These CHEDDAR OLIVE BITES are packed with tangy, cheesy flavor- your guests will devour them!
I’ll admit, I’m a serious snack-loving-girl. I’d much rather munch on an assortment of appetizers than sit down to an elegantly prepared meal. Maybe that’s why I love these cheddar olive bites so much. Their bite-sized shape allows you to easily pop one, or two, in your mouth. Perfect for party-goers.
I found this recipe in a magazine months ago and tweaked it to my liking. But, hey, everyone does that, right? I’m so glad I did, too. The tangy flavor of the green olive gives these bites a nice pop of flavor that blends well with the sharp cheddar cheese. In fact, I can’t stop eating them!
Even though these are super simple to make, it can take some effort if you don’t have a food processor, which, incidentally, I do not. Using a pastry blender works just as well, however. The difference is 5 minutes by hand compared to a about 12 pulses with a food processor.
Once the main ingredients resemble course crumbs, incorporating the wet ingredients is pretty quick and easy. I used a large serving fork to combine everything to form a soft dough, which, in my opinion, worked just as well as a processor.
Shaping the dough around the olives is even easier- simply pat a couple of teaspoons into a 2-inch circle, place an olive in the center and wrap the dough around the olive, rollin into a ball with your hands to seal.
Once formed, they need to chill for a good hour {or 30 min in the fridge} before baking. Short on time but want to have these tasty bites at your next get-together? No problem. Rather than popping them into the oven after they’ve been in the freezer for 30 minutes, put them in a freezer bag {be sure to label with contents and baking info!} and freeze until you’re ready to use them.
The biscuit shell is perfectly cheesy and flaky, while the olive retains it’s firmness and tangy flavor.
I have been eating these the entire time I’ve been writing this, and I still can’t stop.
Ingredients
- 40 pimento-stuffed green olives norma sized NOT jumbo}
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Drain olives on paper towels, set aside
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, paprika, and cayenne with a pastry blender {about 3 pulses in a food processor}
- Add cheese and butter
- Blend with pastry blender until mixture looks like course crumbs, about 5 min or 12 pulses in a processor
- In a small bowl, combine, egg, water, and Worcestershire
- Lightly beat before adding to crumb mixture
- Using a large serving fork, combine wet mixture into crumb mixture until a soft dough forms, bout 5 mins or 20 seconds in a processor
- Shape 2 teaspoons into a flat 2-inch circle
- Place an olive in the center and shape dough around olive, rolling between your hands to form a ball
- Repeat with remaining dough and olives
- Freeze for 30 min on a cookie sheets lined with parchment paper
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Bake on upper and middle rack positions for about 25 min or until bottoms and tops a golden {be sure to rotate pans half way through baking}
- Allow to cool on wire racks before serving
Nutrition
More easy appetizers you may enjoy
Download Your Free Copy!
Download your FREE copy of Dinner Made Easy!
Sign up to receive our newsletter and download your copy of Dinner Made Easy FREE! You'll get one email a week with our favorite recipes and tools to make life easy!
Leave a Reply