Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Bites

Frozen puff pastry is a great staple to have in your freezer at all times. It can transform almost any ingredient into a showstopping bake. This recipe uses the freezer staple and the humble onion to make a mini holiday appetizer that wows. These are a great finger food to pile onto a platter for your Thanksgiving dinner or holiday celebration, but would be equally delicious served with a side salad as an elegant lunch. You’ll be amazed at how easy they are to make and how impressed people will be when they eat one.

Remember to leave enough time for your puff pastry to thaw before you start—it takes about 4 hours in the refrigerator. Caramelizing onions takes a bit of time and a watchful eye, but the deep onion-y flavor is well worth it. If your onions start to burn or stick to the pan, simply add a tablespoon or two of water to loosen them and slow down the cooking. The water will evaporate, leaving behind perfectly caramelized onions. A tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, stirred in at the end, balances the deep umami flavor of the onions with a hit of acid.

Once the onions are cooled to room temperature, you’ll scoop a bit of them onto each puff pastry square with a little crumbled goat cheese for creaminess and tang. The final step is a light drizzle of honey for that salty sweet combination everyone loves. It’s a good time to bust out a good-quality honey that you’ve been saving. 

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!