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. 🙂

Ham Cheese Puff Pastry Parcels - great little party food that only require 5 ingredients: puff pastry, mustard, ham, cheese and egg!

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

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Ham and Cheese Puffs

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Prep: 15

Cook: 15

Total: 30

Appetizer, Party Food

Western

4.95 from 20 votes

Servings

Recipe video above. Cute little bites that require only 5 ingredients and are absolutely irresistible! Fabulous way to use up leftover Christmas ham to a finger food for New Years Eve .

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:

1. Cheese – You could also use pre-sliced cheese, but you will need to cut them into 2/3″/1.5cm batons otherwise they are too thick to wrap the pastry around it snugly (i.e. the parcels are too wide and flat).

Mozzarella – A little light on salt and flavour for this recipe, if using mozzarella, I’d add a sprinkle of parmesan too.

2. Egg – Using just egg yolk will make the pastry more golden but even using a whole egg will still make these more golden than not using egg at all!

3. Storage and reheating – These reheat very well! They store for 2 days in an airtight container (reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 5 minutes), or frozen (cooked) for up to 2 months (reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 12 minutes). You can also assemble ahead and refrigerate then bake.

4. Nutrition per piece.

Ham Cheese Puff Pastry Parcels Nutrition

Keywords: ham finger food, puff pastry finger food

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

More cocktail food for parties

Cheeseburger Party Meatballs
Cocktail Meatballs
Smoked Salmon Stacks
Spinach Ricotta Rolls or Puffs
Sausage Rolls
Chorizo Bites in Sweet & Sour Sauce
Coconut Shrimp / Prawns with Thai Mango Dipping Sauce
Truly Crispy Baked Wings – or Buffalo Wings
See all Dip Recipes, all Party Food and the Top 25 Party Foods!

69 Comments

Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says

December 24, 2015 at 3:52 am

Wouldn’t these be perfect for New Year’s Eve??!! They look so yummy and your photos are so bright and cheerful — just like your expecting festivities. Have a very Merry Christmas!! Big Hugs!

- Nagi | RecipeTin says
  
  December 24, 2015 at 10:57 am
  
  Thank you Marisa! MERRY CHRISTMAS to you too!! Sending a big virtual hug to you!! N x
  
Barb F says

December 24, 2015 at 3:27 am

Hey Nagi, these are perfect for New Years because we don’t make a big meal, just a lot of different appetizers! More fun and more variety – and more easy with these puffs! 🙂

- Nagi | RecipeTin says
  
  December 24, 2015 at 10:56 am
  
  Thanks Barb!! Puff pastry is such a fab shortcut for appetisers, isn’t it??!! 🙂
  
Dorothy Dunton says

December 24, 2015 at 3:14 am

Hi Nagi! These will be perfect for New Years Eve! And, the possibilities are endless as far as the filling choices. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season! 🙂

- Nagi | RecipeTin says
  
  December 24, 2015 at 10:56 am
  
  Thank you Dorothy! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU, Gary and your family!!! N x
  
Helen @ scrummy lane says

December 23, 2015 at 7:55 pm

Dear Friend … you are ONE CLEVER GIRL!!!
I LOVE the video – so so professional! I even dig the upbeat music.
Oh, and you’re making me hungry. For some reason I was extra hungry on my way to work this morning and was really craving something like this. Alas, didn’t know where to buy it …
MERRY CHRISTMAS NAGI WITH THE CUTE BABY HANDS!!! 🙂

- Nagi | RecipeTin says
  
  December 24, 2015 at 10:51 am
  
  I asked Santa for NEW HANDS!! Merry Christmas to you too!! N xx