Description
These Rotel Sausage Cream Cheese Puffs are a delicious and savory appetizer featuring a flavorful blend of breakfast sausage, cream cheese, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and cheddar cheese, all baked inside flaky puff pastry cups. Perfect for parties or game day snacks, they deliver a cheesy, spicy, and satisfying bite in every puff.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage Mixture
- 1 lb breakfast sausage
- 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (10-oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Puff Pastry and Finishing
- 1 (17.3-oz) package puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Nonstick cooking spray (for muffin pans)
- Dried parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Lightly spray two muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray and set them aside to get ready for the pastry cups.
- Cook the Sausage: Place the breakfast sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook it until it’s no longer pink, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks. Once fully cooked, remove the skillet from heat and drain any excess grease to keep the filling from being too oily.
- Mix the Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the hot cooked sausage, softened cream cheese, drained Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir everything thoroughly to blend the flavors. Season with salt and black pepper according to your taste preference.
- Prepare Puff Pastry: Roll out one sheet of the puff pastry into a 9×12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the pastry into 12 equal squares. Repeat this process with the second sheet of puff pastry to yield a total of 24 squares.
- Form Pastry Cups: Gently press each puff pastry square into the cups of the prepared muffin pans, ensuring they fit snugly without tearing. These will form the edible cups to hold the sausage filling.
- Fill Pastry Cups: Spoon the prepared sausage and cheese mixture evenly into each puff pastry cup, filling them generously but not overflowing.
- Apply Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the large egg and tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of each puff pastry cup with the egg wash to help them brown beautifully during baking.
- Bake: Place the muffin pans in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the puff pastry is puffed up and golden brown, indicating they are perfectly cooked and crispy.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the baked sausage cream cheese puffs from the oven and let them cool slightly. Garnish with a sprinkle of dried parsley for a touch of color and flavor, then serve warm for the best taste.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature for easier mixing.
- Drain the Rotel tomatoes well to avoid soggy pastry cups.
- For a spicier kick, use a hot variety of Rotel or add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the filling.
- You can prepare the sausage mixture ahead and refrigerate for up to a day before assembling.
- Use low-fat or turkey sausage for a lighter version without compromising flavor.
