Love French food but don’t want to mess with a knife and fork? These mini Croque Monsieur appetizers take everything you adore about the classic, melty cheese, salty ham, creamy béchamel, piled on flaky puff pastry. Easy to prep, elegant on a platter, and totally snackable.
Mini Croque Monsieur Bites (Easy French Appetizer)
These mini Croque Monsieur bites bring a taste of a French bistro to the appetizer table. Flaky puff pastry, savory ham, and creamy béchamel bake into golden, cheesy bites that feel special without requiring complicated preparation.
Perfect for brunch, cocktail parties, or holiday gatherings, they offer the comforting flavors of the classic French sandwich in an easy-to-serve appetizer. Serve them warm, when the pastry is crisp and the filling is deliciously creamy—and make room on the platter for a second round.
Servings 36 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalated butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flou
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1½ tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
- 1 sheet puff pastry 14 oz
- ½ cup ham diced
- 1 cup gruyer shredded
- 1 egg lightly beaten with water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, add flour and stir constantly for about three minutes, until smooth. Slowly add milk while whisking for about 5 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat and add mustard. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Roll out pastry slightly into a 13 X 15 rectangle and cut into rounds with a 2 inch biscuit cutter. Use a smaller cutter to make a circle inside each round without cutting all the way through. Poke the center with a fork.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the edges of the rounds with an egg lightly beaten with a tablespoon of water.
- Top each round with about ½ teaspoon of the béchamel, some chopped ham and shredded cheese. (You will have some bechamel left over. Sprinkle pepper on top.
Notes
Try using Dufour puff pastry if you can find it.
You can assemble and refrigerate before baking.
You can make them vegetarian by leaving off the ham.
If you don’t have a biscuit cutter, use a knife to cut around a small glass.
These can be served warm or at room temperature.
You can assemble and refrigerate before baking.
You can make them vegetarian by leaving off the ham.
If you don’t have a biscuit cutter, use a knife to cut around a small glass.
These can be served warm or at room temperature.
