Buttery and flaky spinach puffs are easy to make with puff pastry, cream cheese, fresh spinach and savory bacon. Baked in muffin tins they are elegant enough for a fancy party appetizer but just as delicious as a weeknight side dish!
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Spray 2 9-cup muffin pans with nonstick spray.
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the cream cheese 10 seconds at a time until softened and melted but not steaming. Stir in the egg, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder, salt and pepper until well combined.
Add the spinach, parmesan and bacon. Using a fork, mix in the cream cheese mixture.
Lightly dust flour on a work surface. Unfold 1 puff pastry sheet onto the flour. Roll a couple times each way with a rolling pin to smooth it out. Using a knife or pizza cutter, slice into 9 squares. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheet.
Press the pastry squares into the bottom of the muffin cups. Evenly divide the spinach mixture among the cups. Using your fingers, pull the 4 pastry points on one cup over the filling and the press them together. Repeat with remaining puffs. Lightly brush with the melted butter.
Bake 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen from the pan.
Notes
Shinier puffs:If you want to do an egg wash, combine 1 beaten egg with 1 Tablespoon water and brush each puff with the mixture. You can also use heavy cream, if you prefer.Make-ahead: These can be prepped up to 3 hours in advance. Simply cover unbaked puffs and keep in the fridge before baking uncovered at 400°F for 20 minutes. Storage: For the filling, store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days.Freeze:For the filling, store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. Thaw, assemble, and bake according to directions. Freeze uncooked puffs 2 to 3 hours, remove from the muffin tin, and store in an airtight freezer container up to 2 months. Place frozen puffs in a muffin pan and bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cooked through.Freeze baked puffs have cooled, place them in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper. Freeze up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.