11 fun party snacks that start with frozen puff pastry

These golden, flaky appetizers are sure to impress your guests this holiday season.

Melissa Clark's simple potato galette comes together on a bed of puff pastry.Kerri Brouwer for DailyExpertNews. Food stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Published December 16, 2024Updated December 16, 2024

The wise Ina Garten once said – and repeated it again and again – “store-bought is fine.” And every time she was absolutely right, especially when it came to puff pastry, the ultimate way to take any party app to the next level. It is easy to work with, affordable and available at most grocery stores. Lay out a few sheets to use with these 11 golden, flaky snacks and treats that are sure to impress your guests this holiday season.

View all 17 easy puff pastry appetizer recipes on NYT Cooking.

A side image of puff pastry triangles, topped with herbs and pieces of prosciutto.

Take your charcuterie board to new heights — literally! — with this creative tower by Ali Slagle. Dough triangles with black pepper, rosemary and sage are stacked between oven-crispy prosciutto and Parmesan cheese shavings. It's almost like a delicious version of Jenga, except everyone wins.

Recipe: Parmesan Cheese and Crispy Prosciutto Tower

An image above of pastry wheels finished with sesame seeds and za'atar.

Spicy za'atar and salty Parmesan cheese go beautifully together in these crunchy snacks from Melissa Clark. The cheesy mixture is sprinkled over the frozen puff pastry, which is then rolled into blocks and cut into pinwheels before going to the oven. She recommends using puff pastry with butter, if you can find it, for an especially crispy and light crust.

Recipe: Za'atar Parmesan cheese mills

An overhead image of puff pastry turnovers with sesame crust on a white tray. A single flap opens to reveal a feta filling.

These turnovers from Nargisse Benkabbou are a quick and easy starter for any dinner party or informal get-together. A mixture of creamy feta, tangy preserved lemon, dried mint and fresh garlic is folded into store-bought puff pastry, which is then sprinkled with sesame seeds and baked for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with a drizzle of honey, which according to one reader is “not an option!”

Recipe: Savory feta turnover

An overhead image of two dozen puff pastry squares, topped with seeds and filled with raspberry preserves and chili chips.

These sweet and spicy snacks from Ali Slagle belong to the can't-stop-eating category. Small squares of puff pastry are filled with brie, raspberry preserves and chili chips, and baked until golden brown. Call your friends to help, and the assembly of these bite-sized sandwiches will fly by.

Recipe: Baked Brie Profiteroles With Chili Crisp

Twisted strings of puff pastry were placed on baking paper, finished with crispy sugar.

While these Melissa Clark twists may look like savory cheese straws at first glance, they are actually crunchy and sweet. This recipe comment says it all: “I made these exactly as written, and for me they are some of the best and easiest Christmas cookies. Coconut-caramel-crispy butter pastry… totally my thing. Actual work time is minimal and perfect when you're wandering around in the cold doing other things. Everyone, including non-coconut lovers, was enthusiastic about it.”

Recipe: Crispy coconut twists

An image from above of a plate with a puff pastry covered Brie surrounded by radicchio leaves.

Ready in 45 minutes, this recipe from Tejal Rao proves that baking is a great way to turn a wheel of cheese into something delicious. Here camembert – the kind you can find in any supermarket – is wrapped tightly in puff pastry and baked until golden brown. Serve it alongside a simple salad. Bitter leaves like radicchio usually work best, but do what makes you happy.

Recipe: Baked camembert salad

Puff pastry curls finished with sesame and spring onion lie on a sheet of baking paper.

This is Ali Slagle's fun twist (pun intended) on the classic cheese straw. But instead of cheese, her twists are decorated with ginger, scallions, nori, peanuts and red pepper flakes. Serve them at your next cocktail party, or really anytime you need a crowd pleaser.

Recipe: Ginger-scallion twists

Six rectangles of puff pastry, topped with caviar and chips, are photographed from above.

This buttery potato cake from Melissa Clark is a twist on the classic holiday combination: sour cream, caviar and potatoes. Spread cooked young potatoes – sliced and mixed with sour cream, Parmesan cheese and chives – on a puff pastry crust. And then, just before serving, top it all with crumbled potato chips (for crunch!) and caviar (for a salty pop!). According to one reader, “the hardest part was avoiding eating the chips and caviar before making the cake.”

Recipe: Crispy potato and sour cream pie

Round figs and sausages wrapped in puff pastry are photographed from above on a white speckled tray.

“I made these as a Thanksgiving appetizer and they stole the show. I received so many compliments,” one reader wrote about Melissa Clark's sweet and savory hors d'oeuvres. Your friends and family will also praise you if you fill them with dried figs and prosciutto or salami.

Recipe: Figs and pigs in a blanket

A folded package of baked Brie has been cut open to reveal the oozing cheese inside. It is surrounded by crackers, grapes and blackberries.

Bring this liquid, pastry-wrapped, baked Brie to the holiday and you'll be voted MVP. Don't be tempted to use a fancy cheese shop brie. This recipe works best with the supermarket type. Choose a flavor of marmalade or jam for the topping, bake and enjoy.

Recipe: Baked Brie

Sliced potatoes on top squares of puff pastry on a baking sheet.

Store-bought puff pastry does most of the heavy lifting in this cheesy potato pie from Sue Li. Ricotta, goat cheese and peppers are mixed together and spread evenly over the dough, which is then studded with sliced cooked baby potatoes, preferably in different colours, before going into the oven for 20 minutes. The presentation is so beautiful that you'll definitely want guests to witness it (or at least take photos).

Recipe: Potato Pie with Goat Cheese and Thyme

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