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Spicy Red Pepper Baked Ricotta Dip

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Ricotta cheese and roasted red bell peppers get a kick from some chipotle peppers in this Spicy Red Pepper Baked Ricotta Dip. Perfect for entertaining!

Baked ricotta in cast iron skillet with spicy red pepper sauce, served with bread.

We like a hint of spicy in our food and this baked ricotta recipe delivers. We made this for company, we all tasted it, Ohh'd and Ahh'd, said how good it was. . . . Then got more. Said "This is REALLY good!" To which everyone agreed and we just continued eating and repeating. REALLY - this is amazing!

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Roasting Red Peppers

While roasting peppers is easy and is mostly 'inactive time' (put it in the oven and leave it), it does take some time. Allow about 45 minutes to completely roast and peel the peppers

Basic Steps for Roasting Red Peppers

  • Roast the pepper. Place in a 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven or roast over a flame until skin is charred.
  • Let cool slightly. Put pepper in a covered dish and let cool. This will help steam the skin a little so it peels right off.
  • Peel the pepper. Once the pepper has cooled enough to touch, gently remove the stem and seeds from the pepper. Pull the skin off.
  • Transfer to airtight container. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
Roasting red pepper.

Time Saving Tips for Roasted Red Peppers

  • Roasted red peppers freeze great! We like to roast 3-4 peppers at a time. Remove stem, seeds, and skin then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Remove the amount of peppers you need, thaw them in the refrigerator, and use them in your recipe.
  • Purchase already roasted red peppers. Most grocery stores carry them in cans, jars, and fresh in the deli sections.

Peppers and Heat

A Little History! An American pharmacist named Wilbur Scoville found a way to measure the amount of capsaicin in peppers. Capsaicin is the main chemical that makes hot peppers spicy hot! The level of spicy heat is measure in Scoville Heat Units (SHU) using the Scoville Scale. There is a HUGE difference in the heat level of peppers.

  • Bell peppers are at the bottom with a rating of 0 SHU (means no heat).
  • Jalapeño peppers, commonly used in cooking, rate 2500-8000 SHU.
  • Ghost peppers, which most of us have heard of, measures 855,000 SHU. THAT'S HOT!
  • Pure Capsaicin is at the top of the scale with a rating of 15,000,000 SHU - Umm, NO - JUST NO!!
Red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper and chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.

So, where do chipotle peppers land? Chipotle peppers are just a dried, smoked jalapeno pepper. Most of us can handle this level of heat in small doses making the chipotle a great pepper, with a wonderful smoky spiciness, to use when cooking. If this is your first time using them, start with ½ a chipotle pepper, mix, taste, and add more until you reach the desired heat level. It is easy to add more chipotle peppers but hard to remove the heat.

If it does get too hot, add more tomatoes to the sauce until the heat is the desired level. If there is more sauce than needed when it is adjusted, freeze any leftover to use in this recipe again (like next week when the craving strikes!) or in a red sauce for an extra boost of flavor!

Have fun and play with the flavors of different peppers in this spicy red pepper baked ricotta appetizer. Use a favorite hot pepper instead of the chipotle. We recommend roasting or smoking the peppers before using them. Remove stem, seeds, and peel, add to the sauce ingredients, and blend.

Red pepper, chipotle peppers, garlic, salt, and pepper in individual dishes and blended into sauce.

Make Ahead Tips

Make the spicy roasted red pepper sauce up to three days in advance. Store in an airtight container until ready to make the dip. Assemble the dip earlier in the day and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. NOTE: DO NOT use a glass baking dish if moving straight from the cold refrigerator to the hot oven, as the dish may break. We recommend a cast iron skillet or metal baking dish.

Unbaked ricotta cheese topped with spicy red pepper sauce.

Substitutions and Additions

Cheese. Use any cheese that is soft and creamy; ricotta, goat, or cream cheese. Use goat cheese for a stronger, bolder flavor, use ½ goat cheese and ½ ricotta cheese, or add in some cream cheese. Throw in a little feta or gruyere. Watch the bake times if using different cheeses since some cheese bakes faster than others.

Serve this baked ricotta appetizer with fresh veggies (broccoli, bell peppers, cucumbers, celery) instead of bread and crackers. Add a drizzle of balsamic reduction right before serving for a little extra pop!

Baked ricotta with roasted red pepper served on bread.

How To Serve This Spicy Dip

We love baking and serving this spicy red pepper baked ricotta right in a cast iron skillet. NOTE: This will not transfer to a different dish for serving without mixing it together, so bake this in a dish that is good to use for serving. Serve with artisan bread, crostini, crackers, or veggies good for dipping (celery, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, cucumbers).

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Once transferred to a dish, the cheese and spicy red pepper mixture will tend to run together. While it may not look as presentable, it will taste great, just reheat in oven until warm. We also love the leftovers tossed with hot pasta, with additional sauce or on its own.

Other favorite cheese appetizers

Baked ricotta cheese with spicy roasted red pepper sauce on crostini.

FAQ's

I don't have any chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, can I still make this?

It is possible but it can get a little complicated with trying to get the flavor just right. It is a combination of chipotle powder, vinegar and extra tomato for the sauce. We recommend grabbing a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for the pantry. Extra chipotles in adobo sauce will freeze great in an airtight container.

Is this a good option to serve for a large party?

YES! This is an easy dish to multiply. Make one large dish or, if your party is over many hours, make multiple, smaller dishes. Bake them as needed and serve the dish hot throughout the night.

Grilled Tomato Crostini

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This Grilled Tomato Crostini recipe is a perfect use for those sweet, ripe tomatoes. A nice smoky flavor from the grill makes these a new favorite tomato appetizer.

Grilled tomatoes, onions, and basil on a grilled crostini.

What's not to love about tomatoes on toasty bread? The smokey flavor of grilling the tomatoes first adds another level of flavor that is #lipsmacking!

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Steps for Making Grilled Tomato Crostini

This recipe is a great way to use those summer tomatoes and fresh basil. Throw in some red onions and french bread and you have a delicious crostini appetizer ready in just 20 minutes!

  • Lightly brush the french bread with olive oil on both sides. Grill each side until toasty and golden brown. Cut each piece of french bread into crostini sized pieces.
  • Cut the fresh tomatoes in half.
  • Toss the tomatoes and onion with the olive oil and garlic. Grill both sides.
  • Rough dice the grilled tomatoes and onions and add the chopped, fresh basil.
  • Stir and serve immediately with the crostini.
Tomatoes, red onion, fresh basil, garlic, olive oil and french bread for grilled tomato crostini.

Tips for Making Crostini?

Crostini means little toasts. However, since we are actually grilling this on our outdoor grill we are using a larger slices of French bread for ease. We brush each piece with oil, grill both sides, and then cut into smaller 'little toasts'! The number of slices of bread needed will depend on the size of your slices. A smaller loaf, with small slices, may only give 2 crostini per slice and 12 slices will be used. A larger French loaf, with bigger slices, might yield 3-4 crostini size pieces from each slice and 6-8 slices will be used. The crostini can also be made in the oven as directed in our Homemade Crostini recipe.

Grilling french bread for crostini.

Our Favorite Riffs

This is a great base recipe for a tomato basil crostini and so easy to make this your own.

  • Add corn. Grill some fresh corn, remove from the cob, and add to the tomato mixture.
  • Bring in some cheese. Whipped feta cheese or whipped goat cheese is delicious with this bite. Spread it onto the crostini before topping with the warm tomato mixture.
  • Use different oils. Use an infused olive oil, herb or garlic would be great! Use butter instead of olive oil.
  • Drizzle balsamic reduction over crostini. A small drizzle of balsamic reduction over the top of each tomato topped crostini adds a sweet flavor to each bite.
Halved tomatoes and onion with garlic and olive oil.

Equipment We Used

We made this recipe on our outside BBQ grill (both charcoal or gas work great.) Put the bread, tomatoes and onions directly on the BBQ grill, we kept the ingredients large to make grilling directly on the grill possible. Using a BBQ grill pan can make turning the ingredients easier, but it's not necessary. If using one, make sure to lightly oil the grill pan before placing the ingredients on the pan.

If you don't have a grill this can also be made in the oven for a roasted tomato crostini!

  • Crostini. Brush with olive oil. Place in 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 7-8 minutes. Turn each piece over and bake another 7-8 minutes until they are a light golden brown. Remove and cut into crostini size pieces.
  • Roasted Tomatoes and Onion. After coating with the oil and garlic, place on a baking sheet and roast in a 425 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes. Turn each tomato and onion over. Cook another 5-10 minutes until tomatoes are sizzling. Dice, mix with basil, serve.
Grilling tomatoes and onions for grilled tomato crostini.

Time Saver Tips

We love this grilled (or roasted) but if you are in a hurry skip that step. Dice the tomatoes and onions, combine with 2 cloves minced garlic and basil. Serve with crostini.

Purchase pre-sliced french bread. While making homemade crostini is VERY easy and they are so good, using pre-made crostini also works.

Make Ahead Tips

Make the crostini up to a day in advance and store in an airtight container on the counter until ready to serve. Crostini can be served at room temperature or heated in a 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit oven until warm, 2-3 minutes.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, these grilled tomatoes and onions will save in the refrigerator. It can be drained and used within 2 days on crostini or added to a marinara or spaghetti sauce. We even reduced this and then blended into a pizza sauce. It was delicious!

Diced grilled tomatoes, onions, and basil.

Other favorite crostini recipes

Grilled tomato, onion, and basil served with grilled crostini.

Some FAQ's about Grilled Tomato Crostini

What's the difference between crostini and bruschetta?

They are both oiled, toasted bread. Crostini are small pieces while bruschetta is larger pieces. If you didn't cut the slices of French bread into smaller pieces, you would have bruschetta.

What if I don't have a BBQ grill?

No problem. This can also be made in the oven. Make homemade crostini, roast tomatoes, red onion, and garlic in a 425 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 15-20 minutes turning over half way through cooking. Dice, mix with basil, and serve.

Homemade Crostini

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Homemade crostini are easy and quick to make plus so much fresher than store bought! Serve with your favorite crostini toppings - tomatoes, cheese, meats - they are all fantastic.

Straight cut and angled cut baked crostini.
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Basic Steps for Making Homemade Crostini

It is almost embarrassing how easy crostini are to make. This basic crostini recipe only uses 2 ingredients; a baguette and olive oil. That's it!

  • Slice your bread - baguette, French, Italian, rustic - they all work great.
  • Brush with olive oil.
  • Bake or grill until golden brown and crispy.

We want the the bread to get crispy and toasty but not hard. Baking the bread too long will make them dry and hard. Since a topping is going on the crostini, there is a little wiggle room for baking time but keep an eye on them and check them as the bake time is reached.

Baguette and olive oil for crostini.

Crostini vs. Bruschetta

We hear people use these two words interchangeably. While they are similar there is a difference. Is it a big difference? NO! Is it a crucial difference? NO! Is it a 'recipe destroyer' if used incorrectly? Absolutely not!

Bottom line - they are both slices of bread, brushed with oil, and grilled or toasted.

What is Bruschetta

Bruschetta definitions differ a little. Some definitions say a thick slice of bread, a large slice of bread, or Italian bread. The consensus is that bruschetta is large pieces of toasted, sliced bread, whether it is sliced thick or thin. They are then topped with different toppings

Many use the term bruschetta to mean toasted bread with a tomato garlic mixture on top. While this is true, the bruschetta part is actually just the toasty bread.

What is Crostini

Crostini actually means small pieces of toasted bread or little toasts. They are usually served with a topping as an appetizer.

Differences Between Crostini and Bruschetta

The main difference is the size of the bread. That's it! The same bread, toasting method, and oil can be used when making crostini and bruschetta. If you make "small pieces" you have crostini, perfect for an appetizer. If you make larger pieces you have bruschetta, perfect for a side or heavier bites. Cut larger pieces of bread into smaller pieces - you go from bruschetta to crostini!

So, calling something a bruschetta instead of a crostini or a crostini instead of a bruschetta really isn't a crucial issue. Who knows, maybe this will be a winning question in a trivia game and you'll be the hero because you know the answer!

Cutting Bread for Crostini

When slicing a baguette for homemade crostini we like slicing in one of two ways.

Slice straight across the bread so you have a more roundish slice or slice at an angle so you have more of an oval slice. They both work great. We like the look of slicing at an angle especially if serving the crostini in a dish or basket. They can stand up in the dish and be arranged to look great.

Angle cut and straight cut on baguette.

Equipment We Used

We used a heavy duty baking sheet and a Silpat nonstick silicone baking mat to line our sheet pan. No silpat? A piece of parchment paper also works great. We love the silpat mats because they are reusable. Just wash, dry and use again!

A pastry brush or Misto Oil Sprayer is also useful for getting the olive oil on the bread in this easy homemade crostini recipe. You want just enough oil to crisp the bread but not so much that is oily after toasting.

Bread brushed with olive oil for homemade crostini.

Our Favorite Riffs

Making crispy crostini at home, besides being so easy and delicious, allows for variety.

  • Flavored Olive Oil. There are so many infused olive oils available now - or make your own! These crostini would be especially good with garlic or herb infused oils.
  • Butter. We also love these with butter instead of olive oil. Just lightly spread butter on the sliced bread and toast as directed.
  • Fresh Herbs. Add some chopped fresh herbs to olive oil before brushing on the bread slices.
  • Fresh Garlic. We like placing a clove or two of peeled garlic in the olive oil and letting it sit for up to an hour before brushing the oil on the bread. No time to wait for the garlic and oil to sit? Brush the oil on the bread and then rub a clove of garlic over the bread and oil for a very subtle garlic flavor.
  • Kosher Salt. Sprinkle a bit of coarse kosher salt on the bread after brushing with the olive oil.
  • Black Pepper. A sprinkle of black pepper adds a unique flavor to any crostini.

Time Saver Tips

While we frequently use a pastry brush for the olive oil, we also love using our Misto Oil Sprayer to coat the bread with the oil. Make sure the Misto Sprayer stays pressurized to maintain a steady, light spray of oil. Olive oil can also be lightly drizzled over the bread slices, just be careful to not get too much on the bread.

Save a little time by purchasing pre-sliced baguettes. Most bakeries and grocery store bakery sections will either slice them for you or have them already sliced.

Baked Crostini on a black board.

Make Ahead Tips

These are great made ahead of time. Crostini will last up to three days in an airtight container but are definitely fresher if used within 24 hours. We like to make them the morning of or day before they are needed. If storing them, completely cool the crostini and place them in an airtight container on the counter until ready to use.

While crostini are great served at room temperature they can also be heated before serving. Heat in a 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit oven for a couple minutes until warm. Leaving them in too long will dry them out and make them hard to eat.

Why Use Crostini Instead of Bread

We now know that crostini are small, toasty, delicious slices of bread. Using crunchy crostini instead of just bread adds texture to appetizers plus crostini makes most appetizers seem more formal or fancy and just plain exciting! Crostini works especially good if your topping is soft like cheese, tomatoes, or spreads.

Other favorite crostini recipes

Crostini standing up in a dish for serving.

Some Common FAQ's

How do I tell if the crostini are done?

The bread should be slightly crisp and golden brown. It should not be hard.

How do I serve crostini?

Crostini can be served warm or room temperature. Top each crostini with your topping of choice and serve on a platter or serve crostini in a basket with a dish of toppings on the side.

What is the best bread for homemade crostini?

We recommend using almost any fresh bread - think from the bakery section or homemade breads. Baguettes (perfect size!), French bread, sourdough, rustic breads, Italian bread, and flavored breads will all work. If using a larger piece cut into smaller 'crostini sized pieces' either before or after toasting. While processed sandwich breads will work in a pinch they would be our last choice for type of bread to use.

Can I freeze crostini?

We don't recommend freezing baked crostini. There is a risk of them getting dry, tough, or soggy if frozen. If you are not ready to make the crostini yet, slice and freeze the bread. When ready to make them thaw the bread, brush with oil, and bake. They are so fast freezing isn't necessary.

Buffalo Chicken Cocktail Meatballs

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These Buffalo Chicken Cocktail Meatballs provide all the flavor of buffalo chicken without the mess of eating wings! A delicious cocktail meatball that's perfect for a party, holiday gathering, or dinner!  

Buffalo chicken meatballs with a pick on a board.

These mini meatballs are amazing as an appetizer! All the flavor of our favorite buffalo chicken wings without the mess. Serve with blue cheese dressing on the side for a dip. A perfect game day appetizer!

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Ingredients

This easy buffalo chicken meatball recipe has just a few basic ingredients and only take 30 minutes to make.

  • Ground chicken - Buy pre-ground or grind your own using chicken breasts.
  • Buffalo sauce - We used Frank's but there are so many goods ones available. Find a favorite wing sauce and use it here!
  • Crumbled blue cheese - Use crumbles or crumble your favorite brand yourself.
  • Green onions -These add a pop of color and flavor to the meatballs.
  • Pantry staples - Panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper
Ingredients of ground chicken, blue cheese, panko, green onions, and buffalo sauce for buffalo chicken meatballs.

Equipment We Used

We used a Silpat nonstick silicone baking mat to line our baking sheet pans. We love silpats because they are reusable. Just wash, dry and use again! No silpat? Use parchment paper instead.

We like to use a cookie scoop to shape the meatballs - it gives us consistent sizes and makes the shaping process quick and easy. We use a 2-teaspoon size cookie scoop for these cocktail meatballs, which will yield around 30 mini meatballs. You can also use a 1 Tablespoon scoop, which will give you about 18 meatballs. You can always double or triple the recipe with the handy 2x and 3x buttons in the recipe card below for extra meatballs - make them as big or small as you like!

Picks. We do not recommend using colored toothpicks as the color can come off on the food. We like to use a reusable toothpick, but recognize if you are hosting a large party this may not be feasible. For large parties use a decorative toothpick when possible - like a bamboo knotted toothpick. These are found at most party stores, some grocery stores, or restaurant supply stores. Here are a few of our favorite pick sources.

Mixing buffalo chicken meatball ingredients.

Substitutions for Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

We expect the blue cheese flavor when we think buffalo chicken. Don't love blue cheese? Substitute feta, goat, or white cheddar instead. Just make sure it is in small pieces or crumbles.

It is very easy to grind your own chicken for this recipe - even without a meat grinder. We used a skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut it into pieces, placed it in our food processor with the metal blade, and pulsed it until it was the desired texture. We liked it as small chunks, not completely smooth. Of course, if you have a meat grinder, this is a great time to pull it out! Ground turkey would also work for this recipe.

We made these with the Panko bread crumbs and without. We liked the texture and feel of those with the Panko better, but it definitely worked without them if a gluten free option is needed.

Time Saver Tips

  • Using a small cookie scoop is the biggest time saver. It is very easy to make consistent size meatballs and requires very little rolling after forming.
  • While grinding your own chicken in a food processor only takes a few minutes, using pre-ground chicken is a definite time saver.
  • Blue cheese crumbles are readily available in most stores and will also save a few minutes.

Make Ahead Tips

This is a great make ahead recipe. Store buffalo chicken balls in an airtight container as described below. 

Form meatballs in advance & bake later

Form the meatballs as directed, then store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 24 hours. When you're ready to serve, transfer meatballs straight from the fridge to the baking sheet and bake as directed. It may take a few extra minutes if you're putting the meatballs in the oven straight from the refrigerator.

Freeze unbaked meatballs in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month. When you're ready to serve, defrost meatballs overnight in the fridge (and then bake as directed) or bake them straight from frozen in a cast iron skillet at 400° F until cooked through (this usually takes 20-30 minutes). Meatballs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 160° F.

Bake meatballs in advance

Form and bake the meatballs as directed but don't toss with the final buffalo sauce. Let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you're ready to serve, transfer meatballs to a sheet pan or baking dish and heat in a 350° F oven until warmed through (about 10 minutes). Toss with additional Buffalo Sauce before serving.

Freeze baked meatballs in an airtight container up to one month. When ready to serve, defrost meatballs in the refrigerator overnight, place on sheet pan or baking dish, and reheat in a 350º F oven about 10 minutes or until warm. To reheat straight from the freezer: place frozen meatballs in a covered dish and reheat in a 350º F oven until warm, usually 20-25 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Toss meatballs with additional Buffalo Sauce before serving.

Do not place a cold dish - especially glass or ceramic - into a hot oven, as the temperature difference can cause the dish to break. Use a metal or cast iron dish, bring food to room temperature before placing in the oven, or place the dish into a cold oven and then turn the oven on. Cooking time will need to be increased if placing into a cold oven.

Formed and baked buffalo chicken meatballs.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, these buffalo chicken cocktail meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Loving this Buffalo Chicken Meatball?
Try our Buffalo Chicken Mini Burgers with our Mini Burger Buns - so cute and delicious!

Buffalo Chicken Cocktail Meatballs in a dish.

Some more favorite bites

FAQ's for Buffalo Chicken Cocktail Meatballs

Are these gluten free?

The recipe, as written, has bread crumbs. HOWEVER, we did test them without them and they were still delicious. We liked the texture better with the Panko, but leaving the Panko bread crumbs out still gives a delicious buffalo chicken meatball.

Can I use something besides blue cheese?

Not a huge fan of blue cheese? Reduce the amount or substitute white cheddar, smoked gruyere, or feta. 

How do I serve these?

We love this cocktail size meatball as an appetizer. Serve with a side of blue cheese dressing or more wings sauce. To keep these bites warm and food safe over time, keep them in a chafing dish or on a warming plate. We like eating these with a pick instead of a fork and plate. Our 20 years catering experience shows people will take A LOT more if these are served with a spoon and there are plates and forks available.

Buffalo Chicken Cocktail Meatballs in a dish with cocktail picks.

Sesame Seed Wonton Crackers

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These quick and easy baked sesame seed wonton crackers are a delicious, crispy any day snack. They are also perfect on a cheese plate or alongside a favorite dip!

Sesame Seed Wonton Crisps in a bowl

Homemade wonton wrapper crackers are so easy to make and will quickly become a new favorite! They are great on a cheese plate, as an everyday snack, or at your holiday party as an appetizer! Make sure you store them in an airtight container - otherwise they will be eaten before your party begins!

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Ingredients

It doesn't get much easier than this snack cracker!

  • Wonton wrappers - We used ½ of a package of 3 inch square wonton wrappers.
  • Olive oil - A good oil will make a big difference!
  • Sesame seeds - For a slightly nutty flavor and extra crunch.
  • Salt and Pepper - We like fresh ground pepper and coarse salt for this recipe.
Ingredients of wonton wrappers, salt, sesame seeds, and olive oil for sesame seed wonton crackers.

Equipment We Used

No fancy equipment required for these easy baked wonton chips! We used a reusable Silpat nonstick silicone baking mat to line our baking sheet pans. No silpat? Use parchment paper instead. We also used a silicone pastry brush to brush a light layer of oil on the crackers.

Some Favorite Riffs

Try these sesame seed wonton crackers with different seeds; poppy seeds, everything bagel seasoning, black sesame seeds, or sunflower seeds. Use vegetable oil, canola oil, coconut oil, or melted butter instead of olive oil.  Cut the square wontons in rectangles, triangles, or mini squares.  

Wonton crackers with sesame seeds on a sheet pan.

Time Saver Tips

We love the Misto Oil Sprayer and it is a big time saver! Use it to lightly coat the wonton wrappers with oil. The key is to make sure the cracker is lightly coated, not swimming in oil and not dry. Make sure to keep the canister pressurized for a more even spray across all the crackers.

Make Ahead Tips

These are great to make ahead of time and have ready to serve. Make them up to 3 days in advance and store on the counter in an airtight container.

Saving Leftovers

If you are lucky enough to have any leftover wonton crisps, ours are always devoured, they will last 3-4 days in an airtight container on the counter. 

NOTE: this recipe calls for half a package of 3 inch wonton wrappers. If you don’t want to make the entire package (which would double the recipe), the uncooked wrappers freeze great! Wrap in their package and place in an airtight container (we like our stasher bags for this) and place in the freezer for up to 9 months. They thaw quickly either on the counter or in the refrigerator. 

Other Favorite Wonton Cracker Recipes

Sesame Seed Wonton Crackers in a bowl

Other favorites from our recipe collection

Some Common Wonton Chip FAQ's

Are these vegetarian?

Yes, they are! However, the wrappers do have gluten.

Where do I find wonton wrappers?

Most grocery stores now carry the wrappers. You may have to ask where they are in the store. We have found them in the deli section, vegetable section, or by the packaged cheese. 

Feta, Cilantro and Roasted Red Pepper Spread

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This feta, cilantro and roasted red pepper spread is a super easy make ahead, cheese appetizer. Vegetarian.

Baguette slice with feta cheese, cilantro, and roasted red peppers.

Salty, tangy feta cheese and cilantro spread on a baguette slice topped with roasted red pepper slices. YUM! This is one of our favorite appetizer recipes. It is SO. EASY. and SO. DELICIOUS. We have frequently made extra feta spread just to have for sandwiches the next day! #Nojudgement.

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What's the Difference Between Spreads, Dips, and Crostini?

Great question and one that keeps coming up again and again! It seems like the term 'spreads' are such a 70's term - or 60's - or 50's - years ago. But sometimes the word just fits. In general, (there are always exceptions to the rules):

  • A dip, as the name says, is food that you dip something into.
    • Dips are usually thinner than spreads and tend to run or drip off the medium of choice like; veggies, crackers, chips, or bread.
  • A spread is something, that again as the name implies, you spread on something.
    • They are usually thicker and firmer than a dip. They hold their shape and usually require a knife to put on something like a cracker or bread.
  • A crostini, while used when discussing both spreads and dips, is actually the SOMETHING that is either dipped into or gets something spread onto the top.
    • Crostini is just a fancy name for small pieces of crispy, toasty bread - usually baguette slices.
    • Bruschetta is a name for larger pieces of crispy, toasty bread. We have come to think of bruschetta as the tomato-y topping on crostini but it is actually just a name for the toasty bread and can be topped with many different toppings.

Ingredients

Baguette, feta cheese, cilantro, red pepper, and olive oil in individual dishes.

This feta cheese spread really is so easy. Mix a few basic ingredients, spread on bread, eat!

  • Roasted red bell pepper - We use a medium size pepper.
  • Feta cheese - Crumbled or block both work great.
  • Cilantro - Use the leaves from fresh cilantro. NOTE: hate cilatro? use parsley instead!
  • Olive oil - We like using a good extra virgin olive oil whenever we can.
  • Baguette slices - This is great with a soft slice of bread, but it is equally good on a crostini.

Easy steps to feta spread

Roasting and peeling red peppers.

Roast the red pepper in a hot oven until the skin begins to char (image 1). Remove from the oven, place in a bowl, and cover for 5-10 minutes to help loosen the skin (image 2). Uncover and peel off the skin - it should come off easily (image 3). Remove the stem and seeds by pulling on the stem; most seeds and membranes should come with it. If needed, gently scrape out any remaining seeds (image 4). Finally, slice the roasted red pepper into thin strips and set aside until ready to assemble.

Mixing feta cheese, cilantro, and olive oil.

While the red pepper is roasting, make the feta spread by adding the feta cheese, cilantro, and olive oil to a mixing bowl and mixing until well combined. You can do this with a fork, a hand mixer, or a food processor. Using a fork takes a little more time but is definitely doable. A hand mixer is much faster and still keeps a lot of the nice feta pieces, while a food processor is the quickest method, it creates a smooth creamy spread.

Assemble or plate

These appetizers can be assembled in advance or as a build-your-own station for guests.

  • To assemble: Spread the feta-cilantro cheese mixture onto each baguette slice and top with one or two strips of roasted red pepper.
  • For a DIY station: Serve the feta-cilantro cheese mixture in a dish with a small knife, the roasted red peppers in another dish with a small fork, and the sliced baguette nearby.

For added convenience, you might also include a small example platter to guide your guests. Prepare a few when the plate is empty, and your guests will quickly catch on!

Equipment We Used

All that is needed for this feta spread is a pan to roast the red pepper and a bowl to mix the cheese mixture. The key to making feta spreadable is to mix it thoroughly with the olive oil. We have tested different methods for mixing the cheese. While everything can easily be mixed by hand, we also used

  • A Hand Mixer. This worked great! It is fast and easy to get the cheese, cilantro and oil mixed together thoroughly so we have an easy spreading feta mixture. The hand mixer is our tool of choice if not doing this by hand.
  • A Blender and Food Processor. Unless we are making a large batch, it usually takes more oil to get a good mix in a blender or food processor. We tried a single serve blender container (Love our Ninja!) and it was still using more oil than desired. While these can work, they are not our recommended choice for this recipe.
  • An Immersion Blender. This produced similar results to a blender, it required more olive oil than we desired. Using more oil makes the spread heavier in texture and flavor.

Substitutions

We like the flavor of feta cheese and think it pairs beautifully with the roasted red peppers and cilantro. Using a creamy whipped feta mixture is also delicious! Whipped cheese mixtures frequently have other cheese (like cream cheese) in them which will cut the tangy, salty flavor of the feta but it will still be delicious! If using a whipped cheese mixture, add the olive oil gradually. Depending on the whipped cheese, you may not need very much, or any, oil when mixing in the herbs to get a spreadable consistency.

We know there are many people who are cilantro adverse, and while cilantro adds a lot of flavor to this dish, parsley also works great. It will change the flavor, but still be delicious! 

Time Saver Tips

Use a hand mixer to mix the feta cheese, cilantro, and olive oil. It will make a creamier and less ‘rustic’ feeling spread but will save a time and still be delicious. 

Don’t pre-make the bites. Set up a DIY station with a dish of the feta cheese mix, a dish of the sliced/diced red peppers, and a basket of bread and let your guests make their own bite! We have found that making a few on the platter helps your guests know how they should eat this.

Purchase an already sliced baguette.

Purchase roasted red peppers and slice them. You can find them in jars or some deli sections. You may also be able to purchase sliced or diced roasted red peppers (usually at specialty counters).

Make Ahead Tips

Roast the red peppers up to 5 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Make the feta cheese and cilantro mixture up to 5 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, the cheese mixture and roasted red peppers will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator, in individual dishes, for up to 5 days. We LOVE using this spread as a sandwich. You can eat it by itself or add some sliced turkey or chicken.

Some Other Favorite Dip and Spread Recipes

Baguette slice with feta cheese, cilantro, and roasted red peppers.

Common FAQ's

Do I have to roast my red peppers?

This would not be good without roasted red peppers. HOWEVER, you can purchase already roasted red peppers in the store. They are usually found in jars by the condiments or in the specialty cheese sections.

What if my feta mixture isn't spreadable?

If your feta mixture is difficult to spread, there are a few things to check:

Make sure the cheese mixture is not too cold. Remove it about 10 minutes before serving or assembling.
Confirm you've added enough olive oil and mixed thoroughly. Add olive oil in small amounts, as a little goes a long way, and too much can make the mixture overly oily.
For a more rustic spread, small feat pieces are normal. For a smoother consistency, use a food processor. Both textures should spread easily.

Can I use a block of feta instead of crumbles?

Yes. We use crumbled feta since we are going to mix it up anyway. If you are using block feta, remove it from the liquid, crumble into pieces and continue as directed with the cilantro and olive oil. Add the olive oil gradually as it may not need all of it.

Some other favorites from our recipe collection

Feta cheese with cilantro on a baguette slice with roasted red peppers on top.

Herb and Cheese Wonton Crackers

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These quick and easy herb and cheese wonton crackers are perfect with your cheese plate, as a snack, or served with your favorite dip. Vegetarian!

Herb and cheese wonton crisps in a dish.

This is an easy recipe with wonton wrappers that will become a new go-to for a homemade chip! These are a light and crispy addition for a company dinner, holiday table, super bowl party, or whenever we need something crunchy to snack on.

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Ingredients

  • Wonton wrappers - We used ½ of a package of 3 inch square wonton wrappers.
  • Olive oil - Use a good oil, it will make a difference!
  • Herbs - We like fresh herbs for this recipe, but dried will also work. We used fresh chives, thyme, and basil.
  • Cheese - Grated parmesan was our go to cheese here.
  • Salt - We all like a touch of salt with our crackers and chips, use a light hand as we want the herbs to shine through.
Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, olive oil, salt and wonton wrappers for herb & cheese wonton crackers.

How to Serve Wonton Crackers

These are great as a snack anytime of day! We also serve them on a cheese or charcuterie tray as a cracker. They can be placed directly on the tray (if it has room) or in a basket or bowl next to the tray. We also like them served as a chip alongside our favorite dips.

Equipment Used

No fancy equipment required! We used

Substitutions and Additions

We love fresh herbs and have chives, thyme, and basil in our garden boxes so used them for the herbs. Use a favorite herb combination, what is on hand, or what is available at that time of year. If you don't have fresh herbs, use ¼ cup dried herbs instead.

Buy good parmesan cheese and shred it yourself – pre-shredded cheese is sometimes coated with preservatives that will prevent it from melting the way we like. 

Use a good oil - no matter what kind you use. We used olive oil, but avocado oil, canola oil, liquid coconut oil, or melted butter all work great!

Sheet pans of herb and cheese wonton crackers.

Time Saver Tips

If you have a Misto Oil Sprayer, it is a big time saver! Use it to lightly coat the wonton wrappers with oil. The key is to make sure the cracker is lightly coated, not swimming in oil and not dry. Keep the canister pressurized for a more even spray across all the crackers.

Make Ahead Tips

These can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored on the counter in an airtight container. We always make extra because they're a little addictive!

Saving Leftovers

These rarely last long when we make them. Any leftover wonton crisps will last 3-4 days in an airtight container on the counter. We don't recommend freezing them after baking.

This recipe calls for half a package of 3 inch wonton wrappers. If using the entire package (meaning double the recipe) is too many chips at one time, no problem. Uncooked wonton wrappers freeze great! Wrap in their package, place in an airtight container (like a stasher bag!), and place in the freezer for up to 9 months. They thaw quickly either on the counter or in the refrigerator. 

Wonton crackers with herbs and cheese in a bowl.

Try These Other Wonton Cracker Recipes

A Few Common FAQ's

Where can I find wonton wrappers?

Most grocery stores now carry them, but you may have to ask where they are located. Depending on the store, we have found them in the deli section, vegetable section, or by the packaged cheeses. 

Are these a cracker, a crisp, or a chip?

Honestly, we go back and forth - can we say it is all of them? They are great as a cracker served with a cheese or charcuterie tray. We love them as a snack like a crisp. They are also great served with dips as a chip. SO - they are a cracker, a crisp, and a chip!

Other favorites from our recipe collection

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms

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We love the flavor of buffalo chicken and love stuffed mushrooms. This Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Mushroom recipe combines the best of both! One of our new favorites go-to recipes. Gluten Free.

Buffalo chicken stuffed mushroom caps on tray.

This recipe is a fun twist on the classic buffalo chicken with none of the mess that typically comes with eating wings! No mess makes this so easy to serve at a party.

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Ingredients

A delicious chicken mushroom appetizer that combines the best flavors of buffalo chicken in an easy to eat mushroom cap.

  • Mushrooms - We like a small-medium button mushroom, but a baby portobello mushroom also works great.
  • Cheese - Cream cheese and blue cheese combine for a creamy, tangy burst of flavor.
  • Cooked chicken - We used ½ or a chicken breast, dice small to fit in the mushroom cap.
  • Buffalo Sauce - Use your favorite sauce here, we used Frank's Buffalo Sauce.
  • Plus - Diced green onion, salt, and pepper.
Mushrooms, chicken, cheese, herbs, and sauce for buffalo chicken stuffed mushrooms.

Equipment We Used

We used a rimmed baking sheet to catch any liquid released during baking. A baking rack that fits in the baking sheet helped hold the mushroom caps in place when moving from the counter to the oven and back.

We like lining our sheet pans with a Silpat nonstick silicone baking mat to help with clean up. No silpat? Use a piece of parchment instead.

We also found a small cookie scoop made filling the mushrooms with the chicken mixture VERY easy. A spoon works just as good if you don't have a small scoop.

How To Assemble

These only take a few minutes to assemble! It is okay to heap the mixture in the mushroom cap, the cheese will melt and cook down a little. 

Move slowly when moving the pan of stuffed mushrooms to and from the oven. The baking rack should help keep the mushrooms from rolling around as much, but they do still tend to roll, so keep an eye on them to avoid spills and burns!

Mixing cheese, chicken, and sauce filling for buffalo chicken stuffed mushrooms.

Substitutions

These are so easy to make your own!

Not a fan of blue cheese? Substitute feta or goat cheese.

Want a spicier, hotter flavor? Use your favorite hot sauce instead of the milder buffalo sauce - or use a combo of both.

Want a bigger bite? Use a larger mushroom. The filling may need to be increased depending on the size and number of larger mushrooms used. The baking time may need to increase until the mushroom caps are soft. Since these will no longer be bite sized, they may need a to be served on plates with a fork.

Time Saving Tips

Use a rotisserie chicken from the store. Purchase pre-crumbled blue cheese.

Use a small cookie scoop or piping bag with no tip or extra large round tip to fill the caps. NOTE: by extra large, we really do mean extra large, like a Wilton 1A or larger if you can find it. Your chicken will need to be cut very small.

Stuffed mushroom caps on rack for baking.

Make Ahead Tips

You can fill these mushrooms up to one day in advance and store them covered, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Much longer than a day in advance and the mushrooms may begin to turn brown. They will still be good, but not as fresh looking.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA guidelines these buffalo chicken stuffed mushrooms are good reheated. They are also GREAT cut into pieces and tossed into some cooked pasta.

Other Favorite Stuffed Mushroom Recipes

Baked mushroom caps stuffed with buffalo chicken and cheese mixture.

FAQ's

What are the best mushrooms to use for stuffed mushrooms?

We like using a bite size white mushroom for these but a baby bella mushroom also works great! The final quantity will depend on the size of your mushrooms. If you use a very small mushroom cap you may get 30-36. If you use a large mushroom cap you will have enough filling for 12-13 caps. A larger size is great for a sit down appetizer where you have a knife and fork.

Why use cream cheese and blue cheese?

We love and expect the flavor of blue cheese when we think of buffalo chicken. Mixing it straight into the mushroom caps gives us that taste to go with our flavor memory. Cream cheese gives that smooth creamy texture we like with stuffed mushrooms. If you aren’t a blue cheese fan use feta cheese, goat cheese or all cream cheese instead.

What is the difference between green onions, scallions, and chives?

Green onions and scallions are from the onion family while chives are considered an herb. While all three have long green tops, only the green onions and scallions have the white bulb that is also used in recipes. Green onions and scallions look almost the same, have a VERY similar flavor, and are frequently used interchangeably in recipes. Stores will even sometimes call them the same. Chives are milder in flavor, have thinner tops, and are more delicate. While you can use chives in place of green onions or scallions, you may need to us more of them to achieve a similar flavor.

Other favorite recipes

Parmesan Potato Croquettes

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A delicious, easy use for leftover mashed potatoes - homemade Parmesan Potato Croquettes!

Fried potato croquettes on black tray.

We, as a society, LOVE. FRIED. POTATOES! These potato croquettes, using leftover mashed potatoes, won't disappoint.

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Ingredients

These fried potatoes are so easy to make and ready in just 30 minutes!

  • Leftover mashed potatoes - No leftovers? We've made them just for this recipe, it's that good!
  • Cheese - Use real parmesan and shred your own if possible. Pre-shredded cheese sometimes has preservatives to keep it from clumping together. This can prevent the cheese from melting like fresh grated!
  • Kitchen staples - Eggs, flour, panko bread crumbs.
  • Oil for frying - We like vegetable oil or canola oil for deep frying.
Leftover mashed potatoes, egg yolks, parmesan cheese, flour, panko crumbs for parmesan croquettes.

Potato Croquettes - What Are They?

While a potato croquette may seem like a fancy tater tot, they are actually different. Potato croquettes start with mashed potatoes and are then deep fried. Tater tots start with raw shredded potatoes and are then deep fried. Both croquettes and tater tots can have additional ingredients like cheese, bacon, ham, or veggies added to them. Because they start with different forms of potatoes, the texture of the two dishes is different.

How to Serve Potato Croquettes?

Fried croquettes are definitely better when served warm. Keep warm in a 170 degrees Fahrenheit oven until all croquettes are fried and ready to serve. We recommend serving them in a chafing dish, lined with a cloth napkin, or on a tray sitting on a warming plate. Serve any dips in a small dish on the side with a spoon.

While we like eating these like candy (judgement free zone here!) they are also great with a dipping sauce. Marinara sauce, sour cream, ranch dressing, or hot sauce are all good with these.

How to Make Parmesan Potato Croquettes

These seem like they can be time consuming, but they aren't! This potato croquettes recipe has just a few basic steps.

Forming and breading parmesan potato croquettes.
  1. Mix the ingredients.
  2. Form into round crouqette balls.
  3. Dip in egg wash and then panko crumbs.
  4. Fry until golden brown.
  5. EAT!

Equipment We Used

A wire rack (or towel lined baking sheet) allows the fried potatoes to drain after frying. If they don't drain, they may become soggy, greasy croquettes.

We recommend using a cookie scoop to form the croquettes. We like the #40 (4 teaspoon) or #70 (3 teaspoon) size scoop. Play with different sizes and know the frying time may need to be adjusted up or down depending on the size of croquettes.

Make these the size that works for you! We like a 3-4 teaspoon size. They should be

  • small enough to eat easily.
  • big enough to completely encase the cheese.
  • not so big that the inside won’t get hot enough to melt the cheese when deep fried.

Our Favorite Riffs

Mashed potato croquettes are great with some diced bacon, diced ham, or crumbled, crispy prosciutto added to the potato mixture. Substitute shredded cheddar cheese for the parmesan. Add some small diced veggies (that will hold up to deep frying) like bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, or asparagus for even more deliciousness!

Unbreaded and breaded parm croquettes before frying.

Time Saver Tips

This recipe calls for mashed potatoes and is a GREAT way to use leftover mashed potatoes! Mashed potatoes freeze great, freeze any leftovers until you have 1 ½ pounds. Remove frozen mashed potatoes from the freezer, thaw, and proceed with the recipe.

Make Ahead Tips

These are a great make ahead item. There are many steps along the way where you can pause.

  • Before coating in egg wash and panko. Form the croquette and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to a month.
  • After coating in egg wash and panko. Bread the croquette and refrigerate up to 1 day before cooking. We don't recommend freezing breaded, uncooked croquettes.
  • After frying the croquettes
    • keep warm in a 170 degrees Fahrenheit oven up to 2 hours before/during serving.
    • refrigerate up to 2 days. Heat in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 5-10 minutes or until the inside is warm.
    • freeze up to a month in an airtight container. Place frozen croquettes directly into a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven and bake until warmed through - about 15-20 minutes.
Fried potato croquettes stacked on plate.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA guidelines, these will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warm in the center, 5-10 minutes.

Some Leftover Mashed Potato Recipes We Love

Fried parmesan croquettes in dish.

Croquette FAQ's

What if I don't have mashed potatoes?

You will need to make some. You can’t make these with raw, shredded potatoes (that is a tater tot). See Mashed Potatoes 101 from Life As A Strawberry for all the info on making the best mashed potatoes.

Do I have to fry these?

NO! We tested these (multiple times) by deep frying, using the air fryer, and baking in the oven. While all three methods worked, we definitely found the deep fried method gave the best overall result. Both the air fryer and oven resulted in a less evenly fried outside, but they work and were still delicious!

To fry in the air fryer. Place the croquette balls about an inch apart on the air fryer rack (per your units directions). Place in the air fryer for about 3 minutes. Turn the croquettes and continue air frying until they are golden brown all over. (Ours took between 7-8 minutes and we turned them twice.)

To bake in the oven. Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat it to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oven is hot and your croquettes are breaded, spray the top of each croquette with cooking spray (we like our Misto oil sprayer for this). Remove the sheet pan from the oven (be careful - it’s hot!). Place the croquettes, sprayed side down, on the sheet pan and spray the tops. Place the sheet pan in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Turn the croquettes over and cook another 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and hot inside.

Other favorite recipes from our collection

Salt and Pepper Wonton Crackers

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A quick and easy recipe for salt and pepper wonton crackers. These crispy, baked wonton chips are perfect for an anytime snack, a great addition to a cheese or charcuterie plate, and delicious alongside your favorite dip!

Salt and pepper wonton crisps in a bowl.

Searching for easy recipes using wonton wrappers? These homemade wonton crisps will quickly become a new favorite! They are perfect for appetizers, cheese plates, everyday snacks, your next party, or holiday entertaining! Make sure you store them in an airtight container - otherwise they will be eaten before your party!

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Ingredients

This delicious snack cracker really can't be easier!

  • Wonton wrappers - We used ½ of a package of 3 inch square wonton wrappers.
  • Olive oil - Use a good oil, it will make a difference!
  • Salt and Pepper - We like fresh ground pepper and coarse salt for this recipe.
Wonton wrappers, oil, salt, and pepper for wonton crackers.

Equipment We Used

These appetizers with wonton wrappers don’t require any fancy equipment. We love using a reusable Silpat nonstick silicone baking mat to line our baking sheet pans. No silpat? Use parchment paper instead. We used a silicone pastry brush to brush a light layer of oil on the crackers.

Unbaked and baked wonton crisps.

Some Favorite Riffs

We love this base recipe - it is easy and quick - have fun with it! While we like the saltiness and the zing from the pepper on these salt and pepper wonton crackers, you can try other seasonings or dried herbs. Use vegetable oil, canola oil, coconut oil, or melted butter instead of olive oil.  Add some cheddar or parmesan cheese. Cut the square wontons in rectangles, triangles, or mini squares.  

Time Saver Tips

Our Misto Oil Sprayer is a big time saver! Use it to lightly coat the wonton wrappers with oil. The key is to make sure the cracker is lightly coated, not swimming in oil and not dry. Make sure to keep the canister pressurized for a more even spray across all the crackers.

Wonton chips with salt and pepper.

Make Ahead Tips

These are great to make ahead of time and have ready to serve. Make them up to 3 days in advance and store on the counter in an airtight container.

Saving Leftovers

These rarely last long when we make them. If you are lucky enough to have any leftover wonton crisps, they will last 3-4 days in an airtight container on the counter. 

NOTE: this recipe calls for half a package of 3 inch wonton wrappers. If you don’t want to make the entire package (double the recipe), the uncooked wrappers freeze great! Wrap in their package and place in an airtight container (we like our stasher bags for this) and place in the freezer for up to 9 months. They thaw quickly either on the counter or in the refrigerator. 

Try These Other Wonton Cracker Recipes

Wonton chips with salt and pepper on a board.

Other delicious bites

Some Common Wonton Chip FAQ's

Where can I buy wonton wrappers?

Most grocery stores will carry them, but you may have to ask. Depending on the store, we found them in the deli section, vegetable section, or by the packaged cheese. 

Are these vegetarian?

They are! They do have gluten though.

Spicy Deviled Eggs

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These Spicy Deviled Eggs will take your deviled eggs to a new level!

Spicy Deviled Egg

With our love of deviled eggs, we thought 'wonder if we can spice them up.' The results were AMAZING! This is one of our new favorites.

Check out our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 for everything deviled eggs! Loaded with information on everything from how to boil eggs to what equipment is helpful, from what the name means to how to decorate and garnish, from making ahead of time to how to save leftovers! We have you covered.

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Ingredients

A simple take on a Classic Deviled Egg Recipe.

  • Classic Deviled Egg Ingredients - Large eggs, mayo, salt and pepper.
  • The Spice - Dry mustard, ground cayenne pepper, ground chipotle pepper, hot sauce.
Ingredients for spicy deviled eggs.

Some Basic Deviled Eggs Info

Deviled Eggs:

  • Are hard boiled eggs with the egg yolks removed from the whites, the yolks are mixed with other ingredients and then the whites are refilled with the yolk mixture.
  • Can EASILY be made the day before, just don't garnish until right before serving.
  • Are best served cold!
  • Should be kept refrigerated until serving.
  • Shouldn't be frozen.
  • Have many different options for mix-ins with the yolk filling; relish, pickles, bacon, cheese, etc.
  • Will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator but they will start to lose their freshness after the 2nd day.
  • Can definitely be made with Greek yogurt or sour cream instead of mayonnaise.

Equipment We Used

Our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 contains All Things Deviled Eggs including details on the equipment we used. A hand mixer helps get a smooth egg yolk filling. We like the look of the filling piped filling into the white shells. A piping bag with a large round or star tip works great. We also like using a small cookie scoop to get an even look for the filling. No piping bag or cookie scoop? A spoon works just as good.

Empty egg whites with egg yolk filling in piping bag.

PRO TIP: It is hard to hold a piping bag open and fill it at the same time. Use a tall glass or deli container, place the piping bag in the container, and fold the top down over the sides. You now have two hands free to fill the piping bag!

Deviled Egg Plates are a real thing! If you have one, now is the time to PULL IT OUT. SHOW IT OFF!

Deviled egg plates.

Substitutions and Additions

You are in control of the heat in these deviled eggs. We like the heat and flavor of the ground pepper spices (cayenne and chipotle) but make these your own. Use your favorite ground pepper spices - there are SO VERY MANY and they all have different levels of heat and subtle differences. Add a little more ground pepper for more spiciness or cut back a bit for less. Dice some fresh roasted peppers; jalapenos, calabrian, anaheim and mix them into the filling or lay a slice on top for garnish! Make sure you know how hot your peppers and ground pepper spices are before mixing them in. Start with a small amount and add as you taste. It is always easier to add more than try to fix too much spice.

Mixing egg yolks, mayo and spices for spicy deviled egg filling.

Time Saver Tips

There are days when we just don't have the time to boil and peel eggs. Most grocery stores, Costco, Sam's, and restaurant food supply stores carry pre-boiled, peeled eggs! While the grocery stores will be more expensive, the box stores (Costco, Sam's, restaurant supply) will have these eggs in larger packages for a reasonable price.

Make Ahead Tips

Definitely make these ahead of time. Fill the egg whites but leave the hot sauce or other garnish off until ready to serve. They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. They will last longer and taste fine, but after about 3 days they begin to look a little ‘tired’.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA guidelines for food safety, store leftover deviled eggs in an airtight container up to 3 days in the refrigerator. These would also be great made into an egg salad for lunch time sandwiches!

Our Favorite Deviled Eggs Info and Recipes

Some other favorite bites

Spicy deviled eggs topped with hot sauce.

Some Common FAQ's about Deviled Eggs

Is there an easy way to peel hard boiled eggs?

There are so many theories on how to peel boiled eggs - I just heard a new one last month! Our advice, if you have a method that works for you, stick with it. If you struggle, like we have, our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 has some good tips for peeling boiled eggs.

Where is the term Deviled Eggs from?

In the late 1700's it came to refer to food cooked in hot spices or spicy, highly seasoned food. Many countries have a version of deviled eggs but they call them a different name, like Dressed Eggs or Stuffed Eggs. This recipe definitely honors the term Deviled Eggs!

Herbed Goat Cheese Roll

by Leave a Comment

This tangy herbed goat cheese log is a delicious addition to any cheese platter.

Herb wrapped goat cheese on plate with crackers.
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Ingredients

So versatile, so simple, and SO delicious!

  • Goat cheese - Use a good quality goat cheese log. Two smaller logs or one larger log will both work!
  • Fresh herbs - We used parsley, basil, chives, and thyme leaves. Make this your own and use your favorite combination of herbs or all one herb.
Fresh herbs and goat cheese log for Herbed Goat Cheese Roll.

Wrapping Goat Cheese

The goat cheese needs to be tightly wrapped after it is rolled in the herbs. We don’t promote single use plastic, but this is one place a piece of plastic wrap is needed. After the goat cheese log is coated with the finely chopped fresh herbs, roll the herb coated log in plastic wrap. Wrap tight so the herbs stick to the cheese. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Remove about 15 minutes before serving.

Parchment paper can be used, but we find you can get the plastic wrap tighter, which helps the herbs attach to the cheese better.

If you want to serve the goat cheese log right after rolling in the herbs, soften your cheese on the counter for 15-20 minutes before rolling in the herbs. 

Goat cheese log coated in fresh herbs and wrapped in plastic.

How to Serve Herbed Goat Cheese 

This savory goat cheese log is amazing on a cheese board with fresh veggies, crackers, or baguette slices. Serve on a platter by itself with a nice cheese knife and a basket of bread and crackers.

Favorite Riffs

We used chopped fresh parsley, thyme, basil, and chives on our herb goat cheese log, but use your favorite combination of herbs. Or use just one herb! Try lemon thyme, garlic, or lemon zest. Spice it up with some paprika, red pepper flakes, cayenne, or chipotle pepper. 

Rolling goat cheese log in fresh chopped herbs.

Time Saver Tips

We found that sometimes it took most of our time to separate the small herb leaves from the tough stems. To save time, select herbs that are easy to separate from the stems.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, this herb goat cheese log appetizer will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Leftovers are great mixed in with some hot vegetables or pasta like these Summer Vegetable Pasta or 30 Minute Chicken Caprese Pasta recipes for a creamy sauce.  Break the herbed goat cheese into pieces and add to a salad like this Easy Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad or 5 Minute Lemon Arugula Salad. 

Love easy cheese appetizers? Try these Marinated Mozzarella Balls!

Herbed goat cheese roll with baguette slices and crackers.

Other favorite cheese appetizers

Common FAQ's about Herbed Goat Cheese

What if I don't have fresh herbs?

We like fresh herbs for this recipe. They are lighter, brighter in both color and flavor, and milder in taste which makes a better presentation and texture. However, you can use dried herbs in a pinch, just don't use as much as their flavor is much stronger than fresh.

Do I coat the ends of the goat cheese log?

This is entirely up to you! We usually coat ours and then can serve it as one whole log or cut it in half (on a slant) and present it 'open' on the platter. The flavor is there already so it is just a question of how you want to present the herbed cheese.

Brownie Bites

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Rich, chocolatey, gooey brownie bites! Perfect for a snack or a buffet table.

Triangle brownie bites with powdered sugar on plate.

Brownies are one of the all-time favorite desserts - and they are SO easy to make from scratch! This easy recipe for homemade, fudgy brownie bites will quickly become a go-to favorite.

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Ingredients

These ingredients will become pantry staples (if they aren't already!) once you see how easy to make and delicious these brownies are.

  • Staples - butter, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, eggs, vanilla, powdered sugar
  • Chocolate - semi sweet chocolate bars, cocoa powder
Raw ingredients for making brownie bites.

Equipment We Used

Parchment paper

We definitely recommend parchment paper! It makes it easy to lift the cooled brownies from the pan for cutting. Our preferred method is to place a full sheet of parchment into the pan, tuck the corners, and then press the tuck flat against the sides so the entire pan is covered. An alternate method is to cut two strips of parchment and lay them in the pan, going each way, to cover the bottom and sides.  While this method works, it is a little harder to remove the entire brownie from the pan when it has cooled since the corners are not covered. We recommend spraying the corners of the pan if using strips.

Tips for Mixing, Baking, and Cutting Brownie Bites

Mixing Homemade Brownies

There are many methods for making brownies - and we tried most of them! We found using a chocolate bar AND cocoa powder gave a rich chocolate brownie. Melting the chocolate bar, butter, and sugar made for a gooey, chewy brownie.

Make sure the brownie mixture is cool to the touch before adding the eggs. We recommend cooling for at least 10 minutes, add the dry ingredients, mix, and then add the eggs. There is a risk of the egg starting to cook and having scrambled egg in the brownies if the mixture is not allowed to cool!

Four steps used in mixing the ingredients to make the batter.

Baking Brownies

Because brownies are so fudgy and gooey, (YUM!) a cake tester (or toothpick) will never come out clean, so we need another way to judge if they are done. Once the expected bake time is up, open the oven door and look at the top of the brownies. If there are little cracks on the top of the brownies, they are done! Over cooking makes for a dry brownie and runs the risk of burning the edges. Undercooking, besides being TOO gooey, can also end up tasting kind of floury and raw. Our brownies are usually done right at 37 minutes. 

Side by side images of unbaked and baked brownies in pan.

Tools For Cutting Brownie Bites

Cutting warm brownies, while it sounds yummy, just makes a mess, so make sure they are completely cool! We want them to not just taste great but also look great! Use a ruler to measure the cuts so all the mini brownie bites look the same and the cuts are straight.

The tool used to cut the brownies makes a big difference in how the cut turns out. Here are some of our favorite tools when cutting brownies.

  • A sharp knife that is long enough to cut across the entire width without pulling the knife to make the cut.  Line the two sides of the knife up with the ruler marks and cut without pulling the knife through the brownies. Wipe the knife off with a damp, warm, rag between each cut.
  • A plastic knife.  Use a ruler to match the marks on the opposite sides of the brownies to get a straight line. Then use a plastic knife to cut along the ruler. The brownie should come cut clean. This is one of our favorite methods!
  • A wire cutter. They do make wire cutters for cakes that will cut right through the brownies, but it is a specialty tool and not a lot of people own one. We recommend wiping the wire between cuts. We have also used dental floss in a pinch, but it isn't our favorite.
  • Cookie cutter. Cutting these in shapes is SO FUN! Wipe the cutter after each cut to ensure a clean cut each time. Press the cutter down all the way and then lift it up, don’t twist the cookie cutter. These are gooey, chocolatey brownies and we recommend practice with YOUR cookie cutter before needing to serve these to guests. Not all cookie cutters are the same and the shape will matter, so make sure your cutter works without tearing up the brownies.

Brownie Cutting Steps

Side by side images of trimmed edges and cut brownies.
  1. Cut the edges off the brownies. This gives a clean edge and helps ensure all the brownie bites look the same. Don’t throw the sides away - save them for a sweet bite as you work! 
  2. Using a ruler, measure and mark opposite sides to divide the brownies into equal sized squares.
  3. Using your preferred tool for cutting (sharp knife, plastic knife, wire cutter) make the first cuts so you have larger equal sized squares.
  4. Measure, mark, and cut again so you end up with smaller squares. Continue cutting into smaller squares (or triangles) until you have the desired bite size brownies.

Some of Our Favorite Brownie Sizes

We have served these brownie bites as triangles, squares and a mix of both. While we love the mini bites, these can be cut any size. Use the cutting options below to help determine the number of brownies cut.

First Cut

  • Cut off the edges of the brownie on all four sides.
    • Cutting ½ inch off the brownies all around leaves a 7 x 7 square.

Cutting Option 1

  • Cut the 7 x 7 square into 4 equal squares (3 ½" x 3 ½").
    • Cut each larger square into quarters (1 ¾" x 1 ¾"). Total: 16 square bites
    • Cut each smaller square in half diagonally. Total: 32 mini brownie triangle bites

Cutting Option 2

  • Cut the 7 x 7 square into 9 equal squares (2 ⅓" x 2 ⅓"). Cut full square into thirds so you have three equal strips. Then cut each strip into 3 equal sized squares so you end up with 9 equal squares.  
    • Cut each square in half diagonally. Total: 18 triangle bites
    • Then cut each triangle in half again.   Total: 36 mini brownie triangle bites 

Cutting Option 3

  • Cut the 7 x 7 square into 9 equal squares (2 ⅓" x 2 ⅓"). Cut full square into thirds so you have three equal strips. Then cut each strip into 3 equal sized squares so you end up with 9 equal squares.  
    • Cut each square in half to form rectangles. Total: 18 rectangle bites
    • Then cut each rectangle in half again for smaller squares. Each larger square was just cut into 4 smaller squares.  Total: 36 mini brownie square bites 

Substitutions and Additions

Add some chopped, toasted nuts to the mix before baking. Walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts are all be great. If using salted nuts reduce the salt in the recipe. 

In the last step. Substitute the 2 ounces chopped chocolate with caramel; diced homemade-soft caramel, chopped chocolate caramel candy (Rolos), or chopped caramel pieces.

If you are baking at high altitude, add an extra 7 grams flour to the recipe. 

Time Saving Tips

Chocolate. Use chocolate chips instead of cutting a chocolate bar. Make sure to use a scale to measure by weight and use a good quality chocolate chip. 

Make Ahead Tips and Saving Brownies

These are great to make ahead of time. Brownie bites store at room temperature up to 5 days. Our dish is empty WAY before 5 days - make extra! Freeze Brownies. Freezing brownies uncut is preferred. Wrap uncut, cooled brownies and store in an airtight container - freeze for up to a month.  If serving brownies within a week, they can be frozen cut. Wrap tight and freeze in an airtight container. To serve. Remove from freezer, thaw on counter, cut, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and ENJOY!

Other Favorite Sweet Treats

FAQ's

Can I use chocolate chips instead of chocolate bars?

YES! The key to any ingredient is using the best you are able to get (consider availability, how much you need, and cost). We have made these with chocolate bars (Ghirardelli) and chocolate chips (Ghirardelli and Nestle). They all worked. NOTE: We did try them with a generic brand of chocolate chip and did not like them as much both from a flavor and texture standpoint.

Can brownie bites be frozen?

Absolutely! We recommend freezing the brownies before cutting to help keep them from drying out.
To freeze - wrap uncut, COMPLETELY COOLED, brownies in plastic wrap. While we try to use as little single use wrap as possible, we haven’t found a better way to freeze these. Then store in an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. If serving them within 7-10 days, they can be frozen cut, wrapped tight, and in an airtight container.
To serve - remove from the freezer and thaw on the counter. You can refresh the brownies, if needed, by placing them in a 200 degree oven for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Why are brownies so hard to cut?

Soft, gooey brownie are much harder to cleanly cut than a drier, less chewy, cake. These are our favorites tools for cutting brownies:
A long sharp knife. One that will cut across the entire width without pulling the knife to make the cut.  Wipe the knife off with a damp, warm, rag between each cut.
A plastic knife.  Use a ruler to get a straight line and a plastic knife to cut along the ruler. The brownie should come cut clean. 

Square brownie bites with powdered sugar on black board.

Easy Marinated Mozzarella Balls

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This recipe for marinated mozzarella balls is so easy with just a few ingredients. A delicious appetizer on any buffet, a great afternoon snack, and a perfect addition to any cheese board!

Marinated Mozzarella Balls in white dish.
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Ingredients

This cheese appetizer is one of the easiest, and most delicious, we have ever made. Just a few simple ingredients, a little time in the fridge, and you are ready to impress!

Fresh herbs, olive oil, and mozzarella balls.
  • Fresh mozzarella balls - Use ciliegine, pearls, or a mix of both.
  • Fresh herbs - Use a single herb or combination of herbs. We used fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fresh basil, and fresh chives.
  • Olive oil - We love a good extra virgin olive oil for this dish.
  • Some staples - Garlic, salt, and pepper round out this easy dish.

Mozzarella

Most stores now have different sizes of mozzarella balls. Any of the fresh mozzarella will work for this. We love the ciliegine mozzarella balls or pearl mozzarella balls. Ciliegine is a one bite size mozzarella ball. It usually comes in liquid and will have about 24 pieces in 8 ounces. Pearls are small and #adorable with 3 on a pick. They usually come in a package with no liquid and will have about 80 pieces in 8 ounces.

Our taste testers were split on which size they liked the most. They were both delicious. Some liked just a single bite with the ciliegine and some liked the smaller, multiple pearls.

This recipe also works great with mozzarella cubes or slices. Cut a larger, fresh mozzarella ball into bite size pieces or into ¼ inch slices and follow the recipe for the marinade.

Two of the smaller sizes of mozzarella balls.

Herbs

Use your favorite herbs or combination of herbs. Parsley, thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, or tarragon are just a few that are great.

Equipment

Picks. We do not recommend using colored toothpicks as the color can come off on the food. We like to use a reusable toothpick, but recognize if you are hosting a large party this may not be feasible. For large parties use a decorative toothpick when possible - like a bamboo knotted toothpick. These are found at most party stores, some grocery stores, or restaurant supply stores. Here are a few of our favorite pick sources.

Chopped herbs and olive oil marinade ingredients for mozzarella balls.

How to Serve Marinated Mozzarella Balls

These mozzarella balls in olive oil and herbs are great on a cheese board or just by themselves. We remove them from the oil and serve them in a small bowl. Place the picks in a small, high container like a shot glass, next to the dish of mozzarella balls.

Use mozzarella slices instead of balls. Follow the recipe but lay the slices in a shallow dish covered with the marinade. Serve on a platter with a basket of baguette slices and crackers.

Herb marinated mozzarella balls in a dish.

Additions and Substitutions

This marinated mozzarella recipe is a great starting point. Add a small kick with some red pepper flakes. Include some kalamata olives, garlic cloves, or artichokes. A dash of red wine vinegar or red wine adds a hint of tangy flavor to the marinade.

Using Herb Oil After Marinating Mozzarella Balls

We don't serve the marinated mozzarella balls in the marinade and yet there is all this delicious herb olive oil left over. Toss it with cooked pasta and some parmesan cheese for a simple dish. Coat some veggies or potatoes before roasting them. Use it as a base for salad dressing.

Make Ahead Tips

These mozzarella balls want to sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Make them up to 5 days in advance. 

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, this will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Some Other Favorite Cheese Appetizers

Herb marinated mozzarella balls in dish.

FAQ's

Can you freeze marinated mozzarella balls?

Yes you can! We like to freeze them before we marinate them, but you can also freeze after marinating. Remove from the olive oil and store in an airtight container. They will freeze for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Do marinated mozzarella balls go bad?

Yes they do. We always recommend "If ever in doubt, throw it out." However, you can do a few simple tests to see if the mozzarella is still good. Smell - there will be a sour smell with bad mozzarella. Look - if they are dried out they are no longer good. And of course, if there is any mold Throw. Them. Out.

Buffalo Chicken Mini Burgers

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These buffalo chicken mini burgers combine the best of all things; chicken, buffalo sauce, bite sized, and food on a stick! It is sure to get a WOW! reaction from all your guests and family. Perfect when you want a delicious, adorable bite. 

Mini buffalo chicken patties on a bun with a cucumber and sauce.

A chicken burger with a few twists. MINI. BUFFALO FLAVORED. ON A STICK! These are cute and delicious.

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Ingredients

This mini buffalo chicken burger recipe makes a delicious bite, plus #adorable!

  • Ground chicken - Use pre-ground chicken from the store or grind your own from skinless chicken breasts.
  • Buffalo sauce - We are partial to Frank's buffalo sauce but use your favorite!
  • Blue Cheese - Use pre-crumbled or crumble a wedge of blue cheese.
  • English cucumber - We like the english because they have smaller seeds, a thinner skin, and are a little sweeter. A regular cucumber will work too.
  • Some basic ingredients - Green onions, panko bread crumbs, salt and pepper.
  • Mini burger buns - these are SO WORTH THE EFFORT! We included a link for making your own.
Buffalo chicken ingredients; ground chicken, blue cheese, hot sauce, cucumber, mini burger buns.

Equipment

Squeeze Bottle. We like to add the last half of the buffalo sauce to a squeeze bottle for ease when adding to the buns. If no squeeze bottle is available, use a small spoon or knife to add the hot sauce to the buns.

We use a Silpat nonstick silicone baking mat to line our sheet pans, but parchment paper also works. 

Picks. We do not recommend using colored toothpicks as the color can come off on the food. We like to use a reusable toothpick, but recognize if you are hosting a large party this may not be feasible. For large parties use a decorative toothpick when possible - like a bamboo knotted toothpick. These are found at most party stores, some grocery stores, or restaurant supply stores. Here are a few of our favorite pick sources.

Mixed ingredients for buffalo chicken burger patties,

Size of Buffalo Chicken Mini Burger Patties

Use a 2 teaspoon cookie scoop to make around 30 chicken patties. If using a 3 teaspoon scoop increase the ground chicken to 1 ⅓ pound for 24 mini chicken burger patties.

Make the patties any size, just adjust the bun size accordingly. If no cookie scoop, roll them like meatballs and then flatten them slightly with your hand. You can also pat the ground chicken into a rectangle ¼ - ⅜ inch thick and cut into squares for a square chicken patty.

We want a nice balance of burger to bun and the meat will shrink as it cooks, so make the burger patties slightly larger than the bun.

Unbaked and baked buffalo chicken patties.

How to Assemble Mini Buffalo Chicken Burgers

While you can make these mini burgers one at a time, we like to use a small assembly line. 

  • Set the buns (both tops and bottoms together) in two rows on a tray. Leave about 3 inches between the rows.
  • Remove the tops and place them next to the bottoms in the space between the rows. (image 1)
  • Add a small amount of buffalo sauce on the top and bottom of each bun. (image 2)
  • Place a warm chicken patty on the bottom of each bun. Follow with a slice of cucumber. (image 3 & 4)
  • Place the top bun on top of the cucumber and pierce the entire mini burger with a pick. 
Minii burger bun, adding sauce, buffalo chicken patty, and cucumber slice.

Substitutions and Additions 

Love blue cheese? Add some additional blue cheese, slice or crumbles, to the top of the patties the last 30 seconds of baking. Not a huge blue cheese fan? Substitute a different cheese for the blue cheese; white cheddar, gruyere, gouda all work great. 

While we like the simplicity and crunch of cucumber, make a slaw of shredded carrots, shredded celery and shredded cucumber to use in place of the cucumber slices. 

No mini burger buns? Make your chicken burger patties a little larger and use a dinner roll, Hawaiian roll, or ciabatta roll and make buffalo chicken sliders instead.

Mini buffalo chicken burgers on black board.

Make Ahead Tips

There are a number of steps that can be done in advance to help reduce the work on the day of an event or party.

Make the mini burger buns in advance. Store in an airtight container on the counter up to 2 days or in the freezer up to 2 months.

Have all the individual components ready to go, but don’t assemble until ready to serve. 

Make the chicken burger patties in advance and store in an airtight container.

Refrigerated: Store unbaked chicken patties up to a day. Bake as directed. It may take a few extra minutes if you are putting them in the oven straight from the refrigerator. Store baked chicken patties up to 3 days. Heat in a covered dish at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warm, about 4-7 minutes.

Frozen: Store chicken patties in the freezer up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator. If unbaked, bake per directions once thawed. If baked, once thawed, heat in a covered dish at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warm, 4-7 minutes. NOTE: Baked, frozen chicken patties can go straight from the freezer to the oven if necessary. Place in a covered dish in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven until warm about 10-15 minutes. Do not put a glass dish with frozen food into a preheated oven, the dish might break.

Mini buffalo chicken burger on a white plate.

Time Saver Tips

Instead of forming each buffalo mini chicken burger patty individually, pat the chicken mixture into a large square patty and then cut into the size squares you want. This saves a little time from scooping each mini patty. NOTE: We don’t recommend baking them as one large patty as they don’t look as nice when you cut them after they are baked. 

Don’t have time to make the mini burger buns (and none in the freezer)? Make larger patties and use a dinner roll or Hawaiian roll.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, while you can keep these in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day, the buns tend to get a little soggy with the buffalo sauce on them. 

Other Favorite Appetizer Bites

Buffalo Chicken Mini Burger FAQ's

What if I can’t find ground chicken?

No problem! You can make your own with a meat grinder or food processor. If you have a meat grinder, place your chicken or turkey through it according to the instructions. No meat grinder (hand raised here!)? Cut your meat into pieces and put in a food processor. Process with the steel blade until the meat is ground to desired consistency. 

What is the best sauce to use?

Use your favorite sauce here. We use Frank’s Buffalo Sauce but there are MANY good sauces that would work great with this recipe. Make your own for extra points!

Can I use something besides blue cheese?

If you aren't a huge fan of blue cheese, reduce the amount or substitute white cheddar, smoked gruyere, even feta would be good. Leave the cheese out of the chicken mixture completely and just top the chicken patty with a cheese slice of your choice the last 30-60 seconds of cooking. 

Mini buffalo chicken patties on a bun with a cucumber and sauce.

Brandy Meatballs

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These brandy meatballs are always a guest favorite. Easy and fast plus #delicious. A perfect addition to any party, holiday gathering, or even weeknight dinner!

Cocktail meatballs in blackberry brandy sauce.

A classic cocktail meatball with a twist - brandy! This cocktail meatball recipe is the best mini meatball appetizer we have made yet PLUS #easy #fast.

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Ingredients

Ingredients for brandy meatballs in individual dishes.

Use your favorite meatballs, add a few additional ingredients and you have meatball appetizers your guests will devour!

  • Meatballs - Make your own or use a pre-made, fresh or frozen meatball.
  • Paprika - Any paprika will work, sweet, smokey, or spicy paprika.
  • Blackberry jelly - Use a seedless jelly, either homemade or store bought.
  • Brandy - For that depth of flavor.
  • Pantry staples - Red wine vinegar, corn starch, salt and pepper.

Meatballs

Use your favorite meatballs, homemade or store bought, in this party meatball recipe. Lean ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork, or a combination of them all works great. We found a 2-3 teaspoon sized cookie scoop is the perfect size for a cocktail meatball. Make them bigger or smaller depending on your event and how you are serving them.

Equipment Used

Picks. We do not recommend using colored toothpicks as the color can come off on the food. We like to use a reusable toothpick, but recognize if you are hosting a large party this may not be feasible. For large parties use a decorative toothpick when possible - like a bamboo knotted toothpick. These are found at most party stores, some grocery stores, or restaurant supply stores. Here are a few of our favorite pick sources.

Coating meatballs with paprika.

We use a cookie scoop to form our homemade meatballs. A silicone baking mat helps the meatballs slide right off the baking sheet. No silpat? Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a glass baking dish instead.

Substitutions

If you can find them, use red currant jelly instead of blackberry jelly and cherry brandy instead of regular brandy. Great flavors! Play with the fruit flavor and find your favorite; apricot, raspberry, cherry, will all go great with brandy.

Make this cocktail meatball sauce alcohol free by using juice - apple, white grape, pear - instead of brandy. If the juice is very sweet mix it with water to reduce the sweetness in the sauce.

Paprika coated meatballs on sheet pan.

Brandy Meatball Tips

This meatball recipe is so easy and ready in no time using the oven and stove top, but these can also be made (and served) using a crock pot or slow cooker. Mix together the sauce ingredients in the slow cooker until well combined. Add the cooked, paprika covered meatballs and heat until warm. Serve on the low or warm setting.

Use pre-made, fresh or frozen meatballs. Most frozen meatballs will be be pre-baked already, but unbaked works too. Just toss with the paprika and bake per package instructions then proceed with the recipe as directed.

Making brandy sauce and adding meatballs.

Make Ahead

If making your own meatballs, make them ahead of time and store in the refrigerator, up to 5 days, or in the freezer up to 2 months. You can bake them before or after storing.

Make the meatball sauce up to 3 days in advance and keep in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to heat and serve the meatballs.

How to Serve Brandy Cocktail Meatballs

Keep these appetizer meatballs warm by serving them in a chafer, crockpot, or a dish on a warming tray. We want them to stay at a food safe temperature and also be warm and appetizing.

After serving these at hundreds of catering events, we found if served with a spoon, guests will eat MANY, MANY more than if we serve them with a pick. Place a dish of picks next to the warm meatballs. We like shot glasses to hold our clean picks. Place a few picks in the meatballs and continue to do so throughout the event as meatballs and picks are removed.

Brandy meatballs with picks in dish.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, these meatballs store great in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in the oven.

We don't recommend freezing the leftover meatballs in sauce. While it will work and be safe to eat, we find the texture of the sauce can sometimes get a little gummy when frozen, thawed, and reheated. If they have to be frozen and thawed in the sauce, try adding a little more liquid (water or brandy) when reheating.

Other Favorite Cocktail Meatball Recipes

FAQ's

Are Brandy Cocktail Meatballs gluten free?

It depends on the meatballs used. If there are no gluten products, like bread crumbs, in the meatballs then this dish is probably gluten free. Brandy, jelly, and corn starch are usually gluten free. To be sure, confirm the actual brands you are using are gluten free.

What size is best for a cocktail meatball?

We like meatballs for a party to be small bite sized. Usually a meatball that is about 1 ounce is perfect for an appetizer size. If making your own this is usually a small 2-3 teaspoon size cookie scoop.

How many meatballs will one person eat?

Tough question! It depends on what else you are serving, what type of party it is, and the time of your event. In general, people LOVE these meatballs and eat a lot. If this is a super bowl party with lots of snack-y food, people will graze on them for hours - serve in a crockpot or chafer to keep them warm. If this is a Christmas party with lots of hearty foods, people will probably eat 4-5. At the catering company we would always double or even triple the amount we made because they were so good. We always recommend making more than you think you need, they will be eaten!

Meatball with brandy blackberry sauce in cocktail spoon.

Easy Baked Brandy Pecan Brie

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This baked brandy pecan brie is absolutely delicious! Soft, smooth, melty brie served with crackers or bread! Sure to become a new favorite and it's gluten free and vegetarian.

Baked brie round with brandy pecan topping.

Baked brie is one of our favorite things - EVER! This baked brie recipe has a buttery flavor from the brie and a sweet flavor from the topping. Baking the brie cheese makes it creamy, warm, and oh so yummy!

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Ingredients

We aren't sure how something so easy can be so delicious!

  • Brie - Use a good quality brie cheese to get that buttery flavor!
  • Pecans - Chopped pecans are the perfect crunchy bite to go with the soft brie.
  • Brown sugar - For a hint of sweet.
  • Brandy - This brings the all the flavors together.
  • Crackers and bread - A butter or grain cracker and sliced baguette work great with this cheese.
IIndividual dishes of pecans, brown sugar, and brandy with a brie round..

Equipment

We find baking this brie in a shallow ceramic or glass baking dish makes it easier to remove the brie from the dish for plating. A glass pie pan is an easy option. A silicone baking mat or parchment lined baking sheet works too. If the baking dish is suitable for serving, the brie can also be served straight in the baking dish.

A small cheese knife, small butter knife or small spatula works great to cut and serve the brie. In a pinch a table knife or spoon will work.

Substitutions

Make the baked brie toppings alcohol free by using apple juice, white grape juice, or water instead of brandy.  

This easy baked brie is also delicious with Sugared Pecans in place of the chopped pecans. Give the sugared pecans a rough chop and add to the brandy and sugar. Optionally, leave the brown sugar out and just add the brandy to the sugared pecans.

Mixing the brandy pecan topping.

Size of Brie

When buying the brie round, consider the guest count and how long the brie might sit out before it is all eaten. It's better to have multiple, smaller brie rounds than one large round. Replenish them throughout the evening for warm, soft brie. This recipe is easily adapted for all sizes of brie rounds; 4, 8, or 16 ounces. We’ve even done this with 2 pound brie rounds for very large events! Just adjust the pecan brandy topping accordingly.

Time Saver Tips

Most grocery stores now carry chopped pecan pieces. While chopping pecan halves is easy, save a little time by using pre-chopped pecan pieces. 

Make Ahead Tips

Adding brandy pecan topping to brie round.

This is a very quick and easy recipe. There are a few options to help simplify the last minute rush before guests arrive.

Mix the topping ingredients earlier in the day, cover, and set aside until ready to bake. When ready to bake, place the brie round in the baking dish, top with the brandy pecan mixture, and bake!

Place the brie in the baking dish and top with the brandy pecan mixture. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before baking, while the oven preheats. Bake and serve. NOTE: be careful not to put a cold breakable dish into a hot oven!

How to serve the Brandy Pecan Brie  

Baked brandy pecan brie in dish with crackers.

Is this pecan baked brie an appetizer or dessert? We have eaten this as an appetizer, dessert, and, yes, even for dinner!

This is a VERY versatile menu item and can be served in different ways.
If serving this as a baked brie appetizer, serve with crackers, crostini, baguette slices, sliced apples, or sliced pears. Make this the centerpiece on a cheese or charcuterie board. Place the brie round on a plate or small dish before placing on the board so the brie doesn’t spread to other items on the board when cut.

If serving this as a dessert, serve with sliced fruit, apples or pears, and butter cookies.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, save leftover baked brie in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to three days. This can be reheated in the microwave or oven until soft. NOTE: reheated brie will not hold its shape so keep an eye on it and once it gets soft, remove and serve. It will be more of a dip at this point, but still delicious!

Other Favorite Cheese Appetizers

FAQ's

Do I have to use a full brie round?

We recommend a full brie round with the rind still on for this recipe. The cheese will become soft and liquid-y inside. Using a cut brie will just make a mess! You can use any size of brie round; 4 ounce, 8 ounce, 16 ounces and just adjust the topping accoordingly.


Can I serve this cold?

We don't recommend serving this Brandy Pecan Brie cold. It is best when the cheese is soft and gooey, straight out of the oven. If you are having a large party, we would recommend multiple smaller rounds that are ready to bake. Bake and serve as needed. This helps keep the brie fresh and warm over the course of the event. You can also serve this on a hot plate to keep it warm.

Can I freeze this baked brie with pecans?

While we frequently freeze unbaked brie rounds, and it's great, we don't recommend freezing this brandy pecan brie after it is baked.

Baked Brandy Pecan Brie with crackers.

Deviled Eggs with Pickles

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Take a classic and give it a twist for this deviled eggs with pickles recipe. The sweetness and crunch from the pickles is a party for your taste buds!

Deviled eggs with paprika garnish.

Some consider pickles a must for deviled eggs. This recipe has you covered with the addition of diced sweet pickles to a classic!

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Basic Ingredients

Easy deviled eggs are our go to and these deviled eggs with pickles are simple and quick to make with just a few ingredients.

  • Classic Deviled Egg Ingredients - large eggs, mayo, dijon, salt, and fresh ground black pepper.
  • Sweet pickles - we used sweet pickles but dills, gherkins, or sweet pickle relish also work.
Deviled eggs with pickles ingredients.

Equipment We Used

Check out Easy Deviled Eggs 101 for All Things Deviled Eggs including a full discussion on equipment we used.

We like using a hand mixer to get a smooth egg yolk mixture and then mixing the pickles in by hand. Use a piping bag with a large round or star tip, a small cookie scoop, or a spoon to fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture.

We find it difficult to fill a piping bag while trying to hold it open. Place the piping bag in a tall container and fold the top of the bag down over the container sides to hold the bag open. Now you have two free hands to spoon in your filling! 

Empty egg whites with egg yolk filling in piping bag.

Deviled egg plates. YEP! Plates just for deviled eggs are a real thing! If you happen to have one show it off. No special plate - a board, platter, or tray work just as good.

Deviled egg plates.

Assembling Deviled Eggs with Pickles

Dice the pickles very small so they fit through the tip of the piping bag. If using a small cookie scoop or spoon to fill the egg whites, still dice the pickles small so there is a balance of flavors in the eggs.

A sprinkle of paprika over the top is a perfect finish for your eggs. If your paprika comes out too fast (experience speaking here!) put a teaspoon of paprika in a small strainer and gently sift over the deviled eggs to control the amount on the eggs.

Some Notes About Deviled Eggs

Our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 has all the info needed for success when making deviled eggs. Here are some basic notes about deviled eggs.

Deviled Eggs:

  • are hard boiled eggs with the egg yolks separated from the whites. The yolks are mixed with other ingredients and then the whites are refilled with the yolk mixture.
  • really shouldn't be frozen.
  • are great when made the day before, just don't garnish until right before serving.
  • are best served cold and should be kept refrigerated until served.
  • have many different options for yolk filling mix-ins; bacon and cheese are just a few.
  • will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator but will start to lose their freshness after the 2nd day.
  • can be made with Greek yogurt or sour cream instead of mayonnaise; or a combo of any of them.
Deviled egg with paprika garnish.

Substitutions

These deviled eggs with sweet pickles are also great with diced dill pickles, baby gherkins, or sweet pickle relish. Make these your own with your favorite pickled vegetables!

For a bit more spice, use dry mustard instead of dijon mustard or add some diced jalapeño peppers for even more heat.

Time Saver Tips

No time to boil and peel the eggs, but craving deviled eggs? Purchase pre-boiled, peeled eggs. These can be found at most grocery stores, restaurant supply stores, Costco, or Sam’s.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations for food safety, you can save leftover eggs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Our Favorite Deviled Eggs Info and Recipes

Common Deviled Eggs FAQ's

Where is the name deviled eggs from?

When talking about food in the U.S. in the late 1700's, the term deviled referred to food that was spicy, cooked in hot spices, or highly seasoned. Stuffed eggs and dressed eggs are names for the same thing in other countries. What has become a traditional deviled egg in the U.S. isn't super 'deviled'. It's easy to make them spicier with some dry hot mustard, ground pepper spices, even diced jalapeños mixed into the yolk mixture.

What is an easy way to peel hard boiled eggs?

There are so many theories on the BEST way to peel hard boiled eggs. However, we haven't found any method that is 100% guaranteed every time! Our advice is if you have a method that works for you, use it. We do have tips and information on what we have found to work for us in our Easy Deviled Eggs 101.

Can deviled eggs be decorated?

Yes! and it is so fun. How you cut them, fill them, garnish them, even dye the whites will put your own personal spin on the eggs. Easy Deviled Eggs 101 has a whole section on decorating and garnishing deviled eggs.

Deviled eggs with paprika garnish.

Mini Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

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These moist lemony cupcakes have a surprise berry in the middle. Creamy lemon frosting rounds out these delicious Mini Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes!

Mini lemon raspberry cupcakes frosted with lemon buttercream and a raspberry on top.

A homemade mini lemon cupcake with a hidden raspberry inside, lemon buttercream frosting, topped with a fresh raspberry, in a bite sized cupcake equal #adorable!

We love the 101 series on Cupcakes from our friends at Life As A Strawberry. The series is full of information for mastering all things cupcakes.

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Ingredients

Ingredients for mini lemon raspberry cupcakes.

Making lemon cupcakes from scratch is easy with this lemon cupcake recipe. A few basic ingredients, some fresh lemon and you are good to go. We mix it up with a hidden berry surprise for a special treat!

  • Pantry Staples - Sugar, flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Baking Staples - Unsalted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and milk.
  • Fresh Lemon - Lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and lemon extract together give a burst of lemon flavor.
  • Raspberries - Fresh raspberries and lemon are a great combo.

Basic Steps for Making Mini Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

Mixing lemon raspberry cupcake batter.

Mix sugar, lemon zest, and melted butter in a bowl (image 1). Add egg and mix until combined (image 2). Stir in flour, baking power and soda, salt, milk, and lemon juice and mix until all dry ingredients are combined (image 3). Set up your prepared mini muffin tin with your batter and cookie scoop (image 4).

Muffin batter with a single raspberry on top in muffin cups.

Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan until ⅔ - ¾ full (image 5). Press a raspberry down into the batter in each muffin cup (image 6).

Place in a preheated oven and bake until golden brown.

Mini raspberry cupcakes before baked and after baked.

Equipment We Used

Use a mini muffin cupcake pan and mini cupcake liners or skip the liners and use a silicone mini muffin pan. Whatever you use, make sure to cool the cupcakes on a wire rack when done baking.

Since these are mini cupcakes with a fairly small amount of ingredients, we recommend mixing these by hand or with a hand mixer (our favorite).

Fresh lemon zest is the best in this lemon cupcakes recipe and a microplane zester makes zesting the lemon a breeze. We definitely recommend doing this before juicing the lemon - YES, we have messed up and done it after and it is not fun!

We used a piping bag and large round tip to frost the cupcakes. The back of a spoon or a knife also works.

Frosting

Lemon buttercream frosting in a bowl.

Pretty sure you have realized we LOVE lemon! We double down on lemon flavor and frost the cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting. Reduce the lemon-i-ness of these by using a vanilla buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting instead.

There are so many ways to frost a cupcake and we love Cupcakes 102: How to Frost the Perfect Cupcake for a breakdown of piping tips and how to use them. We used a piping bag and large round tip to frost some of these cupcakes and a spoon to frost others. They all taste great! Of course we love the raspberry on top. So cute and adds an extra burst of raspberry.

Spoon and piped frosted cupcakes with a raspberry on top.

Favorite Riffs

These cupcakes are LEMONY! If you aren't as lemon crazy as we are, reduce the zest, lemon extract, or lemon juice in the recipe. Substituting a vanilla buttercream frosting will also reduce the lemon flavor.

Substitute blueberries for a lemon blueberry cupcake or make simple lemon cupcakes with no berries!

Storing Mini Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

Since these cupcakes have fresh fruit, we like to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, they will last in for up to 5 days. Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving so they come to room temperature.

Other Favorite Sweet Recipes

FAQ's

Can I freeze these cupcakes?

If you want to freeze these cupcakes we recommend not frosting them. Let them cool COMPLETELY and place them in an airtight container. While they will be good frozen for up to 3 months, we think they are better if eaten within a month. To serve, remove from the freezer and let thaw. If thawing them in the container, wipe any moisture from the container as they thaw to help prevent them from getting sticky.

Most cupcakes are not refrigerated, why are these?

You don't have to refrigerate these cupcakes, but since they contain fresh fruit, we like to keep them refrigerated until ready to serve. Remove them at least 20 minutes before serving so they come to room temperature.

Mini lemon raspberry cupcakes frosted with lemon buttercream and a raspberry.

Bacon Deviled Eggs

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This bacon deviled eggs recipe takes a classic and adds a favorite ingredient (BACON!) for a perfect appetizer for holidays, parties, or get togethers!

Deviled eggs with bacon on top.

Deviled eggs are usually the first thing devoured at gatherings. They are are so easy to make and adding bacon to the mix just ups the stakes making this one of the best deviled eggs recipes! PLUS - We've got you covered with All Things Deviled Eggs in our Easy Deviled Eggs 101, everything from hard boiling eggs to helpful equipment, where the name came from to decorating, plus lots of make ahead tips!

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Ingredients

Ingredients for bacon deviled eggs.

We stick with the basics here but mix it up with crispy bacon.

  • Eggs - we like large eggs for these appetizers, smaller eggs will need less mayo.
  • Mayonnaise - these are equally delicious with Greek yogurt, sour cream, or a combo of the three.
  • Mustard - we use dijon but love the kick from some dry mustard or the sweetness from some honey mustard.
  • Bacon - chopped crispy bacon for the WIN!
  • Pantry staples - salt, fresh ground black pepper

Equipment We Used

For a full discussion on equipment we used, see Easy Deviled Eggs 101. We used a hand mixer for a smooth filling and a piping bag with a large tip to fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture.

Mixing egg yolks for deviled eggs.

Filling a piping bag while trying to hold it open with one hand always leaves us with a mess. Place the piping bag in a tall glass or deli container and fold the top down over the sides. This holds the bag open and leaves you with two hands to spoon your filling into the bag!

No piping bag? Use a spoon, a small cookie scoop, or a ziploc bag (cut one corner off and use as a piping bag) to fill the egg whites.

Believe it or not, there are special plates just for deviled eggs! If you are lucky enough to have one, now is the time to show it off. Of course, if you don't have one use what you have; a platter, a tray, a serving board.

Deviled egg plates.

Assembling Bacon Deviled Eggs

Some Classic Deviled Eggs Info

There are a lot of questions around deviled eggs and we have you covered in our Easy Deviled Eggs 101. Here is some general information about deviled eggs. Deviled Eggs:

  • are hard boiled eggs with the yolks, removed from the egg whites, mixed with other ingredients, then put back into the whites.
  • are great made the day before, just don't garnish until right before serving.
  • should be kept refrigerated until served.
  • are best served cold.
  • shouldn't be frozen.
  • have many different options for mix-ins with the yolk filling; relish, pickles, cheese, olives, etc.
  • last up to 4 days in the refrigerator, but will start to lose their freshness after the 2nd day.
  • can absolutely be made with Greek yogurt or sour cream instead of mayonnaise.

We like the look of deviled eggs when the filling is piped heaping into the egg white using a piping bag and tip. However, they are just as tasty when filled using a spoon or small cookie scoop. Standing a piece of crispy bacon in the filling as the garnish makes them look amazing - plus more BACON!

Empty egg whites with egg yolk filling in piping bag.

Substitutions

There are SO many variations of deviled eggs and we like them all! Try candied bacon or crispy proscuitto. A combination of Greek yogurt, sour cream, and/or mayo all taste great! See Easy Deviled Eggs 101 for more information on substitutions and additions.

We like the flavor dijon mustard adds, but you can also leave it out or spice it up with a bit of dry mustard, honey mustard, or hot mustard instead.

Time Saver Tips

Don’t have the time or energy to boil and peel the eggs but are locked on the idea of deviled eggs? Consider purchasing pre-boiled, peeled eggs. Most grocery stores, Costco, Sam’s, and most restaurant food supply stores carry these.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA guidelines, you can save leftover deviled eggs in an airtight container up to 4 days in the refrigerator. 

Our Favorite Deviled Eggs Info and Recipes

More delicious bites

Classic Deviled Eggs FAQ's

Where did the name come from?

Stuffed eggs and dressed eggs are just two of the names for deviled eggs in other countries. The term deviled, when referring to food in the U.S., started in the late 1700’s and referred to highly seasoned food, spicy food, or food cooked in hot spices. While mustard gives deviled eggs a little spice, you can definitely amp it up with ground peppers (cayenne or chipotle), diced jalapeños, or hot sauce.

Can I decorate deviled eggs?

SO FUN and SO MANY ways to decorate deviled eggs! Check our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 for more tips on decorating and garnishing deviled eggs.

Is there a right way to hard boil and peel eggs?

There are SO many theories on how to hard boil eggs. Our advice is if you have a method that works for you, stick with it. Our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 has more information on hard boiling your eggs.

Deviled eggs with bacon on top on black board.

Cheddar Bacon Potato Croquettes

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The most delicious way to use leftover mashed potatoes - homemade potato croquettes with cheddar cheese and crispy bacon!

Fried cheddar potato croquettes stacked on plate.

There is a deep love for fried potatoes and these potato croquettes, made with leftover mashed potatoes, will quickly become your newest craving!

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Ingredients

Satisfy your hunger for fried potatoes quickly with these mashed potato croquettes, ready to eat in just 35 minutes!

  • Eggs - we use this to help hold the potato mixture together while frying.
  • Leftover mashed potatoes - we've been known to make mashed potatoes just to use for this recipe!
  • Bacon - fried until crispy and diced into pieces.
  • Cheddar cheese - we diced this but you can also use shredded cheese.
  • Parsley - a great pop of color plus a nice depth of flavor.
  • Some pantry staples - flour, salt, pepper, bread crumbs.
  • Oil for frying - we like vegetable or canola oil for deep frying.
Ingredients for potato croquettes.

What Are Potato Croquettes?

Potato croquettes might seem like a homemade tater tot, but they are actually different. Tater tots are made with shredded potatoes while potato croquettes are made with mashed potatoes. You can add additional ingredients (cheese, bacon, ham, veggies) to both tater tots and croquettes, but the form the potato is in is different in these two dishes. 

Potato Croquettes are great by themselves but are also delicious with marinara sauce, sour cream, ranch dressing, or even hot sauce.

Equipment We Used

We recommend a cookie scoop for these. We like the #40 (4 teaspoon) or #70 (3 teaspoon) size scoop. Play with different sizes and find what works best for you.

You will need a wire rack (or towel lined pan) in order to let these drain after frying. If you don’t let them drain you may end up with soggy, greasy croquettes.

Fried croquettes are definitely better warm. We recommend serving them in a chafing dish or on a tray sitting on a warming plate. Serve any dips in a small dish on the side with a spoon.

Steps for mixing potato croquettes.

How to Assemble

These seem like they can be time consuming, but they aren't! Once you get the hang of forming them, they go really fast. We found frying them in batches only took about 5 minutes per batch.

Make these the size that works for you! We like a 3-4 teaspoon size. They should be

  • small enough to eat easily.
  • big enough to completely encase the cheese.
  • not so big that the inside won’t get hot enough to melt the cheese.

Our Favorite Riffs

We love a good strong cheddar cheese but these are just as good with a gruyere, gouda, a smoked cheese (cheddar, gruyere, provolone), or parmesan. Omit the bacon for a vegetarian option or substitute ham, prosciutto, or chicken. Add some small diced veggies (that will hold up to deep frying) to the mix. We like bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, or mushrooms.

For ease (or maybe because we are lazy!), we mix the small diced cheese directly into the mashed potato mixture. It also works to form the croquette and press a larger cheese square into the middle of the ball. Make sure the potato mixture completely covers the cheese. Proceed with the egg wash and breading as directed.

Time Saver Tips

This recipe calls for mashed potatoes and is a GREAT way to use leftover mashed potatoes! Not enough leftover to make this recipe? Mashed potatoes freeze great. Freeze any leftover potatoes until you have 1 ½ pounds. Remove frozen potatoes from the freezer, thaw, and proceed with the recipe.

Shredded cheese works just as good as diced cheese.

Steps to coating cheddar potato croquettes.

Make Ahead Tips

These are a great make ahead item. There are many steps along the way where you can pause.

  • Before coating in egg wash and panko. Form the croquette and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to a month.
  • After coating in egg wash and panko. Bread the croquette and refrigerate up to 1 day before cooking. We don't recommend freezing breaded, uncooked croquettes.
  • After frying the croquettes
    • keep warm in a 170 degrees Fahrenheit oven up to 2 hours before/during service.
    • refrigerate up to 2 days. Heat in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 5-10 minutes or until the inside is warm.
    • freeze up to a month in an airtight container. Place frozen croquettes directly into a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven and bake until warmed through - about 15-20 minutes.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA guidelines, these potato bites will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warm in the center, 5-10 minutes.

Cheddar, bacon potato croquettes with marinara sauce.

More delicious bites

Croquette FAQ's

Are these just homemade tater tots?

No, they are actually different. Tater tots are made with shredded potatoes while potato croquettes are made with mashed potatoes. You can add additional ingredients; cheese, bacon, ham, veggies, to both tater tots and croquettes, but the base ingredient (potatoes) is in a different form. 

What if I don’t have mashed potatoes?

You will need to make some. You can’t make these with raw, shredded potatoes (that is a tater tot). See Mashed Potatoes 101 from Life As A Strawberry for all the info on making the best mashed potatoes.

Do I have to fry these?

NO! We tested these (multiple times) by deep frying, using the air fryer, and baking in the oven. While all three methods worked, we definitely found the deep fried method gave the best overall result. Both the air fryer and oven resulted in a less evenly fried outside, but they work and were still delicious!

To fry in the air fryer. Place the croquette balls about an inch apart on the air fryer rack (per your units directions). Place in the air fryer for about 3 minutes. Turn the croquettes and continue air frying until they are brown all over. (Ours took between 7-8 minutes and we turned them twice.)

To bake in the oven. Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat it to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oven is hot and your croquettes are breaded, spray the top of each croquette with cooking spray (we like our Misto oil sprayer). Remove the sheet pan from the oven (be careful - it’s hot!). Place the croquettes, sprayed side down, on the sheet pan and spray the tops. Place the sheet pan in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Turn the croquettes over and cook another 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and hot inside.

Inside of cheddar bacon potato croquette.

Feta Deviled Eggs

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Adding feta cheese to a favorite classic makes these Feta Deviled Eggs one of our new favorites!

Feta deviled eggs with feta cheese garnish on a black board.

Deviled eggs are a must have dish at many family gatherings. This recipe changes things up by adding some feta cheese and WE. LOVE. IT.

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Ingredients

Deviled eggs are easy to make and this feta deviled egg recipe is a simple twist on a classic deviled egg.

  • Classic Deviled Egg Ingredients - large eggs, mayo, dijon, salt, fresh ground black pepper
  • Feta cheese - the game changing ingredient!
Feta cheese with deviled egg filling.

Equipment

Our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 contains All Things Deviled Eggs including a full discussion on equipment we used. A hand mixer helps get a smooth filling of egg yolks and feta cheese. We like the look of a piped yolk filling into the egg whites and find a piping bag with a large round or star tip makes this a quick and easy process. No piping bag? A spoon works just as well.

PRO TIP:
Have you ever struggled to hold a piping bag open and fill it at the same time? Use a tall glass or deli container, place the piping bag in the container, fold the top down over the sides, and fill away!

Filling piping bag being help open by a cup.

Deviled egg plates. That's right - there are plates just for deviled egg! PULL IT OUT. SHOW IT OFF.

Deviled egg plates.

Some Favorite Deviled Eggs Info

Deviled Eggs:

  • Are made with hard boiled eggs. Remove the yolks from the egg whites. Mix the yolks and the other ingredients for the egg yolk filling. Put the filling back into the whites.
  • Can easily be made the day before - just garnish right before serving.
  • Shouldn't be frozen.
  • Are best served cold - keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
  • Start to lose their freshness after the 2nd day but will actually be good up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
  • Get a depth of flavor when made with Greek yogurt or sour cream instead of mayonnaise.
Deviled eggs with no garnish on a black board.

Favorite Riffs

Substitute the feta cheese for cheddar cheese or goat cheese. Add some crispy bacon or crispy proscuitto. A combination of Greek yogurt, sour cream, and/or mayo all taste great! For more information on riffs, see Easy Deviled Eggs 101.

Spice it up a bit and substitute dry mustard or honey mustard for a hint of sweet for the dijon mustard!

Time Saver Tips

Craving deviled eggs? If you don't have the time or bandwidth to boil and peel the eggs, purchase pre-boiled, peeled eggs. Most grocery stores, Costco, Sam’s, and most restaurant food supply stores carry these.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA guidelines for food safety, store leftover deviled eggs in an airtight container up to 3 days in the refrigerator. 

Our Favorite Deviled Eggs Info and Recipes

Feta deviled eggs with feta cheese garnish on a black board.

More delicious appetizers

Common FAQ's about Deviled Eggs

Is there an easy way to peel hard boiled eggs?

With SO many theories on how to hard boil eggs, our advice is if you have a method that works for you, stick with it. If you struggle, like we have, our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 has our best tips for peeling your eggs.

Where did the term Deviled Eggs come from?

This started in the late 1700's and referred to food cooked in hot spices or spicy, highly seasoned food. Many countries have a version of deviled eggs but call them by a different name; stuffed eggs or dressed eggs are two of them. The spice from the dijon mustard is mild and can definitely be kicked up a bit with hot mustard or extra ground pepper spice!

Mini Bacon Cheeseburger Bites

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OH! AH! YUM! That is the reaction to these delicious (and adorable) mini bacon cheeseburger bites. These take a little work up front but the payoff is worth it!

Tray of mini bacon cheeseburger bites.

These mini bacon cheeseburger bites hit all the favorites; burger - check, bacon - check, small - check, on a stick - check, and SUPER CUTE - super check! Make extra because they will all be eaten. . . after everyone takes a picture!

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Base Ingredients

This mini cheeseburger appetizer recipe combines the basic burger ingredients and aren't just adorable to look at but also fun to make and eat!

  • Ground beef - works great with ground turkey, chicken, pork or a combination.
  • Crispy bacon - leave this off for a classic cheeseburger.
  • Cheddar cheese - we love a strong cheddar, but use your favorite cheese.
  • Tomatoes and arugula - sub leaf lettuce for arugula, add some red onion or cucumber slice.
  • Chipotle mayo - we love the zing from this condiment and included the recipe to make your own.
  • Mini burger buns - we include a link for making your own mini buns, SO WORTH THE EFFORT!
Ingredients for mini bacon cheeseburgers.

Equipment We Used

For Making Mini Burgers

Cookie Scoop. Cookie scoops can get SO confusing! Don’t stress over this. For these burgers, we like the 2 teaspoons (volume) size. It will yield around 30 mini patties. If using a 1 Tablespoon scoop increase the ground beef to 1 ⅓ pound for approximately 24 mini burgers. Go smaller or bigger as desired, just adjust the mini burger bun size and amount of meat accordingly. While a cookie scoop makes it so much faster to make your burgers, you can also make a square burger - pat the ground beef into a rectangle ¼ - ⅜ inch thick and cut into squares just a little bigger than the buns (the meat will shrink a little as it cooks).

Silpat. We use a Silpat nonstick silicone baking mat to line our sheet pans but parchment paper will also work. 

Squeeze Bottle. We like to add our chipotle mayo to a squeeze bottle, with a cap, for ease of adding to the buns and easy storage. No squeeze bottle? Use a small spoon or small knife to add the chipotle mayonnaise to each bun.

Steps in forming and baking the mini burgers.

For Serving Mini Cheeseburgers

Picks. We do not recommend using colored toothpicks as the color can come off on the food. We like to use a reusable toothpick, but recognize if you are hosting a large party this may not be feasible. For large parties use a decorative toothpick when possible - like a bamboo knotted toothpick. These are found at most party stores, some grocery stores, or restaurant supply stores. Here are a few of our favorite pick sources.

Platter. Use what you have; a plate, a serving platter, a tray, a cheese board. If you can refill the dish during your event, then space the mini burgers out so they are easy to pick up and look nice. This can be in rows, patterns, or random. If you are unable to refill during your event, select a platter that will hold them all either spaced or side by side. 

Size of Burgers

Remember, we are making a bite sized burger, but as with a larger burger, we want a nice balance of burger to bun. Since the burger will shrink a little while cooking, when formatting the burger patties, make them slightly larger than the bun. The goal is to end up with a cooked burger the same size as the bun.

Size comparison of unbaked burger patty to bun.

How To Assemble

While these can be made one at a time, we like to use a small assembly line. 

  • Set the buns (both tops and bottoms together) in rows on a tray. Leave about 3 inches between the rows.
  • Place the tops next to the bottoms in the space between the rows. 
  • Add chipotle mayo on the top and bottom of each bun.
  • Put a warm burger on the bottom of each bun. Follow with a slice of cheese, crispy bacon piece, and tomato slice.
  • Take a few arugula leaves and fold them in half, into a small bundle. Then place on top of the tomato. While holding that in place, put the top bun on top of the arugula and pierce the entire mini burger with a pick. 
Assembly of bacon cheeseburger bites.

Favorite Riffs

While we love these mini bacon cheeseburger bites as is, make them your own.

  • Use your favorite cheese; gouda, swiss, blue, something smoked.
  • Substitute iceberg or romaine for the arugula.
  • Substitute your favorite condiment for the chipotle mayo; mustard, ketchup, or plain mayo.
  • Add pickle slices, cucumber slices, or red onion.
  • Use turkey, chicken, or pork for the patties, or a combination of them.
  • Add your favorite additions to the meat mixture; beer, root beer, bread crumbs, spices, etc. However, be careful adding anything in medium-large pieces. Since these patties are so small you want to make sure they hold together.

Time Saver Tips

Don’t have time to make the mini burger buns (and none in the freezer)? Make larger slider size patties and use a mini ciabatta roll, dinner roll, or Hawaiian roll.

Burger Patties.

Square vs. Round. You can pat the hamburger into a large square patty and then cut into the size squares you want. This saves a little time from scooping each mini patty. NOTE: We don’t recommend baking them as one large patty as they don’t look as nice when you cut them after they are baked. 

Form patties ahead of time. Store unbaked patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to three days. Remove and bake per instructions. Store in the freezer, up to a month, thaw, bake, and assemble per instructions. The burger patties can also be baked up to three days in advance and stored (in an airtight container) in the fridge.

Chipotle Mayo.

Instead of making a chipotle mayo with chipotle peppers, just mix a little ground chipotle pepper and ground cayenne pepper with your mayo. We do recommend adding the lime juice if using dried spices to brighten up the mayo. Also add the spices in small amounts and taste as you go to make sure you get the flavor you want.

Buy a pre-made chipotle mayo. Most grocery stores carry a number of different brands. NOTE: We have not tested any of the different brands available, but have had good luck with Boar's Head condiment products. We recommend you taste the mayo before using and adjust the flavors if needed.

Ingredients for chipotle mayo.

Make Ahead Tips

Bake the patties up to three days in advance.Store baked patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator and heat before assembling hamburger bites. Freeze the baked patties up to a month and refresh them in the oven. We prefer to bake them a few days before and reheat and eliminate the freezing step.

For Assembling Burgers

Have all the individual components ready to go, but don’t assemble the final mini bacon cheeseburger bites until ready to serve. 

  • Make the mini burger buns in advance. Store in an airtight container on the counter up to 1 day or in the freezer (tightly wrapped) up to 1 month.
  • Slice the buns earlier in the day and store in an airtight container. Refresh the buns in a 200 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 2-3 minutes if you like. Make sure they are stored flat so the tops and bottoms match up.
  • Bake the burgers and bacon up to 3 days in advance, store in an airtight container in the fridge, and reheat in a 350 degree oven until warm (3-5 minutes). NOTE: baked burger patties can be frozen up to a month, but we prefer to bake them a few days before and eliminate the freezing step.
  • Slice the tomatoes up to a day in advance and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
  • Make the chipotle mayo up to 2 weeks in advance and store in a capped squeeze bottle so it is ready to use.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, these mini burgers will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to two days. 

Single mini bacon cheeseburger on a white plate.

Other favorite small bites

FAQ's

These take a little time, are they really worth it?

ABSOLUTELY! If you want one thing on your table that everyone loves, this is it! They are SO cute and . . . it's a mini cheeseburger! They are easy to eat! They are delicious! Plan ahead of your event and use our Make Ahead Tips above.

Can you use different toppings?

Of Course! Use your favorite toppings and condiments. Use your favorite cheese; gouda, blue, smoked gruyere. Substitute iceberg, leaf lettuce, or romaine for the arugula. Substitute mustard, ketchup, or plain mayo for the chipotle mayo. Add pickle slices. Leave the bacon off. NOTE: We don’t recommend adding avocado to these unless they are going to be eaten immediately. Avocados turn brown when they sit in the air.

What are other options instead of making the mini burger buns?

While the mini buns are not hard to make, you do need to plan ahead. You can make a slider sized burger and use a mini ciabatta roll, Hawaiian roll, or a dinner roll. While you will miss the WOW factor, you will still have a delicious bacon cheeseburger.

Mini Burger Buns

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So Cute! That is the reaction to these adorable mini burger buns when paired with our mini burgers!

Baked mini burger buns.
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Ingredients

These mini buns are perfect for those special appetizer bites! Plus they are so cute and easy to make with a few basic ingredients.

  • Baking staples: yeast and flour (we used all-purpose and whole wheat flours)
  • Kitchen staples: honey or sugar, egg, salt, butter
  • Water
  • Optional toppings: poppy seeds and sesame seeds
Ingredients for mini burger buns.

How to Make Homemade Mini Burger Buns

First - The Dough

Proof the yeast with the honey (or sugar) and water in a large bowl. Then add the flour, egg, and melted butter. Since this is a small amount of dough it is very easy to mix by hand, but a stand mixer or a hand mixer also work. Cover and let rise for about an hour, or until double in size.

Mixing the dough for mini hamburger buns.

Second - Shape the Mini Buns

Once the dough has risen, gently tip it onto a lightly floured board. Roll, or stretch, the dough until it is about ¼ inch thick. Use a small mini round cutter (about 1 ¼ inch diameter). No mini cutters? Cut the dough into squares. Place them on a lined baking sheet, cover with a cloth and let rise for 20-25 minutes while the oven heats up.

Dough cut into circles and squares for mini buns.

Third - Bake!

Remove the cloth from the buns after they have risen and your oven is heated. Brush the tops of the mini buns with melted butter. Sprinkle some with sesame seeds, some with poppy seeds, and leave some plain for an assortment of buns.

Bake the mini hamburger buns until golden brown!

Equipment We Used

If you invest in nothing else for bread baking, invest in a kitchen scale. They're relatively inexpensive and easy to store - and they'll make your bread MUCH more consistent! This is a popular model, but any scale works as long as it measures in grams!

Since this is such a small amount of dough it is actually easier to mix by hand than with a stand mixer. However, using a mixer is perfectly fine.

We use a Silpat nonstick silicone baking mat to line our sheet pans but parchment paper also works.   

We like this set of mini round biscuit cutters. If you are going to be doing more appetizers and small bites, we recommend getting a set. 

Mini Burger Bun Substitutions

Mix it up with different flours! Use only all-purpose flour or a combination of all-purpose, whole wheat, rye, or 9 grain. We only recommend changing the flour combinations if you understand changes a recipe might need in order for the different flours work. If you want to learn more about bread baking we highly recommend Everyday Artisan Bread Course. 

We like melted butter brushed on the buns before baking, but use milk or an egg wash (mix 1 egg + 1 Tablespoon water) instead. It is nice to have an assortment of buns; poppy seed, sesame seed, plain. After brushing the mini buns with the wash just sprinkle the buns with your topping of choice.    

Melted butter and seeds for topping buns.

Time Saver Tips

Making mini buns for burgers just takes time. There is a lot of ‘inactive time’ but it takes the time it takes. Don't try to speed the process up, it is well worth the effort and time to see your guests' reaction to these awesome bites!

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

These definitely want to be made ahead of time. Let them cool completely then place in an airtight container.

  • If using within 1 day, store in an airtight container on the counter or refrigerator. 
  • Storing longer than 1 day, place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. TO USE: Remove from the freezer, place on a sheet pan in a single layer, cover tight, and thaw on the counter. 
  • Refresh mini buns in a 350 degree oven for 2-3 minutes. 
  • We recommend storing the burger buns before cutting them. Slice them in half right before using.  
Unbaked and then baked images of round and square mini burger buns.

What To Use The Mini Burger Buns For

These mini buns are perfect for special appetizer bites, anything on a bun that you want to make into a one bite appetizer! Try them with our Mini Bacon Cheeseburger Bites or Buffalo Chicken Mini Burgers.

Some other favorite bites

FAQ's

Why are they rolled so thin and cut so small?

Great question! It seems so odd to make a bun so tiny - right! Remember, we are making a bite sized burger. If the bun is thicker it puffs up too big and once all the other ingredients are in the bun it will be too tall to be bite sized! Same thing applies to the size we cut them. It is kind of like the three bears story - buns 1 inch round are just a little too small, 1 ½ inch is just a little too big, but 1 ¼ inch is just right for bite size!

How many buns does this recipe make?

It is going to depend on what size you end up making. We are able to get 50 - 1 ¼ inch round buns. When we do square buns we get a few more since there is less waste.