You are only a few ingredients away from cheesy-pastry goodness! These bacon ranch puffs are perfect as a game-day appetizer or after-school snack. They are super easy.
Today I brought Truman in to the doctor for his immunizations. It was just one shot, and he cried of course, for a few seconds. Then they gave him a lollipop and he was fine.
But as we’re walking out a minute later, he walked straight into the wall and hit his head on the doorframe. Kid was bawling for like 3 minutes, and suddenly I’m (yet again) THAT parent who is laughing while their kid is crying.
Don’t worry, I really do love my kids, but seeing a tiny human walk into a wall while pathetically sucking on a lollipop IS kind of funny.
It reminds me of the time that Charlotte fell into the washing machine. No joke. (I think that is one of my favorite posts on my blog. It perfectly describes my life as a mother, and it makes me laugh every time.)
I have a whole theory about laughing vs. crying as a coping tactic for moms. See this post wherein Charlotte falls off a stool, or the one where I accidentally squirted water in her face and she cried. Laughing beats crying almost every time for me, which probably makes the nurses at the doctor’s office think I’m a total maniac. I’m sure I’m on their list.
Who’s ready for football?? *Cue laughter* I am not one of those people who understands football, so the phenomenon does very little for me, but one thing I do understand is food, and game-day food has it’s own special place in my heart. Especially when there is cheesy bacon ranch involved. These little puffs include everything you need in a perfect appetizer: fast, easy, cheesy, carb-y, bacon-y, and delicious served both warm and room temperature. Win!
Do you guys give up? Or are you thirsty for more?
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Cheesy Bacon Ranch Puffs
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Ranch seasoning, or to taste
- 1 sheet Puff Pastry, half a package, thawed
- 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- green onions, to garnish
Instructions
- Set the cream cheese on the counter to soften for at least 1/2 hour.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp. You can crumble it after you cook it or chop it before. You want the pieces to be pretty small.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add ranch seasoning to the cream cheese. Add the bacon and stir well. Taste it, and add more ranch if you want.
- Unfold the puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten it out a bit. You want it to be about 10 inches square.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 36 squares (see photos).
- Coat a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray. Add two squares of dough to each muffin hole, making sure that the squares are offset (see photos)
- Use two spoons to fill each puff with the cream cheese mixture. You can be pretty generous in filling them.
- Top with cheddar cheese.
- Bake at 400 for 9-12 minutes, or until the cheese barely starts to brown.
Nutrition
Bacon and Pepper-Jack Stuffed Crescent Rolls: (3 ingredients, folks)
Puffy Bacon Twists (with BBQ Ranch Sauce):
Mozzarella-Stuffed Soft Pretzels (These are amaaaaazing):
Reuben Stuffed Crescent Rolls:
You will love these other appetizers!
Bacon Ranch Pepper Jack Pull Apart Bread from Carlsbad Cravings
Cheesy Bacon Ranch Dip from Deliciously Sprinkled
Chicken and Bacon Ranch Crescents from Life in the Lofthouse
Football season is right around the corner and your Puffs will be on our menu!~Carolyn @ Cabot
Mmm, these look so yummy! I bet they’re awesome warm… :)
Love how cute and yummy this appetiser looks.
Love these little puffs of cheesy goodness! I wish I had these in front of me right now because they look incredible!
Dear Karen, This is a lovely little appetizer or snack! And so pretty too. You have the best photographs. Thanks for the inspiration, looks like a fun party food!
Oh my gosh, I remember crying at the doctor’s office when I got a shot and it was all better when he have me stickers and a lollipop. As a matter of fact, that happened only several months ago! (just kidding!)
These cheese puffs look perfect as an appetizer, Karen! love it!
haha oh you always make me laugh with your stories!!
These puffs … look so pop-able! And cheesy and delicious!
So cute! Would love these as summer party hors d’oeuvres!
I LOVE these and how easy they are! Sometimes kids do the most ridiculous things — 3 year olds, in particular. Sometimes I try to reason with her, but then…. nope. No point! Laughter is the best medicine they say!
Oh, my! I’m loving all that cheesy goodness in a little pastry cup! And yes, laughing at your kids mishaps is a perk of being a parent…we do it all the time. LOL!
You totally make the best gameday foods. All that cheese!! And since I don’t really watch games, when I say gameday foods, I mean that I will eat these snacks for my lunch. And by the way, I absolutely laugh at my kids all the time. I think I’m on ‘the list’ at the dr’s office too.
Haha – I am so glad to have stopped by – you are too funny! “Laughing beats crying almost every time for me” TOO!!! As long as they were ok after their falls then it’s ok – one of my co-workers had her teen run into a wall one night and she couldn’t stop laughing as she told us the story of how her daughter had broken her nose!
BTW – these puffs sound amazing!
Once again, a piece of food of yours I’d have no chance of controlling myself with!!! I’d have to make like 300 of these to have them last any decent amount of time :)
With a little boy on the way, I can’t imagine all the trouble he (and I!) is going to get into as I have a tendency to laugh when my nieces do something clumsy! So I too, will probably be on my pediatricians’ ‘list’!
And who can so no to cheese, bacon goodness? Not I! Pinned!
Could these get any better?! Such a cute size and so packed full of flavor!