Pepper Jelly & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tartlets
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Friends, if you’ve never had the magic that is hot pepper jelly and goat cheese, it’s definitely time to change that. And these pepper jelly & goat cheese puff pastry tartlets are a great place to start! These little small bites are super easy, have just 5 ingredients, and make a lovely, snackable appetizer for any get-together. I could seriously eat a whole tray all by myself!
As much as I love small bites, what I don’t love is making an appetizer when I already have to cook dinner, vacuum, and make sure I have enough wine glasses for all my guests. And what I love even less is a sink full of dishes.
So today’s recipe is an ode to the quick and easy. A recipe for those whose brain shuts down when it sees a long list of ingredients. An appetizer for people who love a shortcut. And one for those of us who love a classic pepper jelly cream cheese dip.
This past weekend, I made these little tartlets for a friend’s dinner party and I have to admit that I ate 3 on the way over. They’re just so good! When I was in pastry school, we used to make all kinds of tartlets but I especially loved the savory ones.
And this combo might just be my favorite to date! Hot pepper jelly. Crumbly goat cheese. Fresh thyme. I want to put these ingredients on everything. I’m totally obsessed. Serve them with figgy goat cheese crostini, whipped goat cheese with hot honey, or spinach ricotta puff pastry pinwheels, and you’re ready for a little happy hour at home!
A 5-ingredient appetizer
No seriously, this recipe only has 5 ingredients. And we’re using two shortcut ingredients for a semi-homemade but super delicious appetizer situation!
- Puff pastry – you can find puff pastry in the freezer aisle of the grocery store. I haven’t made homemade puff pastry since I was in pastry school, and honestly? I don’t know if I ever will again. Store-bought is just so convenient!
- Pepper jelly – I can’t tell you how much I love pepper jelly. It’s sweet, savory, spicy, tangy. Ahhh so good! Look for pepper jelly in the jam aisle or near all the artisanal cheeses.
- Goat cheese – for this recipe, you’ll want a mild and crumbly goat cheese like chèvre.
- Thyme – fresh thyme gives this recipe a pop of freshness and a nice hint of peppery, sweet flavor. I also really love using rosemary in this recipe!
- Eggs – you’ll need one egg so we can make egg wash. The egg wash is technically optional but it makes the puff pastry golden-brown and shiny!
Make sure to thaw the puff pastry before you roll it out! About 30 minutes at room temp or overnight in the fridge will do.
2 1/4 inch cookie cutter
I tested this recipe with a few different cookie cutters, but my favorite was 2 1/4 inches. It’s the perfect size for an appetizer but also holds up nicely in the oven. If you want larger tartlets, you could also use a 2 1/2 or 3 inch cookie cutter. In a pinch, a 2 inch cookie cutter will work but the tarts might be more difficult to fill.
If you don’t have cookie cutters, you can also use a shot glass, jar lid, or other round item. Just make sure it’s sharp enough to cut through the puff pastry!
How to make these tartlets
Prep the puff pastry
- Start by rolling the puff pastry into a large rectangle.
- Then, use a cookie cutter to cut as many circles out of the dough as you can.
- Use a smaller cookie cutter to score the centers of the puff pastry but don’t cut all the way through. You just want to leave a guide for the filling!
- Next, use a fork to dock the centers of the puff pastry. This will help keep them from puffing up too much!
- Whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Use a pastry brush to brush the pastry with the egg wash.
- Bake the circles at 400°F (204°C) for about 5 minutes, just until the pastry starts to puff up. Remove the pastries from the oven and use something small and round to push down the centers. Bake for 7-8 more minutes until the pastry is golden-brown.
The sides or centers of the puff pastry circles might puff back up during the second bake. If they do, no worries! Just gently press the pastry with clean fingers or a spoon to flatten the tartlets.
Fill & bake
- Fill the centers of the tartlets with hot pepper jelly.
- Then, add a slice of goat cheese to the center of each tart.
- Bake the tartlets for about 5 more minutes. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and enjoy!
Don’t over-bake the tartlets or the jelly will melt all over the place. You want to bake them just until the filling is warmed through!
Other jams to try
If you’re not a fan of spicy stuff, you’ll probably want to swap out the jelly with a different flavor. Luckily, goat cheese goes with all kinds of things! I’ve also tried this recipe with fig preserves, pear jam, and apple jelly. In the summer, these tartlets are absolutely amazing with peach or cherry preserves!
Make-ahead & reheating
Even though I think these tartlets taste best right out of the oven, you can definitely make them in advance for ease. Just place the tartlets in a single layer in an airtight container. Then, refrigerate for up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to reheat the tartlets, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake the tartlets for 5-10 minutes, until the puff pastry is flaky and the filling is heated through. If the puff pastry starts to brown too much, tent the pan with tin foil.
Keep the puff pastry chilled
The key to super flaky puff pastry is to keep it chilled. If it starts to warm up too much while you’re rolling the dough, pop it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. I also like to chill the puff pastry circles for 10-15 minutes before I brush them with egg wash. It helps the tartlets keep their shape!
Number of servings
This recipe will make 24-32 tartlets depending on the size of the cookie cutter you use. I can usually get 32 tarts with two sheets of puff pastry. If you want to halve the recipe, just use one sheet of puff pastry and freeze the other one for another time.
If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!
Pepper Jelly & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tartlets
Ingredients
- 1.1 pounds frozen puff pastry, thawed (490 grams)
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup hot pepper jelly (190 grams)
- 4 ounces crumbly goat cheese, sliced in 1/2-inch pieces (112 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Equipment
- 2 1/4 inch cookie cutter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside for later.
- Next, use a rolling pin to roll both sheets of puff pastry into 9×12-inch rectangles. Using a 2 1/4-inch cookie cutter (or another round object like a drinking glass or jar lid), cut as many circles as you can out of the puff pastry. Between both sheets, you should get about 32 circles.
- Place the puff pastry circles on the prepared sheet pans 2-3 inches apart. (You may need to work in batches.) Use a smaller cookie cutter to score a circle in the center of each puff pastry circle. Don't cut all the way through. You just want to create a guide for the center of the tartlets.
- Next, use the tines of a fork to dock the centers of the puff pastry circles. This will keep the pastry from puffing up too much. Then, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water. Use a pastry brush to brush the puff pastry circles with egg wash.
- Bake the puff pastry circles for 5-6 minutes, just until they're starting to puff up. Remove the pans from the oven and use something small and circular to push down the centers of the tartlets. I either use a spoon or the lid of a bottle of vermouth (it's the perfect size!). Make sure to leave the borders nice and puffy. Then, bake the puff pastry circles for another 7-8 minutes, until they're golden-brown.
- Remove the puff pastry circles from the oven and press down the centers if they've puffed up again. Then, fill the centers of each tartlet with 1 teaspoon of pepper jelly. Top each tartlet with a small slice of goat cheese. Bake the tartlets for 5 more minutes, just until the filling is warmed through.
- Garnish the tartlets with fresh thyme. Serve immediately and enjoy!
