Puff Pastry Dessert Bites
Creamy goat cheese and honey puff pastry dessert bites is smothered puff pastry drizzled with honey and layered with crunchy nuts. These twists are light, flakey in texture, delicate in satisfaction. I enjoy these with a cup of tea or coffee early mornings or late afternoon into the evenings. Goat cheese and honey dessert bites is the perfect sweet and savory combination wrapped in a warm, light, buttery flakey puff pastry dough that is easy to roll and simple to twist.
This puff pastry recipes is hardly a recipe, but it is a method. There is a bit of preparation for these snack sticks starting out with defrosting your dough for 20 minutes along with your goat cheese log. Then, you roll the dough between two sheet of parchment paper for easy clean up. After, you lather on the goat cheese and drizzle on the honey. The softened cheese makes it easier to spread. Lastly, top with the delicate honey crystals and crunchy pecans or walnuts and bake 20 minutes. Easy, right?
If you love easy desserts like this, try this Caramel Apple Pie
Why You'll Love This Puff Pastry Dessert Bites
- Flaky, buttery layers with crisp texture
- Quick and easy using store-bought pastry
- Endless filling options (fruit, chocolate, cream)
- Perfect for last-minute desserts
- Looks impressive with minimal effort
For another simple treat, try these Chocolate Covered Oreos
Key Ingredients You'll Need
- 1 package puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large goat cheese log, softened
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- Honey crystals, optional
- Pecans or walnuts, in pieces
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Turbinado sugar, for topping
The Puff Pastry Dough.
Puff pastry is a dough that is commonly used around the world, granting, the French were the first to perfect this dough. It’s made up of flour, butter, and salt, but it still rises without any leavening agents. It rises with steam! This thin layered puff pastry consists of many alternating layers of dough. There is a science to the dough starting with the flour you use. Pastry flour is very different than other flours when mixed with wet ingredients because of its high protein content. Sometimes, when mixed with wet ingredients it helps form a strong paste which can stand up to the heat to form flakey layers. Alternatively, to ignore the fuss I just buy puff pastry from the frozen dessert section of my grocery store.
Your Cheese Filling
Goat cheese is my current obsession! If I could pick one cheese for life, goat cheese would be my partner in crime. In the event you are in a time crunch, use whatever cheese you have on hand. Impressively, ricotta cheese is a great choice and easy to spread, as well as brie cheese which by nature easily melts when heated. This is all relative to your taste in cheese. I am here just for the suggestions! Goat cheese and honey is satisfactory for a sweet and savory combination. Any cheese you choose to add to your puff pastry the honey will compliment nicely for your dessert bits.
How to Make Puff Pastry Dessert Bites
- Remove 1 sheet of puff pastry from the package from the freezer and goat cheese log from the refrigerator. Allow to thaw for 25 minutes.
- Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Unwrap pastry dough, place between two sheets of parchment paper and roll with a rolling pin until have a 12” by 12” square. You can eye ball this. It is about the width of a standard sheet pan baking pan.
- Lather on goat cheese as you see above, then drizzle your honey, sprinkle on your crystals, and finish with your pecans or walnut pieces.
- Cut into 1” strips, you should have 8 total.
- Then, fold each strip in half, stretch it out slightly then twist to make your sticks.
- Repeat 7 more times.
- Combine your egg and water to make a wash. Using a brush, lightly coat the pastry dough then sprinkle over with the turbinado sugar.
- Bake 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, all to set for 3 minutes.
- Serve warm or room temperature. Store in zip lock bag or air tight container in the refrigerator.
- To re-heat, bring to room temperature and pop in the oven for 2 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Substitutions for honey
Maple syrup is the number on substitution! Known for it’s sweet taste it actually comes from a tree! Mother Earth has gifted us with pure maple syrup that can be pricey but yields some of the most tasty recipes. In all honesty, I use this more than pancake syrup. You can buy it in bulk at your local Costco or purchase online on Amazon for a time saver. Stick to sugar and maybe add a touch of cinnamon.
What are honey crystals?
Crystalized honey! I first opened up my package a couple years ago from Civilized Coffee to find these gems. This product is a specialty product that helps enhance a honey flavor without the gooey mess. I add honey crystals to my coffee, ice cream, oatmeal, and perhaps everything else. What crystals do in this recipe is add a sweet honey component without adding too much honey. It works wonders in recipes that involve honey like my kid approved Honey Roasted Vegetables you can easily add to help decrease the sugar levels. For these honey goat cheese twists, the honey can ooze out of the side and caramelize too much that it almost tastes burnt. To prevent that, you add the honey crystals in the filling to avoid incorporating too much liquid. If honey is not an option, these crystals have been known to save the day!
For more easy recipe tutorials and expert baking tips, subscribe to Sugar Face Bakes on YouTube and join our growing community of home bakers!
For another flaky dessert idea, try this Caramel Apple Turnovers
Stacie’s Tricks & Tips
-
Keep pastry cold before baking
-
Don’t overfill to prevent leaking
-
Bake at high temperature for proper puff
-
Use parchment paper for easy cleanup
-
Serve fresh for best texture
For a professional bakery look with easy cleanup, Caraway Home is my go-to choice. Grab yours here and use code STACIE for a festive saving!
For more baking techniques, explore
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought puff pastry for puff pastry dessert?
Yes, puff pastry dessert is most commonly made with store-bought puff pastry. It saves time and still produces flaky, bakery-style results when baked at 400°F until golden.
How long does puff pastry dessert last?
Puff pastry dessert lasts up to 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container. For best texture, reheat at 300°F for 5–8 minutes to crisp the layers again.
Can I freeze puff pastry dessert?
Yes, puff pastry dessert can be frozen for up to 1 month. Freeze after baking, then reheat directly from frozen at 325°F until warmed through and crisp.
Can I make puff pastry dessert ahead of time?
Yes, puff pastry dessert can be assembled ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. Bake fresh for the best flaky texture.
Why didn’t my puff pastry rise?
Puff pastry dessert doesn’t rise properly if the dough is too warm or the oven temperature is too low. Bake at 400°F and keep the pastry chilled before baking for best results.
More Dessert Recipes
Looking for more easy and comforting meals? Browse all recipes here:
