Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheddar Palmiers
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These vampire slayer palmiers, loaded with garlic cheddar, spicy pepper Jack, and red chilis, will repel any blood-sucking creature. (And probably anyone who wants to kiss you, if we’re being honest.) But the garlic breath is worth it because these are beyond flaky, buttery, cheesy, and a little spicy! You can serve them warm or at room temp, so they are the perfect easy make-ahead appetizer for Halloween parties or pre-trick-or-treating.
I am of what I believe is *the* vampire generation, and by that, I mean I was obsessed with Twilight when I was 13. But now that my frontal lobe is developed, I’ve evolved. Now, I love a spicy vampire novel, and Sinners is the best movie I’ve seen in the last 5 years. Refined, indeed!
All that said, with my love of Halloween and, specifically, Halloween food, I knew it was time to get vampy with it. And what screams “vampire” more than something super garlicky?
You know that I love a savory palmier, as evidenced by my parmesan everything bagel version. These ones use the same shaping technique that I learned when I was in pastry school, but you could totally do traditional pinwheels if you want to. I just thought the palmier shape felt a little more, I don’t know, spooky?
Either way, these are a hit at every party because cheese and carbs never miss. Put them on a Halloween charcuterie board or serve them alongside other spooky snacks, like Halloween snack mix or these ghosty chips with artichoke dip.
Garlic cheddar
The original inspiration for this recipe came from Face Rock Creamery’s Vampire Slayer cheese. My parents have a house near their shop in Bandon, and I always stop by to pick up this cheese when I’m in town! Of course, any garlicky cheddar will work here. You can usually find some version of it in the fancy cheese section of well-stocked grocery stores.
If for some reason you can’t find garlic cheddar cheese, don’t stress. Just use your favorite sharp white cheddar and double the amount of fresh garlic. Easy!
Shaping & baking palmiers
I like to brush a little egg wash on the puff pastry to help the cheese stick. It’s not totally necessary, but I find that it helps keep the cheese in place!
Re-crisping the cookies
If you have any leftovers, they may be a little soft right out of the fridge. But that’s ok, because you can just re-crisp them in the oven for a few minutes! Line the leftover palmiers side-by-side on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 5-8 minutes, until they’re hot and crisp.
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Easy Vampire Slayer Palmiers for Halloween
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 4 ounces garlic cheddar cheese freshly shredded (115 grams)
- 4 ounces pepper Jack cheese freshly shredded (115 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons finely minced red chili (1 big chili/20 grams)
- 2-3 teaspoons minced garlic more to taste (3-4 big cloves)
- Freshly-cracked black pepper to taste
- All-purpose flour for dusting
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry thawed (1 box/490 grams)
Equipment
- 2 large sheet pans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Then, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water in a small bowl to create the egg wash. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the shredded garlic cheddar cheese, shredded pepper Jack cheese, minced red chili, minced garlic, and black pepper.
- Unroll one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured wooden cutting board. Roll the sheet into a 10×12-inch rectangle and use a pastry brush to lightly coat the pastry with egg wash. Evenly sprinkle half of the cheese mixture on top, gently pressing down on the layer of cheese so it sticks to the puff pastry.
- Next, use a knife to gently mark the middle of the dough on the long side of the rectangle. (Don't cut all the way through, you just need to know approximately where the middle is.) With the short side of the pastry facing you, tightly roll the dough until you reach the middle of the rectangle. Flip the cutting board and tightly roll the other side of the pastry to form the palmier shape.
- Repeat the above steps with the other sheet of puff pastry and cheese mixture. Refrigerate the rolls for about 30-45 minutes or freeze for 15-20 minutes, until the dough is firm.
- Using a sharp serrated knife, trim the ends off each roll. Then, cut each roll into 18-20 slices, about 1/2-inch thick. You should have 36-40 palmiers total. Arrange the cookies about 2 inches apart on the parchment-lined sheet pans. (You may need to bake the palmiers in batches.) Brush the tops of the pastries with the remaining egg wash.
- Bake the palmiers on the middle rack of your oven for 22-25 minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until they are golden brown. Serve them warm or at room temperature and enjoy!
