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Everything Bagel Puffs with Pepper Jelly

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An easy but elegant appetizer, these everything bagel puffs are filled with scallion cream cheese and topped with pepper jelly.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword cream cheese filling, cream cheese puffs, easy appetizers, everything bagel, pepper jelly, puff pastry
Servings 12 puffs (or 15 smaller size)

Ingredients

  • 1 store-bought puff pastry sheet thawed per package instructions
  • 1 egg yolk milk or cream (for egg wash)
  • “Everything” or “everything bagel” seasoning
  • 6 ounces cream cheese not cream cheese spread (softened)
  • 2 ounces goat cheese softened (can be replaced with the same amount of cream cheese)
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 dash Worcestershire sauce optional
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 green onion thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons red pepper jelly
  • Sliced green onions or dill fronds for garnish

Instructions

  • Ensure your puff pastry has thawed according to package instructions. Usually this means sitting for 40 minutes at room temperature.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Using a circle cookie cutter, cut 12 two-inch circles (or as many as you can) or cut the sheet into 12 or 15 squares. If using a cookie cutter, don’t twist when you press down, this will prevent the pastry from puffing up evenly.
  • Cut a smaller circle in the middle of each puff, about 1-inch in diameter (I used a 1 1/8-inch cutter). If cutting squares, cut a smaller square so you’re left with a border that’s slightly less than a half-inch wide. Don’t worry about cutting all the way through. We’re just scoring them so we can press down the middles later.
  • Brush the border of each puff with beaten egg yolk, milk or cream, trying to avoid the crevice where you cut the smaller shape. (You can use a pastry brush or even a clean finger. I used a small art brush.) Sprinkle everything seasoning on the rims.
  • Transfer your cutouts to a half sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes or until the puffs are puffed up, set and deep golden brown on top.
  • Remove from the oven and gently press down the centers of each puff with a measuring spoon (a shot glass also works well.)
  • While waiting for the puffs to fully cool, make the filling. Using a hand mixer or whisk, beat together the cream cheese, goat cheese, a pinch of salt, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice until smooth. Beat in the green onions just until combined.
  • Using a piping bag or a zipper bag with a corner snipped off (or just a spoon!) fill each puff with a heaping mound of the cream cheese mixture.
  • Warm up the pepper jelly in the microwave for about 10 seconds just to loosen it up a little. Dollop about a half-teaspoon on top of each puff.
  • Garnish with more sliced green onions or dill fronds.

Notes

  • Makes 12-15 two-inch puffs. This recipe can easily be doubled.
  • If you want to make these ahead of time, you can do all the steps until baking, then cover and refrigerate the prepared cutouts and filling. Once you’re ready to assemble, continue with the recipe as normal.