Pepperoni Cheese Puffs
I love pepperoni, but I hate it on pizza. Is that weird? My husband tells me that’s weird. You know what I do love pepperoni in? Pasta salad, sandwiches, oh, and these divine little pepperoni and cheese puffs. Little bites of pepperoni with three cheeses that are perfect for dipping in pizza sauce. I have been snacking on, mmkay, scarfing down these things all week.
I knew that this week was going to be crazy because it’s VBS week, I have been in charge of doing crafts with the kids at VBS for around 3 years now. I love it. I love getting the VBS materials, seeing the theme and making pinterest boards of fun craft ideas. I love shopping for the supplies and making spreadsheets about supplies, quantities and budgets to submit to the directors. ( They don’t ask me to do that, I just do. Because I’m weird.) I love decorating my space. But most of all I really love it when the kids see how the craft for the night is going to come together and they turn to me and ask me, How do you know how to do all this stuff? I’m totally going to get the stuff to do this at home again! Crafts were always my favorite part of VBS as a kid, so it’s fun for me to try and do the same for these kiddos.
The 2 things I don’t like about VBS week are 1, THE HEAT! My station is outdoors this year. Which is fine, it’s actually nice in some ways because I don’t have to worry about the kids or me damaging anything. (Last year there might have been a teensy accident with an iron and the carpet. No one was harmed, but let’s just say that room now bears the reminder of the time the hama beads went bad. )
And 2, I have no time to cook at all. Sandwich city, my friends.
Knowing that I would have no time to cook at all I made a double batch of these pepperoni and cheese puffs and stuck them in the deep freeze. The kids and I have been able to pull out a serving, pop them in the microwave for a minute and ta-da tasty virtually mess free snacks! This has been win-win. I’m not having to go make them snacks and they aren’t destroying my kitchen by making their own. My kids like them because they are kind of like cousins of pizza rolls. I like them, because cheese and carbs, duh. Cheesy bready stuffs are one of my biggest weaknesses.
Technically classified as an appetizer, I hold on to the notion that if you paired these with a side salad you could call them dinner. But then, I’m also the kind of gal who says that cake paired with milk, can be called breakfast.
Anyway it falls, these crisp on the outside, light on the inside, savory pepperoni and cheese puffs make for some good munching.
Pepperoni Cheese Puffs
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/3 cup butter flavored shortening
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup shredded romano (, asiago, and parmesan cheese blend)
- 1 1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
- 1 tsp minced dried onion
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the water and shortening in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Add the flour to the boiling water, stirring vigorously until the mixture forms a ball, then remove from the heat.
- Using a wooden spoon, beat the eggs into the flour mixture one at a time. Stirring well after each addition.
- After the eggs have all been mixed into the dough, stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the greased baking sheets.
- Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve warm with pizza sauce for dipping.
Notes
To reheat: Place 5-6 puffs on a microwaveable plate and heat on high for 60 seconds.
Nutrition
Thank you for this recipe! I’ve been looking for one to replace a very old recipe for Pepperoni Bites made from dry cheddar cheese soup mix. I misplaced the recipe a long time ago, and they don’t make the dry soup mix any more. I used to make these every year for my mom’s Christmas party.
Vickie, I hope that it’s a bite of nostalgic past times for you and your family!
You make everything seem so simple! I’m gonna try this recipe for my Husband! five star for your Pepperoni cheese puffs
Good Job Amy 😀 ( We Have a same name … Lol )
What a delicious appetizer, and so easy to make too. I know my family would love these.
I hope that your family does enjoy these Joanie. They are a great make ahead and freeze option which makes it easy for us to love them too. I love seeing my freezer full of easy stuff that’s ready to go, just needs popped out and reheated.
I love pepperoni pizza puffs, we make them all the time too 🙂
Sabrina, apparently we have similar tastes! We got the stuff to make sour patch grapes this week. I’d been thinking about it for awhile, but reading your post and seeing your pictures made me really want to have a fun kids in the kitchen day and let the kids make some.
Well don’t these look like little puffs of heaven! I am a huge pepperoni fan, but I eat it on pizza too 🙂
I don’t know why I don’t like it on pizza. I’m more of a veggies on pizza kind of a girl and have been for as long as I can remember.
These look so fun. I think my husband would go crazy for these!
They are fun to make too, Julia. But more fun to dip and eat and eat.
YUM! What a yummy treat and to think you can freeze them too? LOVE that! They sound delicious.
Yes Debra, with the start of school looming I am working on getting my freezer stocked with snacks that can easily be pulled out and heated up for the kids when they get back home. Or else they will be all up in here making one heck of a mess cooking for themselves!
I’m the same way!! Don’t care for pepperoni pizza but love it for a snack or in salad or sandwiches!!
These look absolutely yummy!!!!
Also VBS crafts are the best aren’t they? And I think I remember reading that the high school kids were wanting to do your crafts so they must be awesome!
Whew, last night was my last craft for this year’s VBS. I’m glad I saved the easiest one for last because those kids were wild last night. I’m glad that you are done with your painting and can come visit me again Kathie!
in your pepperoni cheese puffs recipe..did you mean 1/3 cup of butterflavored shortening or 1/3 stick?
Whoopsie daisy! I can’t believe I never noticed that before. Thanks for bringing that to my attention, Vila. It should be 1/3 cup of butter flavored shortening. I’ve updated the recipe to fix that.