Gruyere, Mushroom, & Caramelized Onion Bites
Caramelized onion bites with sautéed crimini mushrooms, balsamic caramelized onions, and applewood smoked gruyere cheese. The perfect little appetizers! They’re made with puff pastry and take no time at all to whip up! These are the perfect appetizers to serve your guests this holiday season.
Boom! Flakey puff pastry topped with balsamic caramelized onions, sauteéd mushrooms, a hint of garlic, and a smoked gruyere cheese bomb mixed right in. <– Dis is my life. Me likey. Be it a caramelized onion tart/tartlette, puff pastry bite, or a caramelized onion panini melt, I am down for it all.
These caramelized onion bites are a game-changer for me. They’re perfect to serve to guests before a big holiday dinner. Also, they totally look fancy shmancy but nobody really needs to know that the caramelized onion and sauteéd mushroom filling can be made up to 48 hours ahead of time. Snappy. Snappetizers. Has that term been coined already? Because I’m coining it if it hasn’t. Appetizers in a snap. That’s some of my best thinking before my 9 am cup of coffee *pat on the back* (and it’s well deserved).
How to make caramelized onion bites:
I’ve been wanting to get these puff pastry bites for A. LONG. TIME. They’re perfect for holiday parties and they look oh so, elegant. So elegant that you have the guests fooled on how long it actually took to make these bad boys. When you’ve got a holiday part going on, the last thing you want to do is spend too much time on any one dish. Not gonna do it. You’ve gotta simplify and do some do-ahead work. And these caramelized onion bites fit right into that agenda.
Let’s talk about the recipe. I’m using 2 medium yellow onions and about 5-6 ounces of crimini mushrooms. A little sugar, a little balsamic vinegar, and a 1/4 teaspoon of thyme.
We’re going to start by sautéing the mushrooms in a few tablespoons of oil for 4-5 minutes. Once they start to brown, remove them to a bowl. Add the remaining butter and the onions. Let them hang out in the pan for 5 minutes. Remember to use a cast iron or stainless steel skillet. You want to avoid using a nonstick skillet as the onions won’t caramelize as well. After the 5 minutes, toss in the sugar and thyme. Now crank the heat down to about medium-low and cook for a total of 25 minutes and keep checking on them every 5 minutes or so to make sure they aren’t caramelizing too fast. Add the balsamic to help deglaze the pan and when it’s all been soaked up, you’re done. Add the onions to the mushrooms and season with a little garlic powder + salt and pepper. Let your filling come to room temperature, you can store it in an air-tight container for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator. If you decide to make the filling ahead of time, zap it in the microwave to bring it back to room temp before continuing with the recipe instructions. Mix in the gruyere cheese and combine well.
Remember to thaw your puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight. This will ensure that you don’t get any cracks trying to pry open the puff pastry sheets. Cut the puff pastry sheet into small squares or rectangles. I cut mine into 2-inch squares. Brush them with a beaten egg using a pastry brush. Drop about a tablespoon of caramelized onion mixture on each puff pastry square.
Bake them for 20-25 minutes and make sure to rotate the pan halfway though for even baking. Top with chopped parsley and serve warm. In the word’s of Ina Garten, how easy is that?
Look at each of those puff pastry layers and how perfectly they separate from each other. It’s like taking a bite out of 10 potato chips at the same time, only less crunchy, and more buttery. Okay, so not like a potato chip at all, really.
Caramelized onion bites are going to make your holidays more amazing. The garlic, the mushrooms, the caramelized onions, and smoky gruyere. <– that’s the stuff dreams are made of!
If you like this caramelized onion bites recipe, you might also like:
- Greek Spinach Puffs
- Cranberry Brie Bites
- Chicken Pot Pie With Puff Pastry Crust
- How to Make Baklava (Baklawa)
Gruyere, Mushroom, & Caramelized Onion Bites
Caramelized onion bites with sautéed crimini mushrooms, balsamic caramelized onions, and applewood smoked gruyere cheese. Thee perfect little appetizers! They're made with puff pastry and take no time at all to whip up! These are the perfect appetizers to serve your guests this holiday season.

Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 5-6 ounces crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 ounces grated gruyere cheese (I used applewood smoked gruyere)
- 1 package (1 pound) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
- MUSHROOMS: In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil along with 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes until tender. Remove and set aside in a medium bowl.
- CARAMELIZE: Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter along with the 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onions for 5 minutes. Add the dried thyme and sugar and continue to cook for 25 minutes on medium low heat. Make sure to stir the mixture every 5 minutes or so. If the onions are caramelizing too fast, turn down the heat a little more. Add the balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan, allow the onions to soak it all in. Turn off heat. Add the onions to the mushroom mixture. Season with the garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste, stir to combine. Allow to cool to room temperature. Mixture can be kept in an air-tight container and refrigerated for up to 48 hours at this point. Allow to come to room temperature before proceeding. Add the gruyere cheese and mix well.
- PREP: Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- FILL AND BAKE: Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut the puff pastry into 2-inch squares and place them on a lined baking sheet. Make sure the puff pastry is cold before proceeding. If not, allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before proceeding. Using a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg on the squares. Prick the puff pastry using a fork in the center. Place a tablespoon of caramelized onion mixture in the center. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway in between until crisp and golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Make sure the puff pastry is cold when it goes into the oven. If at any point it becomes soft, allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes or until it firms up again. Do not open the oven door during the first 10 minutes of baking time. Frequently opening the oven may cause the puff pastry to not 'puff up'.
- Mozzarella or gouda cheese may be used to replace the gruyere. I really like the smoky flavor of applewood smoked gruyere with these bites.
- If you've prepared the caramelized onion mixture ahead of time, you can zap it in the microwave for 30 seconds to bring it back to room temperature quickly.
I make a tart just like this . . but love your idea of pre-cutting the puff pastry. . so beautiful and yes, a great appetizer for the holidays!
I tried making this recipe and followed the instructions on the store bought puff pastry box to the T but the puff pastry was too puffy! Do I need to roll it out a bit? What did I do wrong?
Hi Winnie, for next time, i’d suggest scoring a ¼ inch border on the puff pastry (and place the onion mushroom mixture inside the borders) this should keep the pastry from puffing up too much. You could even use a fork and just pierce holes all over the unbaked puff pastry squares before adding the pastry on top and baking. Either method would work. It’s really nothing you did, the brand of puff pastry you used just happened to be extra puffy 🙂
Since my bf became vegetarian we looked for something that tastes like Christmas and for 5 years now it has been this recipe. The only difference is I use brie cheese instead. What a great recipe! Thank you for all the joy it has brought.
Ok–I tried to make this for a holiday party and they didn’t puff and were so tiny. Any idea what happened?
Hi Heather,
Hmmm. Did you perhaps open the oven door during the first 10 minutes of baking time? Sometimes, the puff pastry doesn’t rise if the oven temperature falls too much before the puff pastry has a chance to start puffing up. It could also be that the puff pastry wasn’t cold enough when it went into the oven. If the kitchen is super warm or if you live in a warm climate, the puff pastry sheets sometimes need a few minutes in the refrigerator before going into the oven. I’ll also add these as notes into the recipe, thanks for your feedback.
Greetings Marzia, Great recipe. I’m doing this for our Christmas gathering. I noticed the pictures included a green well sliced leaf. Is that parsley?
Hi Paul! Yes, that’s parsley. 🙂 Just sprinkled some on to make it look a little more attractive for pictures!
I made a double batch of these last night for a party. They were wonderful and a big hit! There were a handful left over and I heated them on low in the oven and topped them with basic scrambled eggs with cheese and tomatoes. Also delicious!
Maybe I’m missing it but when do you add garlic powder and salt and pepper?
Sara, you add the garlic powder, salt, and pepper after you combine the caramelized onions and mushrooms in a bowl.
hi,just did it today….I mixed the mushrooms with emmenthal cheese . They were ok but the cheese was in a way like overcooked before the pastries puffed properly..so i had to add little bit of cheese as a topping and left it few seconds to melt
The recipe specifically calls for gruyere, and although emmental cheese is similar, it’s always best to use the ingredients i’ve tested the recipe with. If you change the ingredients or quantities, it changes the recipe. Emmenthal cheese contains less fat than gruyere, perhaps this is why the ingredient didn’t work as a good substitute.
Made these for Valentine’s Day. Used a heart cookie cutter for the pasty dough and they turned out perfectly! This recipe is a winner for sure!
Wish I could share a picture, so happy with how this turned out.
Great idea! I am making these for Christmas and will try using a large star cookie cutter!
Thanks so much for the recipe!
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These were great. However, having made these and french onion soup numerous times, you underestimate the time to properly caramelize onions. That creamy deep brown (but not burnt) texture takes at least twice what you listed (mine took an hour in a large cast iron). Not a deal-breaker, but certainly not a quick appetizer.
I made these on Saturday night for a small dinner party and they were a tremendous hit! Followed your recipe exactly but use the mission fig balsamic vinegar instead of regular balsamic; so delicious!
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I have made these a couple times now. Always a big hit. I have made them with and without mushrooms. I cut the puff pastry into 16 equal squares. I do not add any garlic, balsamic vinegar or sugar. Just onions cooked down in the oil/butter/salt topped with gruyere. They cook perfectly every time and are simple, elegant and delicious. You really only need 3 ingredients which is amazing!!
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So did I miss something or when do you add the cheese? I can’t wait to try this recipe for aChristmas party we are attending this coming weekend and I’m getting my shopping list made out. Just re-read and I still missed the chees step??!!! Thanks for your input!!!
At the very bottom, in step #2 🙂
Delicious! People at the party I went to loved these! I thought I had the right cheese on hand, but I had Gouda, and they turned out wonderful!
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Can this recipe be made ahead of time and then frozen?
I’ve never tried freezing it so I really couldn’t say!
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Really wonderful recipe! I took this to Christmas dinner after a friend gave me a bag of wild mushrooms. Just lovely. This dish travels well because you can keep the mushroom mixture separate from the puff pastry and then assemble and heat them for just a few minutes before serving. I may try this with sherry sometime too.
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I’ve made these at least three times in the last 2 months they are sooooo good! Simple easy too and they are so impressive. My puff pastry didn’t really fully puff in the past (still tasty) but this time I had been using the oven before I put them in, 425 roasting potatoes, and they are significantly more “puffed.” I
did turn down to 400 before putting them in, but the hot oven made a difference. I also didn’t have parchment and used foil, rubbed butter all over it. Worked great. Thank you for the great recipe!!!