This delicious Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry simply must make your post-holiday menu. It is a great way to use up leftover ham and it tastes like a gourmet treat! This breakfast, lunch, or dinner treat is a delicious buttery and flaky puff pastry enveloping a mixture of hot ham, melty swiss cheese, and fresh spinach. If you are looking for a simple and amazing recipe for your next Holiday Honey Baked Ham, look no further!
Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry
Around the holidays I start thinking about the guest list and how many mouths I am going to need to feed. I do the basic calculations and then embarrassingly look to Google for “how much ham does one person eat?”. The answer is between 1/2 and 3/4 pounds per person, in case you were wondering. From there, I try doing the math and then eventually err on the side of caution and get the biggest one I can find, and then, consequently still worry about whether I got enough. Please tell me I am not alone in this planning nightmare! My point of this story is that most of the time I do in fact have enough, and end up with copious amounts of leftover ham.
What to do? Enter Ham and Cheese Puff Pastries! These little guys are super buttery and flakey on the outside and filled with delicious ham and a creamy mixture of melt-in-your-mouth swiss cheese and fresh chopped spinach. Turning your left-over ham problem into a gourmet solution.
Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry Recipe
To make this ham and cheese puff pastry, you will likely need a few ingredients that probably don’t have a permanent spot in your refrigerator. So, some planning ahead is required but certainly not difficult. For some reason, when I made this recipe, I did happen to have most items on hand. So, it is not entirely out of the question. For some reason, spinach usually ends up in the compost pile here. By the time I get around to cooking it all, it has turned. However, that was not the case in this scenario! Lucky us!
Can I Make This Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can keep a filled and prepared pastry in the fridge, covered in plastic wrap until you’re ready to bake and serve for up to 24 hours. Just note that this may affect your baking time.
How to Store Ham and Cheese Puff Pastries
These are best enjoyed fresh. However, if you have any leftovers, you will want to refrigerate them. They will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator, but the puff pastry will lose its crispy, flakey layers. To reheat them, warm them up in the air fryer or oven.
Ham and Cheese Puffs
Ingredients
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups cooked ham, diced
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 ½ cups Swiss cheese, grated and divided
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut the puff pastry sheets into 5-inch (13cm) squares. Set aside in the refrigerator.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Add flour and salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Slowly pour in the milk, while whisking constantly, until smooth and boiling.
- Reduce heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally, until it begins to thicken.
- Add in spinach and cook for 1 minute, or until wilted.
- Add ham and 1 cup of Swiss cheese and stir to combine. Remove from heat and set the mixture aside.
- Arrange the puff pastry squares evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
- Top with a heaping spoonful of ham and cheese mixture, and sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Fold the corners up onto the top, forming a smaller square.
- Brush the pastry with the egg wash, making sure to coat all sides.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
A good recipe,I also use different fillings..spinach and ricotta,shredded chicken peas and cheese,or left over bolognesr
This was glorious! I made this today for Mother’s Day brunch and it was a HUGE hit! I made it exactly as written except I used a combo of gruyere and Swiss cheeses and then added about 2Tbs Dijon mustard. But I think even without my changes, I would give this recipe 5 stars. Thanks for making my Mom’s day!
This is a knock out recipe. Made this so many times and each time everyone raves about it! Thank you 💕
<3 So thrilled to hear that!
Even with leftover turkey this would be awesome…. maybe add cooked bacon, yum!!
This looks delicious. Would it be too much to ask you to do a video alongside your recipes? I find it easier to watch than read through. Thank you.
WOW! These were amazing, and came together so easily. I will be making these again!
Made mine with spinach,ham-
And Swiss covered with sauce cut into squares. So yummy
I’ll be making this recipe this weekend. Looks amazing! Question: I take it the spinach needs to be chopped quite small?
Thanks,
Lenore
Delicious, easy and fancy! My family loved it. I will definitely be making this again for our next brunch. Thank you for the recipe.
Could these be frozen after filling and then baked at a later date? Or perhaps frozen after baking and then reheated?