Description
These Cranberry Cream Cheese Appetizer Bites are a sweet and savory holiday treat perfect for entertaining. Featuring buttery crescent dough filled with tangy cream cheese and topped with flavorful whole berry cranberry sauce and crunchy pecans, each mini bite offers a festive burst of flavor. Easy to assemble and quick to bake, these delightful finger foods are sure to be a crowd-pleaser at any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough Cups
- 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough
For the Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 tsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp honey (optional)
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a mini muffin pan to prevent sticking.
- Form Dough Cups: Unroll the crescent dough and cut it into 24 equal squares. Press each square gently into the cups of the mini muffin tin, creating small dough cups to hold the filling.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese with a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Bites: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into each dough cup. Top each with 1 teaspoon of whole berry cranberry sauce. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top. For extra flavor, drizzle lightly with honey and sprinkle orange zest over each bite.
- Bake: Place the mini muffin pan in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crescent dough is golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and allow the appetizer bites to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- You can use leftover homemade cranberry sauce or store-bought for convenience.
- Substitute chopped walnuts or almonds if you prefer over pecans.
- For a warm, spiced flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the cream cheese mixture.
