Cranberry Cream Cheese Appetizer Bites
Delicious bite-sized treats that combine cream cheese with sweet and tart cranberry sauce, perfect for gatherings.
Servings: 12 pieces
Calories: 120kcal
Ingredients
Pastry Cups
- 2 sheets Pillsbury frozen pie crust, thawed overnight in the refrigerator
- 1 large egg Separate the egg for brushing and mixing.
Filling
- 8 ounces Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (optional) For a spicy kick.
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Zest of 1 orange Adds brightness to the flavor.
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup Homemade Cranberry Sauce or canned whole berry cranberry sauce or jam of choice Any kind of cranberry sauce works well here.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Unroll the first pie crust and use a round cookie cutter or a glass to stamp out 12 rounds.
- Place each round in a mini muffin cup, gently pressing it down to fit the shape of the cup.
- Separate the egg, and brush the insides of the cups with the egg white for a glossy finish.
Baking
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, chipotle (if using), kosher salt, and orange zest with the egg yolk. Mix until smooth, then fold in the finely chopped green onions.
- Spoon the cream cheese filling into the baked custard cups, filling them generously.
- Top each filled cup with a dollop of cranberry sauce.
- Bake for an additional 8 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is heated through.
- Let cool slightly before serving warm or at room temperature.
Notes
For different flavors, experiment with jams or chutneys. Chill filled cups for 30 minutes before baking for enhanced flavor. Adding fresh herbs can brighten the cream cheese mixture.