3 Ingredient Crispy Cheese Balls
These Crispy Cheese Puff Balls are the ultimate party appetizer—golden, buttery, and oozing with melty mozzarella in every bite. Irresistibly crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside, they’re perfect for holiday gatherings, game nights, or anytime you need an easy showstopper that everyone will devour in seconds.
Ingredients
- 1 (17.3 oz) package puff pastry sheets, thawed but still cold
- 8 individual mozzarella string cheese sticks, each stick should weigh about 27 grams
- 1 large egg, well beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, gently roll out one puff pastry sheet into a 10-inch square. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut into 16 equal squares. Repeat with the second puff pastry sheet.
- Cut each mozzarella stick into 4 equal-sized pieces. So you should have a total of 32 pieces of cheese.
- Place one piece of mozzarella in the center of each square. Wrap the pastry around the cheese, pinching the seams closed tightly. Then gather the seams into the center and pinch tightly again. Gently roll the sealed pastry between your palms until it forms a ball. Make sure there are no gaps and that your pastry ball is tightly sealed, otherwise too much of the cheese will leak out. See photos in post for reference.
- Arrange the puff pastry balls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops and sides with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Some of the cheese may leak out during baking, but most of it should stay inside the puffs. You can remove any excess cheese that leaked out before serving.
- Allow the cheese balls to cool slightly before serving. However, you do want to serve these warm so that the cheese is still melted in the center. The cheese balls should feel warm but not hot. If desired, brush the tops with melted garlic butter (I melted about 4 tbsp). You can also garnish with grated parmesan cheese or coarse salt. I also added some finely chopped parsley for color.
- Store any uneaten cheese balls in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Reheat before eating.
Notes
- I made these with Frigo mozzarella cheese sticks* and Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry.*
- I added melted Kerrygold garlic herb butter* on top.
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Estimated nutrition does not include optional garlic herb butter.
Serving: 1ball, Calories: 81kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 107mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 0.3g, NET CARBS: 5
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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