Cranberry Cream Cheese Crescent Bites Recipe
Cranberry Cream Cheese Crescent Bites are deliciously flaky, buttery mini pastries filled with a smooth cream cheese mixture and tangy whole berry cranberry sauce, perfect for holiday gatherings or snack time. These bite-sized treats combine the richness of cream cheese with the bright, fruity flavor of cranberry sauce, all wrapped in golden crescent roll dough.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 24 bites 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Crescent Roll Dough
- 1 can crescent roll dough (8-count)
Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce
Optional Toppings
- Chopped pecans
- Orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease or line a mini muffin tin to prevent sticking.
- Prepare filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and creamy without any lumps.
- Prepare dough cups: Unroll the crescent roll dough and cut each triangle in half to create smaller pieces. Press each piece firmly into the mini muffin cups, forming a small dough cup to hold the fillings.
- Add fillings: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into each dough cup, followed by 1 teaspoon of whole berry cranberry sauce on top of the cream cheese layer.
- Add toppings (optional): If desired, sprinkle chopped pecans or a small pinch of orange zest over the cranberry sauce for added texture and flavor.
- Bake: Place the mini muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and serve: Allow the bites to cool slightly in the tin before carefully removing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- For best results, ensure the cream cheese is softened before mixing to avoid lumps.
- You can swap out whole berry cranberry sauce for homemade cranberry relish if preferred.
- Optional nuts and orange zest add complimentary crunch and citrus brightness but can be omitted for a simpler bite.
- These bites can be made ahead and stored in the fridge, then warmed before serving.
- Use a non-stick mini muffin tin or line with mini paper liners to prevent sticking.
Keywords: cranberry cream cheese bites, crescent roll appetizers, holiday snacks, mini pastries, cranberry dessert bites
