These puff pastry appetizers are filled with all the good stuff, including spinach, bacon bits and feta. As you can imagine, they are a hit at parties, and rightfully so!
If we’re having a party, you can count on these spinach puffs being served as an appetizer. We usually serve them with our other favorites including bacon wrapped smokies, cucumber sandwiches, and some kind of dip!
a quick + easy appetizer
I have so many favorite appetizer recipes, it’s sometimes hard to choose which ones I’m going to make for parties or family gatherings.
I’ve told you before, my family gets together on New Years Eve for games and LOTS of appetizers. Well, this spinach puff pastry appetizer is one that is almost always part of the appetizer spread! My mom was the first one to try it, and since then, we’ve made it over and over again.
They’re everything you want from an appetizer! Cheesy, savory, crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside… Basically they’re the best. You might have to double the recipe to make sure there are enough for all your party guests!
Trust me, these spinach puffs disappear quick!
how to make spinach puffs
FILLING. Microwave your cream cheese 10 seconds at a time until it’s soft and melted but not steaming. Add egg, oil and dill into cream cheese and mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, combine spinach, feta and bacon. Pour your cream cheese mixture on top and season with salt and pepper. Use a fork to mix and combine it together.
Note: You can use frozen spinach. Be sure to squeeze out any excess liquid otherwise the puffs may become too soggy.
PUFF PASTRY. Cut pastry sheet into 9 squares. Line muffin pan with your cut squares (you might need to stretch them out a little). Press into the bottom of the muffin cups. Evenly divide the spinach among the cups.
Bring your 4 pastry points together, covering the filling, and press them together. Lightly brush with the melted butter.
BAKE, COOL, & SERVE. Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minute until golden and puffy. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then use a knife around the edges to loosen and help pop them out.
In a mini muffin tin: You’ll have to adjust the size of the cut pastry by cutting 18 squares instead of 9. otherwise the directions are the same. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.
Substitutions/additives: I love these spinach puffs as they are, but the great thing about them is you can customize them to your preference. For example: You can switch the bacon with diced ham or even diced mushrooms. You can substitute the feta with ricotta or mozzarella.
Making ahead of time
The good news is that you can make these spinach puffs ahead of time, which will give you plenty of time to prepare everything else right beforehand! You have a few options to choose from:
- You can make these up to 3 hours ahead of time. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes.
- Filling only: the filling can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. Thaw, if applicable, assemble and bake according to directions.
- Freeze uncooked: Assemble as directed in the recipe directions except place them in the freezer instead of the oven. Allow them to freeze for 2-3 hours then remove them from the muffin tin and put them in an airtight freezer container. Freeze for 1-2 months. When you’re ready to bake them put the frozen puffs back into the muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.
- Freeze Baked: Once the puffs have been baked allow them to cool. Place puffs in an airtight freezer safe container separating layers with parchment paper. Freeze for 1-2 months. Reheat in the oven before serving.
So delicious and perfect for any party, get together or holiday. 😉
For even more appetizers, check out:
- Brown Sugar Glazed Lil’ Smokies
- Homemade Bruschetta
- Jalapeno Popper Wonton Cups
- Mozzarella Sticks
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
Spinach Puffs Recipe
These puff pastry appetizers are filled with all the good stuff, including spinach, bacon bits and feta.
Ingredients
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 2 cups fresh spinach chopped and packed
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta
- 2 tsp bacon bits
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed
- 1 tbsp butter melted
Instructions
Spray 9 cups in a muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Microwave your cream cheese 10 seconds at a time until it's soft and melted but not steaming. Add egg, oil and dill into cream cheese and mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl combine spinach, feta and bacon. Pour your cream cheese mixture on top and season with salt and pepper. Use a fork to mix and combine it together.
Cut pastry sheet into 9 squares. Line muffin pan with your cut squares (you might need to stretch them out a little). Press into the bottom of the muffin cups. Evenly divide the spinach among the cups. Bring your 4 pastry points together, covering the filling, and press them together. Lightly brush with the melted butter.
- Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minute until golden and puffy. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then use a knife around the edges to loosen and help pop them out.
Recipe Video
Recipe adapted from HERE.
mmmm…these look delish!
hi, the spinach cheese puffs sound great just one question, should i use Fresh spinach? cooked/boiled or raw ?
Many thanks 🙂
Yum yum yum! These look so good.
pinned 🙂 They look awesome!
These are the BEST! I could eat 10, no joke.
LOL! Me too!!
Is the muffin tin a full size or the mini size muffin tin? The instructions in the recipe don’t indicate this. Thanks!
NOSSA KI DELICIA!!!!!
AMEI DE PAIXÃO !!
HUM DELICIA PARABÉNS!!!!!
DEU-ME ÁGUA NA BOCA DE TANTO DESEJO EM DEVORAR ESSA DELICIA..
Can you substitute diced ham for the bacon in the spinach cheese puffs? I’m going to try them. Thanks
I’ve never tried that, but I bet that would taste great. They sell mini cubed pieces in the stores. Those would be perfect!
Thanks! I’m going to a picnic on Saturday and everyone is suppose to bring an appetizer. They are going to judge them.. first,second and third place. I wanted to try a new recipe and this one looks really good. I’ve decided to make this. Which me luck! I’ll let you know how I do.
Great!! I hope you get first!! They are pretty tasty! Good luck!
Just made them this morning and they are delicious ! I think I have a good chance of winning. Thanks for the good luck wishes. I did use ham instead of bacon. Sue
The spinach puffs were a hit! Everyone loved them and I got second place. They went quickly. I made them in the muffin tins but I was wondering if you could make them in the small mini tart pans so they wouldn’t be so big for an appetizer. Well I guess I’ll be printing out some recipes for friends. Thanks for this delicious recipe.
YAY!! That’s so good to hear!! Thank you so much for letting me know! I’m sure you could make them that way, I haven’t, but I don’t see why not!
Anyone tried this with goat cheese instead of feta??
Not me, but I’d love to know how it tastes, if anyone has!!?
Feta is made with goats milk . So yes goats cheese would be perfect .
Feta is traditionally sheep milk.
I made these the first time in a regular-sized muffin pan, and they were a big hit. Everybody loved them. I made them a second time using the mini muffin pan and they were an even bigger hit – I think the smaller, bite-sized portion made them more popular.
Yay!!! I like small bites that you can just pop in your mouth! Thank you so much for letting me know!!
These look great…just a quick question. Can you serve these cold, or do they have to be warm. Want them for a work lunch and will not be able to warm up. Thanks
I’m sure you can. We just happened to eat them, as they came out, but I bet they’d taste fine!
Thanks 🙂
Mmm, these looks so good! I always love anything with feta!
Then, you’ll love these! Hope you’ll give them a try! Thanks!
Large or small muffin tins?.
I used the regular cupcake size tin 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Made it for my life group, it was a big hit everyone loved it:-)
Yay!!! I’m so glad they all loved them! Thank you so much for trying them!
Please make it easier to print recipes without all the photos.
Trying this recipe soon, thank you.
You don’t have to print all the pictures. Inside the recipe box is a print option. It should only print the recipe.
Can you make these ahead of time and freeze them uncooked? And just pop it in the oven to bake when needed?
You should be able to. I personally haven’t tried, but I don’t see why not. Hope you enjoy!
Made these spinach cheese puffs today. 24 mini muffin tin size – they all went in about 15 minutes. Grandchildren (and the rest of us) absolutely loved them. Still enough mixture left over to make more tomorrow. Yum!!!
I love hearing that!! Thank you so much for letting me know! I’m glad they were a hit!
If I bake these and refrigerate them on Friday, will they still be okay to serve on Sunday?
I haven’t made them that far in advance, but I would think so? I would refrigerate them.
These were yummy! You can’t go wrong with puff pastry! I doubled the recipe, and used 10 oz fresh baby spinach sauteed in olive oil first. I cut the 9×9 puff pastry sheets into 16 squares and had the perfect amount of filling for 64 mini muffins. I used the handle of an ice cream scoop to push the pastry in. Needs much more bacon to make sure some gets in each piece!
Thank you for letting me know! And, thank you for sharing what you did!
I’m about to make them using frozen chopped spinach but now I’m wonderful if I should have used fresh? Not clear in instructions, please help.
I haven’t tried with frozen. I think as long as you squeeze all the liquid out, it should be ok. How did it turn out?
Can these spinach puffs be made ahead and frozen before they are baked?
I am sure they could. I have not personally tried, but I think they’d be ok 🙂
71g of fat? Is that accurate?! Yikes!
Hi Judi – I computed the amount of calories and fat grams for the entire recipe and divided by 9. I calculated 251 calories and 19 fat grams per appetizer. These sound wonderful and I will try them at Christmas when we splurge. Compare that treat to a Hershey bar which has 220 calories and 8 grams of fat!
I could not print this recipe for the life of me. I clicked on the “print” button, but there’s no “send to printer” button that carries out the action. I was very frustrated so I finally sent it to myself in an email. Grrrrrr!
I am sorry. It works for me. It has to be in your computer settings. They are all so different, I wish I could help.
These were really delicious, not too complex to make and enjoyed by all. I will definitely make them again. I wonder if it would work well to cut the puff pastry into smaller squares and use a mini muffin tin as the recipe only makes nine with these instructions and theyf are fairly large.
I am so glad everyone liked them! Yes, you definitely could 🙂 They would be great smaller!
What can feta cheese be suBstituted with? Not a fan!
You could use whatever your favorite cheese is. I haven’t used other cheese, but I am sure plenty of them would be great. You could experiment with lots of different ones 😉
Could you please tell me what you mean by the calories 732kcal is that calories for each serving, cAUSE THAT’S A LOT FOR ONE SPINACH PUFF? I HAVE MADE A LOT OF YOUR RECIPES THE CALORIE COUNT ALWAYS CONFUSING ME. THANK YOU.
Has anyone trIed serving these cold? I have a convention in january and we arent allowed tk have hot food in the consuite this year. Been looking for some savory pastry ideas and these look awesome
I haven’t had them cold, maybe more room temp & they are still good, if that helps??
Love, Love, them!!!!!
Yay!! Thank you so much!
Tasty
I am glad you think so 🙂 Thank you!
Wondering if you can bake them and freeze them or is it better to keep in the refrigerator? I’m not serving them for 3 days but wanted to go ahead and bake them ahead of time.
I have not personally tried freezing them, so I wish I could tell you exactly how they’d turn out. They will be ok in the fridge.
Love this!
I am so glad you do 🙂 Thank you!
Can this be frozen. And I’d so baked or unbaked
I personally haven’t tried freezing them, so that is a good question. You can always try it both ways. Make some, but put some in the freezer before baking & some in after. I would need to find out for myself which way is the better way.
So deliCious!
Thank you for saying that!! Glad you liked them!
I made this last ThanksgiVing and mY family raved about them.
Took it to my 50th high sch reunion get together and i hadn’t set it down befote everyone was asking who made the spinach puffs and was ENCOURAGING everyone to try one. Needless to say i was requested to send everyone, INCLUDING the guys, to email them the recipe. I was so proid 🤨
You’ve made my day! I appreciate you letting me know. I am so glad you shared this recipe! Thank you!
Spinach puffs are looking yummy. Thank you for the easy procedure. Perfect and healthy party snack.
They are super easy & tasty! And, yes, the perfect party appetizer! Thank you!
Thanks for all the extra tips included with this recipe it Made making and storing really easy.
I served this as a side dish at dinner to encourage my kids to eat more veggies. It totally worked! They’re so good, they couldn’t resist.
These are delicious! A total crowd pleaser! They are great as appetizers or even as a side dish.
MY MOUTH IS WATERING JUST THINKING ABOUT THESE!
Another yummy appetizer thats semi healthy and taste great.
I’m wondering if this could work as pinwheels instead of using the muffin tin? Or do you think the filling would be too thick? Thanks!
That’s a good question. It might be too thick, but maybe not..one way to find out 🙂
Keeper, keeper, keeper!!! These were a huge hit at my dinner party and wonderfully Easy and quick to prepare! They will Be making aN appearance again! Thank you for sharing!
You are so welcome!! I am so glad you shared that! Thank you!