Parmesan Puffs
Parmesan Puffs are a mouthful of air surrounded by a light cheese pastry. The addition of Parmigiano Reggiano® cheese to the pastry dough is what makes these Parmesan Puffs so subtly distinctive and mouthwateringly delicious. Made like cream puffs, but without the filling, you can make and bake these puffs ahead of time, and freeze them, too. Making the choux pastry dough is actually easy, just follow the directions. These Parmesan Puffs are usually served plain, but you could also fill them with a little herbed spread, a mixture of chopped mushrooms sautéed in butter, or with finely chopped ham salad.

To dress the Parmesan Puffs up for a party, pile them in a compote bowl and drizzle with a bit of Balsamic Caramel. The sweet and savory combination is a winner.
Servings Prep Time
72small puffs 30minutes
Cook Time
20minutes
Servings Prep Time
72small puffs 30minutes
Cook Time
20minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the butter into 8 pieces. Put butter, water, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter has melted and the water is just boiling.
  2. Add the flour all at once. With a wooden spoon or spatula, stir the mixture over medium heat until it becomes a smooth dough without lumps. Keep stirring over low heat until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. This will take a few minutes.
  3. Transfer the dough to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle in place. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed until each egg is incorporated and the dough is smooth. (If you do not have a stand mixer, you can use a hand held mixer with dough hooks, or beat the eggs in with a spatula. Do not use a whisk as it will deflate the dough.)
  4. Add 1 cup of the Parmigiano Reggiano and beat until incorporated. The dough should be glossy and smooth
  5. Line a baking tray with parchment paper
  6. If you have a piping bag with a plain round nozzle, put the dough in the piping bag and make even turrets of dough on the baking sheet, a little larger than a quarter in diameter and about 1 inch high. If you do not have a piping bag, use two teaspoons to make small heaps of dough. Keep about an inch distance between pastries.
  7. Whisk the egg yolk until smooth. Using a pastry brush, glaze each choux pastry with a little egg yolk, then sprinkle with a little of the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano.
  8. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until the pastries are golden brown and hollow when tapped. If you remove them from the oven too soon, they will be soft inside and may collapse.
  9. Serve, drizzled with Balsamic Caramel if desired. Baked puffs can be frozen and reheated before serving.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
Parmesan Puffs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 189 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 23mg 8%
Sodium 258mg 11%
Potassium 125mg 4%
Total Carbohydrates 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 1g
Protein 12g 24%
Vitamin A 3%
Vitamin C 11%
Calcium 37%
Iron 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.