November 19, 2018

Phyllo Cup Appetizers (Apple, Bacon + Cheese)

Name: Phyllo Cup Appetizers (Apple, Bacon + Cheese)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 15
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 box (1.9 oz) phyllo shells (15 pieces); 2 slices oven baked bacon, finely chopped; 1/2 small Gala apple, finely chopped; 2 ounces goat cheese, softened; 2 ounces gouda cheese, shredded; Dash hot sauce; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, chopped

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Update your holiday snack spread with these Cheesy Apple & Bacon Phyllo Cup Appetizers – a modern take on a cheeseball and crackers.

Round gray decorative plate filled with phyllo cup appetizers on a wood table.

There’s a few things that I like to keep on hand for quick entertaining snacks that seem fancy, but are so easy. Marcona almonds, good olives, fresh fruit, smoked salmon and a few good cheeses and cured meats for jarcuterie all make the list.

Especially for the Thanksgiving – New Years holiday season, these items are almost always in my fridge. Another item right there at the top is mini phyllo cups.

These little edible cups (sometimes called “phyllo shells” on their box) are most often found in the freezer section of any grocery store (look near the puff pastry and other frozen pastry items).

I’ve also occasionally seen stores keep them at room temperature during the holiday season when they sell quickly. If you can’t find them at your store, be sure to ask.

You can also store them at room temperature for a few days once you bring them home.

They’re made with layers of phyllo dough, a light and flaky unleavened dough used in Greek and Middle Eastern cuisines. People are most often familiar with phyllo dough in baklava.

Phyllo cups make for the easiest appetizers ever!

Phyllo shells are a favorite of mine because they are SO adaptable. They can be filled with any variety of filling, from sweet to savory or somewhere in between.

I use them to make the laziest version of baklava ever (linked in the list below), and just about every flavor of appetizer under the sun.

If you’ve stored your phyllo cups in the freezer after purchasing them, simply put them on your counter as you are cooking bacon in the oven and prepping your filling, and they’ll be at room temperature and ready to eat by the time you’re ready to fill them.

They can be served straight from the box, or baked if you want. Like I said, SO easy.

These Phyllo Cup Appetizers are a modern take on a cheeseball.

These Cheesy Apple & Bacon Phyllo Cup Appetizers are my modern take on a cheeseball and crackers.

Updating your Thanksgiving recipes appetizer list in this little way couldn’t be easier – simple stir together cooked bacon, goat cheese, gouda cheese, a dash of hot sauce, and some chopped Gala apple.

I always have Gala apples in my crisper because they are perfect for eating fresh (with peanut butter, of course) AND cooking (and Instant Pot Apple Butter). You can’t go wrong with them!

Scoop the mixture into the phyllo cups, and from here, you can serve these bites at room temperature, but I like to pop them into the oven so the cheese gets all golden brown and melty.

The warm, gooey cheese is a big payoff for just 15 minutes in the oven.

Your holiday guests will be coming back for seconds and thirds of these savory-sweet little bites, I promise (especially if they have a brandy old fashioned in hand)! If you think you only need one box of phyllo cups, you better buy two, just to be safe!

These little bites re also terrific as part of a brunch food buffet. Don’t forget to make a round of caramel iced coffee with homemade caramel syrup for coffee, too!

P.S. If you have any leftover bacon and apples, try my Skillet Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Apples! And any cocktail made with my rosemary simple syrup would pair great with these phyllo cups.

Yield: 15 pieces