Description
These Bite-Size Eyeballs are a spooky and fun Halloween treat made from cheesy choux pastry puffs, decorated with cream cheese, Persian cucumbers, pimiento-stuffed olives, and drizzled with sriracha or ketchup to resemble creepy eyeballs. Perfect for parties or festive snacks!
Ingredients
Scale
Dough and Cheese
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) Unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 4 oz Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated
Decorations
- Cream cheese (for glue)
- Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- Pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced
- Sriracha or ketchup (for drizzling)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Heat oven to 425°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Make Choux Pastry Base: In a medium saucepan, combine butter, 1 cup water, and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture comes together, looks smooth and shiny, about 1 minute. Continue stirring for another minute to cook the dough. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool until it’s no longer hot to the touch, approximately 15 minutes.
- Incorporate Eggs and Cheese: Add eggs one at a time to the dough, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition until the dough is smooth and cohesive. Stir in 1/4 tsp black pepper and grated Gruyère cheese until combined.
- Shape and Bake Puffs: Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, drop dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Then rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back. Reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking for an additional 12 to 17 minutes, or until the puffs are light golden brown and set. Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Decorate to Create Eyeballs: Use cream cheese as an adhesive to place slices of Persian cucumber and pimiento-stuffed olives on top of each puff to mimic the iris and pupil. Finally, squeeze sriracha or ketchup into thin lines around the sides of the puffs to create the look of blood vessels.
Notes
- Allow the dough to cool before adding eggs to ensure proper incorporation and puff formation.
- Rotating the pans during baking promotes even browning.
- Use a cookie scoop to maintain uniform size for consistent baking.
- You can substitute Gruyère cheese with other firm cheeses like sharp cheddar or fontina for different flavors.
- For a milder decoration, use ketchup instead of sriracha to avoid spiciness.
- Store the baked puffs in an airtight container and decorate just before serving to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 eyeball puff
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 0.5g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
