This goat cheese puff pastry recipe is the perfect elegant and flavorful goat cheese appetizer! This simple vol-au-vent combines tangy goat cheese with the sweet flavors of caramelized onions and loquat jam, however, pear jam would also be excellent!
These sweet & creamy goat cheese puff pastry cups are my favorite easy and sophisticated goat cheese appetizers to impress guests with at parties and get-togethers! It's a low-effort treat to make, but you'd never know that by the look of it!
This recipe is easy to follow and requires minimal effort, yet tastes incredible and looks so elegant! You can even add a little extra flavor by drizzling a little fig syrup, balsamic vinegar glaze, or honey over them just before serving.
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🧐 Why This Recipe Works
- This goat cheese appetizer only requires a few ingredients!
- You can easily customize this simple appetizer by using your favorite preserves, herbs, etc.
- This goat cheese puff pastry recipe is incredibly easy to make, yet it adds a bit of sophistication to any party or gathering.
- If you have a larger gathering, you can easily double or triple the recipe.
- You can make this sweet and savory treat for New Year's Eve, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any gathering!
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Puff pastry shells: I bought mine pre-made, but you can make your own or you can substitute them for puff pastry sheets, baguette slices, or Philo cups.
- Goat cheese: I like to use garlic & herb goat cheese but you can use plain goat cheese or fig goat cheese.
- Jam: I like loquat jam but you can also use other jams like apricot or fig jam.
- Onion: Yellow onion works best but you could also use red onion.
- Other ingredients to consider: Bacon bits, arugula, fresh basil, prosciutto, pesto, red pepper flakes, roasted garlic, apples, chopped pistachios, walnuts, or pecans, and this huckleberry chutney with habanero and bacon.
*A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🐐 How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Place puff pastry shells on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 425°F for 18-20 minutes, unless otherwise specified on package instructions.
Step 2: Meanwhile, melt butter in a small pot or saucepan, then add thinly sliced onion and stir to coat with butter. Cook on very low heat for 20-30 minutes, or until onions begin to brown slightly. Add brown sugar and fresh thyme leaves and stir to combine. Cook for another 10-20 minutes or until caramelized.
Pro Tip: The key to properly caramelizing an onion is to use the lowest heat possible. This will likely take between 40-60 minutes, but the resulting flavor is worth the wait!
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Step 3: Remove "lids" from puff pastry shells and set aside. Spoon in an equal amount of goat cheese, jam, and caramelized onion mixture. Top with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper, then garnish with fresh rosemary sprig and/or fresh thyme leaves.
Pro Tip: I use about 1 teaspoon of each, but because puff pastry shells can come in different sizes, you may have to adjust the quantities of the fillings as needed.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Lots of mouths to feed? Consider serving these goat cheese puff pastries alongside some other easy appetizers like:
- Goat cheese crostini or this delicious mushroom bruschetta.
- Fried goat cheese balls
- Potato cheese balls
- Any of these New Year's Eve appetizers
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Goat cheese can indeed be heated! If you don't want it cold or room temperature, you can heat it in the oven or air fryer. I would not recommend microwaving goat cheese, however, as it will likely splatter.
Goat cheese pairs well with a wide variety of ingredients like fruits, nuts, herbs, cured meats, sautéed veggies, syrups, crackers, bread, and pastries. I especially recommend serving goat cheese appetizers with caramelized onions, fresh thyme, and loquat or fig jam.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- This goat cheese appetizer tastes best when fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, simply pop them into the air fryer or toaster oven at 300°F for 5-7 minutes.
- Not only are these goat cheese puff pastries great for parties, but they also make the perfect finger foods to serve with afternoon tea!
🍯 Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Goat Cheese Appetizer
Ingredients
- 6 puff pastry shells
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 oz garlic & herb goat cheese
- 2 oz loquat jam
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (to garnish)
Instructions
- Place puff pastry shells on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 425° F for 18-20 minutes, unless otherwise specified on package instructions.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a small pot or saucepan, then add thinly sliced onion and stir to coat with butter. Cook on very low heat for 20-30 minutes, or until onions begin to brown slightly. Add brown sugar and fresh thyme leaves and stir to combine. Cook for another 10-20 minutes or until caramelized.
- Remove "lids" from puff pastry shells and set aside. Spoon in an equal amount of goat cheese, jam, and caramelized onion mixture. Top with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper, then garnish with fresh rosemary sprig and/or fresh thyme leaves.
Notes
- The key to properly caramelizing an onion is to use the lowest heat possible. This will likely take between 40-60 minutes, but the resulting flavor is worth the wait!
- I use about 1 teaspoon of each, but because puff pastry shells can come in different sizes, you may have to adjust the quantities of the fillings as needed.
- This goat cheese appetizer tastes best when fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, simply pop them into the air fryer or toaster oven at 300° F for 3-5 minutes.
- Not only are these goat cheese puff pastries great for parties, but they also make the perfect finger foods to serve with afternoon tea!
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