Savory and Cheesy Baked Parmesan Puffs Recipe

If you are looking for an easy bread option or a quick and easy appetizer – look no further. These Parmesan Puffs are a delicious, savory treat.

Parmesan Puffs Are Tasty Treats!

My husband and I both love profiteroles. Those tasty little cream-puff like pastries stuffed with either sweet (whipped, cream, ice cream) or savory (garlic and herb cream cheese, goat cheese) fillings are great as either starters or dessert.

As I was looking to create additional Italian recipes to add to the recipe catalog, I started thinking about these wonderful profiteroles. I was also thinking about how to make things a bit easier and faster to get to the dinner table!

So, I came up with the idea of non-stuffed, cheesy profiteroles. Or, as I like to call them – parmesan puffs (it’s just easier than “profiteroles”!).

These parmesan puffs are an incredibly easy and tasty morsel. The parmesan cheese gives them a wonderful, cheesy flavor, the black pepper gives them a little bite, and they take almost no time to prepare. All in all, it’s a pretty foolproof recipe.

Easy to Make 

As I mentioned, I wanted these to be easy to make. No need for a food processor or stand mixer. Just a sauce pan, a bowl and a few ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry.

Start with melting some butter in water and milk, bringing that to a boil and then beating in a few more ingredients. You then create small mounds out of that mixture, drop those mounds onto a baking tray and bake for a short time. Once they are a golden brown, you take them out of the oven and onto a wire rack prior to serving.

That’s it!

They’re perfect to serve with dinner and but they’re also a great option for a quick appetizer.

If you’re serving them with your dinner, drop the dough on a cookie sheet into 8 mounds. If you want to serve them as an appetizer, drop them into 12 mounds for little mini-puffs. So easy!

Eat Now or Make Ahead for Later

These parmesan cheese puffs are best served immediately while warm, but you can make them ahead of time. If you plan on serving them in the next day or two, store them at room temperature in an airtight container. When you are ready to serve, just pop them back into a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes to reheat.

If you plan on serving them more than a day or two later, I’ve found that they freeze really well. Use an airtight container and put in the freezer. They should be good for up to three months.

Once you’re ready to serve, take them out of the freezer and allow them to defrost completely. Once defrosted, put them into a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes to reheat.

Serve as a Main Meal Compliment or as a Stand-Alone Appetizer

There are so many delicious ways to serve these little puffs. To start with, they are an upgraded and perfect replacement for your everyday dinner roll. Slather them with butter or dip them in olive oil and you have yourself a pretty tasty side of bread!

For holidays, they’re a great cheesy compliment to ham. That makes them perfect for your Christmas or Easter table.

These beauties also taste amazing with an Italian themed dinner. For me, basically any pasta covered in a delicious marinara sauce is a great combo with these puffs. I also think they are yummy served alongside a big plate of Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs or One Pot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta.

I also like to serve these parmesan puffs with Lobster Bisque and a Field Greens Salad for a decadent at-home date night dinner.

In their smaller form they’re a great recipe as an appetizer. All these small rolls need is a little butter and your guests will love them.

They are just bursting with cheesy goodness and you can have them on your table in 30 minutes. Such a great combo!

Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• These parmesan puffs can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to serve, I recommend reheating them in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, until warm.
• If you’re serving these as an appetizer, they would be delicious served with Easy Antipasto Skewers and a glass of red or white wine.

Ingredients Needed to Make Parmesan Puffs

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Milk – I recommend 2% or whole milk.
• Water 
• Unsalted butter – Using unsalted butter helps keep the puffs from becoming too salty.
• Salt
• Flour – All purpose flour works well for this recipe.
• Eggs
• Fresh grated parmesan – You can usually find this in a plastic container in the refrigerated section or the deli section of your local market.
• Black pepper – Preferably fresh cracked pepper for the best flavor.

How to Make Parmesan Puffs

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a small saucepan, combine milk, water, butter and salt.
• Bring mixture to boiling over high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium and stir in flour all at once.
• Beat mixture with a wooden spoon until it leaves the side of the pan and forms a ball. It will happen fairly quickly.
• Place mixture in a medium bowl.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in parmesan cheese and pepper.
• Drop in 8 mounds (or 12 mounds if serving as an appetizer) on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper or coated with cooking spray.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until they are puffed and golden.
• Serve immediately.

ENJOY!