavor.
Elegant enough for a party yet simple enough to throw together last minute 🙂
For more easy fall appetizers try:
- Puff Pastry Baked Brie with Fig Jam
- Air Fryer Goat Cheese & Sweet Potato Bites
- Roasted Tomato & Garlic Bruschetta with Ricotta
Savory Apple & Cheddar Puff Pastries
Savory apple & cheddar puff pastries are an easy fall appetizer for your next party or holiday. They’re sprinkled with sage & drizzled with salted maple syrup.
Ingredients
Salted Maple Drizzle
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 fresh sage leaves
Apple & Cheddar Filling
- 1 box puff pastry , (2 sheets per box)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cups apple (about 3-4 medium apples), peeled, cored and diced
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced (about 1 large onion)
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves (plus more for garnish)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
Salted Maple Drizzle
- Place maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, add sage leaves and salt. Continue to simmer for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and cover with lid or plastic wrap. Let steep for another 5 minutes. Pour into small mason jar or container until ready to use. (Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator).
Apple & Cheddar Filling
- Remove your box of puff pastry from your freezer and set aside to defrost while you make the filling.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add apples, onions, ginger, cinnamon, salt and fresh sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples and onions are softened and slightly caramelized, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add in ½ cup of the cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Unfold each sheet of puff pastry. Cut each sheet into 9, 3x3" squares. Place onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing out slightly. Brush each square with the whisked egg.
- Place about 1 tablespoon of the apple and cheddar filling in the middle of each square. Top each square with remaining ½ cup of cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes or until pastry is golden and cheese is bubbly.
- While puff pastry is still hot, drizzle with salted maple and sprinkle with chopped sage leaves.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Stacy
I was the hit of the cocktail party with this one! Had to modify to agave syrup as maple syrup was but…worked fine for the drizzle. Husband and I voted and next time cook apples less and add smoked bacon.
Wine a Little Cook A Lot
Hi Stacy, so glad you liked the recipe!
xx, Alyssa
Karen M
What temp to bake at??
Making it now, but I can see some bacon or sausage in this recipe's near future... Also, will do crispy brown butter sage to top off instead of fresh sage... just sayin'
Wine a Little Cook A Lot
Hi Karen, sorry about that typo! You'll want to bake these at 400 F. And bacon is always a winner in my eyes ;). Enjoy!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes
Anything with puff pastry gets the tick of approval from me. Loving the idea of this, Alyssa! What a great appetiser 🙂
Wine a Little Cook A Lot
Thanks Alexandra! Yes puff pastry is sooo good 🙂