Save your leftover Christmas ham for this 5 ingredient, easy cheese puff pastry recipe that are perfect for New Years Eve and can even be made ahead!! It’s so easy you barely need a recipe for this. 🙂
Using leftover Christmas ham to make finger food for New Years Eve that can be made ahead? That’s what I call food efficiency!
Puff pastry is literally a life saver when it comes to quick appetizers and snacks. No matter how bare your cupboards are, if you have puff pastry in the freezer, there is always something to be made. Sometimes I brush a sheet (generously) with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, cut into batons and voila! A cute pile of flaky buttery Cinnamon Sugar Sticks! For quick savoury bites, I use melted garlic butter and sprinkle with parmesan, herbs and cracked pepper.
And here’s a simple idea to make fantastic finger food using leftover Christmas ham! There’s nothing fancy about these. They are just downright tasty. I mean, salty ham and melted cheese enclosed with buttery flaky pastry? That’s a touchdown, right there!
These Ham Cheese Puff Pastry bites are incredibly simple to make. You barely need a recipe once you’ve watch the video. Though – WARNING: You will be getting a serious dose of Baby Hands in action. No laughing!!! 😉
I know it’s Christmas on Friday, but I’m sticking to my posting schedule and I’m going to share something for the morning after Christmas. If you are having ham for Christmas, I can pretty much guarantee that you won’t need to go to the store to make what I’m going to share!!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Ham and Cheese Puffs
Ingredients
- 2 sheets puff pastry , 25cm/10″ square
- 4 – 5 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 8 oz/250g shaved ham
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or any other melting cheese) (Note 1)
- 2 egg yolks (or 1 egg – Note 2)
- Oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/425°F (180°C fan-forced). Spray 2 baking trays lightly with oil or line with baking paper (parchment paper).
- Puff pastry – Let the puff pastry partially defrost then cut into 9 x 8cm/3.5" squares.
- Spread about 1/2 tsp of mustard diagonally across each square.
- Top with ham and sprinkle with cheese.
- Wrap – Dab one corner with egg yolk using a brush. Fold the opposite corner over the filling first, then fold the corner with the egg yolk over it and press down to bond. Place on baking tray then repeating with remaining squares.
- Bake – Brush the top with egg. Bake for 15 minutes or until deep golden brown and puffed.
- Serve warm!
Recipe Notes:
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Hello and happy new year xx
Could these be served at room temperature?
I need to take a plate, and won’t be able to re-heat
Would these little parcels of yummy work?
Thanks so much xxx
Hi Nagi, made these today as i had left over puff pastry after making chicken pies. Loved them, so easy and tasty. Do you think instead of mustard chutney may be ok? My husband ate every mouthful but then tells me he isnt keen on mustard lol. Have to say Dozer always makes me smile 😊
YES it will be a posh version of this! 🙂 Happy to hear that Dozer makes you smile, he makes me smile too! 😉
Sitting here on boxing day with my (admittedly wonderfu)l husband, but as there’s only one of him, we are looking at a massive amount of leftover ham after a family Christmas lunch. I’m unwilling to disclose how many of these we ate this morning, let’s just say we’re talking double digits. Absolute perfection as a brunch, but if any survive the day they will be frozen for a future supper/brunch/morning tea. Your make ahead, freezing and reheating instructions are head and shoulders above any other blogger I have ever read. You have a stalker, sorry, change that to follower!
You ROCK RUTH!!! There is absolutely no shame in that at all, I would have matched you puff for puff!!! Thank you for letting me know and PS I love stalkers! I mean, followers. 🙂 N xx
You are so adorable and your recipes are an inspiration. I’m so glad I found your website. The videos could be on a cooking show; they are that professional.
Best regards from British Columbia.
Wow, what a compliment, thank you Jen! And I’m so glad you like my recipes! N x
Hi Nagi! I made these (not long after Christmas but before New Year Happy New year by the way),with a little differing twist. I used mozarella, hot dog American Mustard and muffin tins – easier for me to use. The mozarella gave it less bite but I cannot handle strong chesees. I did enjoy these although could not eat many. ( a little greaasy for me) Hubby woofed down the rest as if it took me no time to make – good ad bad for the time I put in. Overall an easy and enjoyable experience – great for leftovers. Well done. Thanks
So glad you enjoyed it Dee!! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts!! N x
Hi, thanks a lot for the recipe. It’s really simple, yet it tasted really great. Picky daughter loved it.
YAY! I’m so glad your daughter enjoyed it too!!
You may have baby hands, but you have the biggest heart. And those baby hands make the most delicious meals and write the most delicious recipes, so I for one am very thankful for your baby hands!
But seriously, thank you for all your amazing recipes. J Daddy was always encouraging with my cooking adventures this year, but was initial a bit sceptical about the recipes I was finding and the meals I was producing. And then, I found you. Now, 50 weeks into my cooking adventures, J Daddy can taste your recipes; he has no idea whose recipes I’m using – I show him the menu, listing only the names of the recipes but not their authors, and when I serve him dinner, he will pick yours immediately. And, wait for it, the Big One has specially requested your One Pot Risoni Bolognaise for his birthday dinner on New Year’s Day! “That little pasta one is my favourite one in the whole world, Momma, can you please make it for my birthday dinner?” We are huge fans of yours in this house!
As for these Ham & Cheese Puffs, I made these for dinner last night with our massive amount of leftover Christmas Ham. So very very easy to make and soooooooooo good. We have so so so so much leftover ham and these little puffs were a lovely way to use up a bit of the ham. So very moreish. Canapes for dinner; it’s the festive season after all!
https://www.instagram.com/p/_3_8U3KycU/
Ohhhh….this message just totally made me all warm and fuzzy!! Especially Big One asking for the risoni for his birthday! I’m actually quite speechless, so touched that he likes it that much!!
How did I miss that IG!!?? Checking it out NOW! (PS Santa failed to deliver me new hands for Christmas. Boo. )
We’re about to make this one now! So excited! ? Thinking of making nutella puffs seperately as well. ?
Holy cow! These are delicious! I made some ahead to serve for breakfast this Thanksgiving morning. I’m freezing them baked as you suggested. Of course, I had to taste test one, well, two, um….well, ok…..actually…several!! I’ll be making them again! So easy! My guests will flip! Thanks, N!!
I LOVE your enthusiasm Linde!!! 🙂 N xx
Oooh! Nutella Puffs? HOW have I made it this far in life without making Nutella puffs??? 😉
Yum! What a tasty, simple appetizer!
It’s so true! Puff pastry is a lifesaver in so many ways – these beauties are no exception! I’m thinking that a few of these and a bubbly mimosa are the perfect way to start Christmas day. 🙂 Merry Christmas, sweet friend!
Never, ever, be ashamed of your cute little hands….I love them!!!! Just think of all the wonderful recipes they create. I wish mine could do the same. I’m 73 and still not a very good cook. Basic and easy that’s me!!!
Have a lovely Christmas and a happy, healthy, and safe new year. X
Pauline
I have posted a similar recipe a couple of years ago. I Love the flaky pastry with salty ham and melted cheese. I sprinkled with mixture of spices to give more robust flavor. Love the mustard idea, too! Thanks for another great recipe.
Great idea and perfect recipe for ham. I wondered if it was too early to put up a recipe for new year too!
Not only do I love this idea I even have something similar posting tomorrow. Crazy, but I don’t have a video! 🙁
Looks delish and I’m, loving your videos.
Don’t have any ham, so I’m making them with Genoa salami and pepper jack cheese…country Dijon mustard.
Merry Christmas, Nagi, and thank you for the yearlong gifts of your recipes.
So basically, you are totally “posh-ing” up my humble ham and cheese puffs into a fancy version!!! Ha ha ha!! Merry Christmas to you too Patty! I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes and thank you for reading!! 🙂 N x
My mum always makes little ham and cheese puffs like yours for family parties and apéritif. Reminds me of home! Love your hands in the video 🙂
x
My hands are terrible! You with your lovely elegant hands….I’m so jealous!! 🙂 I bet your mum makes amazing puffs. I bet she makes her own puff pastry!! <3
Best wishes for Christmas and 2016 Nagi. Thank you for your blogs during 2015.
AND I have to say that they are the cutest hands I have ever seen.
I’m so embarrassed by my hands!!! But thank you for your kind words. 🙂 MERRY CHRISTMAS to you too Ann! Thank you so much for reading and trying my recipes! 🙂
Tried you Salisbury steak with mushrooms last night and it was great. , However, I did not add the 1 cup of water as well as the 2 cups of beef broth and the gravy was thick enough.
Thanks for all your recipes over the past year. On Boxing Day I’m going to try today’s recipe.
Ooooh! I’m so glad you enjoyed the Salisbury Steaks!! You are most welcome, I adore sharing my favourite recipes. Thank you for reading and trying them!! I love hearing what you think! N x
What a wonderful idea! I should have done this with the leftover Thanksgiving ham! These look super good. I think I have go to the supermarket and get some ham slices now. Btw, love the video! 😉
Thanks so much!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! I bet you are whipping up an amazing feast!! 🙂 N x
Can never resist savory puffs like this. 🙂 Happy Holidays, and see you next year!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you too John!! Bet your holiday feasting is amazing!!! N x