Turn up your next gathering with this easy yet elegant goat cheese and cherry puff pastry appetizer made with just five simple ingredients! Originally published August 2018. Last updated June 2023.
If you're here looking for a unique summer appetizer recipe, you're in the right spot. Cherries are peaking right now and these cute little bites are the perfect way to use them. Let's get into the recipe and my top tips to make it easy as can be!
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll also love my sweet cherry jam and eclectic beginner's cheese board.
What does it taste like?
These one-bite morsels are sweet, savory, tart, creamy, and a little buttery all at once! You'll taste juicy, candied fruit complemented by an earthy herbal note. Of course, tanginess comes from the creamy goat cheese and butteriness from the puff pastry base.
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What You'll Need for this Recipe
Cherries are the star of this easy elegant fruit appetizer. And the great thing is that frozen cherries work just as well as fresh here so you can make it year-round even when cherries aren't in season!
Goat Cheese makes this a truly sweet and savory appetizer idea. I use plain goat cheese in this recipe but an herbed goat cheese also works well.
Puff Pastry comes straight from the refrigerated section of your grocer so this recipe is very easy. If you want to make your puff pastry from scratch, check out this great homemade puff pastry dough recipe!
Thyme adds complexity to the herbed cherry compote. Use fresh thyme for the best flavor or dried thyme if you don't have access to fresh.
Sugar combines with the cherries and thyme to cook down into a sweet and savory kind of syrup. This recipe is written with granulated sugar but brown sugar, coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup also work if you want to adjust the level of sweetness or glycemic index. Just note the color will be slightly different.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Tips & Tools
Grab a small saucepan to cook down the cherry thyme compote. You'll also need a sharp knife and a sheet pan to prep and bake the puff pastry and goat cheese.
Can I make these goat cheese appetizers in advance? I recommend making this recipe shortly before serving as it is best enjoyed warm. You can, however make the cherry filling ahead of thyme and reheat it when needed.
How to store extra? Place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. They will keep for up to five days this way.
How to Serve
Although my cherry goat cheese appetizer on puff pastry is simple to make, the result looks very sophisticated. I recommend serving these bites on a slate cheese board or platter with some extra sprigs of fresh thyme in the mix for presentation points.
More Favorite Cherry Recipes
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I just know you and your party guests will love my savory sweet puff pastry bites. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
Sweet and Savory Puff Pastry Appetizer Recipe
📖 Recipe
Goat Cheese Cherry Appetizer Bites
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
- 8 ounces goat cheese
- 3 cups cherries pitted
- ¼ cup sugar
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cut puff pastry into one-inch squares and place on a prepared baking sheet. Press the center of each square with your thumb or a teaspoon to make an indentation.
- Divide goat cheese into the oven 40 pieces (about ½ teaspoon each). Place a piece of goat cheese into the indentation of each piece of puff pastry.
- Transfer pan to oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and puffed up.
- While the pastry and goat cheese bake, add cherries, thyme, sugar, and sea salt to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until cherries begin to break down and release their juices (about 2 minutes).
- Stir ingredients vigorously to dissolve sugar and sea salt in the liquid then cook until bubbling (about 3 minutes).
- Reduce heat to medium low and let mixture simmer and thicken (about 10 minutes), stirring and pressing occasionally to break down cherries.
- Spoon about ½ teaspoon of cherry mixture over each piece of baked puff pastry with goat cheese. Serve immediately while warm.
Camile says
Omg! Your Puff Pastry Appetizer with Goat Cheese and Cherry Compote recipe is such a flavor explosion! The buttery puff pastry combined with the tangy goat cheese and the sweet, luscious cherry compote created a harmony of flavors that had my taste buds doing a happy dance. I can't wait to impress my guests with it at my next gathering. Keep those amazing recipes coming! xx
Jen Sim says
These appetizer bites are so delicious and easy to make. The goat cheese is creamy and tangy, and the cherries are sweet and juicy. The puff pastry is flaky and buttery, and the honey drizzle adds a nice touch of sweetness. They are a real crowd-pleaser!
Geo says
Thank you for this recipe! I had some puff pastry I needed to use but wasn’t sure what to make with it that fit with summer. This recipe was perfect, easy to make and the goat cheese paired so well with the cherry!
Kate says
My goat cheese and cherry appetizer turned out amazing! This has now become one of our favorite appetizers.
Kaluhi says
This was so delicious and my friends cleared the tray really fast! I added a splash of rum in the cherry compote and the flavors were even fuller! This is for sure my go-to appetizer form today henceforth!
Marcus Avery Christon says
I'm always a fan of anything savory being cooked with puff pasty and this recipe is no exception. Everyone loved it at my dinner party!
Robin says
I've often enjoyed black cherry fruit spread with brie on toast, so I suspected I would be a fan of this appetizer and I was right. The sprig of thyme added a lovely herbaceous note. I plan to make this again over the holidays.
Brittany F says
This appetizer is luxurious and I’ll be making this again! It was a hit with my guests and lots of friends asked me for the recipe. The cherries and goat cheese together were so delicious!
Marta says
I loved the fact that I could create an elegant appetizer for our fourth of July party with only 6 ingredients. Not only were these goat cheese cherry bites beautiful, they were extremely tasty. We didn't have a single bite leftover.
Kim says
Such an easy appetizer to make for my ladies brunch. Not one was left they are that good!
Aditi says
How wonderfully delectable. I just love these dishes that I can follow through.
Leigh Suznovich says
Oh my goodness, this looks incredible! So perfect and elegant for a summer party.
Rhonda says
Lawd I would probably eat through the whole sheet of these LOL These look amazing.
Jazz says
Lol my friends saved me from doing that. This recipe makes the perfect amount for a party but it’s dangerous to test when nobody else is home!
Tara says
Yum! perfect tasty and classy appetizer for a party
Marta Rivera Diaz says
Yes! I'm loving everything about this appetizer! The cherries and the puff pastry seal it for me!