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Italian Cheese Puffs

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Light, airy and full of cheese, these puffs make a wonderful appetizer. Serve alongside red wine for an elegant party bite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 stick {8 tablespoons} butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup shredded or grated Italian cheese blend

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Prepare a piping bag by fitting with a large open star tip attachment {if desired}.
  2. Bring water, butter and salt to a boil in a medium pot over medium-high heat.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together flour, garlic powder, oregano and black pepper. Set aside.
  4. When the butter has melted, remove the pot from the heat and add the dry ingredients all at once. Mix vigorously until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Reduce the heat to medium and return the pot to the heat, stirring the dough and cooking it for 1-2 minutes to help remove some of the moisture.
  5. Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the dough for about 30 seconds to cool it slightly, then add one egg at a time until each is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
  6. Add cheese and mix until fully blended.
  7. Scrape the dough into the prepared piping bag. Pipe cheese puffs onto prepared baking pans. You’ll want to make a little swirl as if you’re frosting a mini cupcake, about 1 tablespoon per puff, leaving about 2 inches between each one. If peaks remain after piping, wet the tip of your finger and flatten them slightly.
  8. Bake for about 18-20 minutes until the puffs turn golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from the baking pan and cool on a rack or serve warm if desired.
  9. For Christmas Tree: If you’d like to arrange the cheese puffs like a Christmas tree, you’ll need to buy a styrofoam cone shape from the craft store {usually in the floral section}. Starting at the bottom of the cone, insert a toothpick half way into the cone, then push a cheese puff onto the toothpick to adhere. Do this all the way around the cone, then continue the next layer above the first, placing toothpicks and cheese puffs all the way up and around the cone. Fill in any gaps with cherry tomatoes and basil leaves if desired.

Notes

If you don’t have a piping bag and tips, you can simply scoop the dough onto the prepared baking pan using a small cookie scoop or two spoons. They will have a rounded, less decorative appearance, but will still be just as tasty!

Keywords: appetizer, buffet food, cheese, finger food, italian

Find it online: https://honestcooking.com/italian-cheese-puffs/

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