Amaretto Cranberry Gouda Gruyere Puff Pastry Bites

Amaretto Cranberry Sauce

• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups fresh or frozen whole cranberries (if using frozen, don't thaw them)
• 3 ounces Copper Crow Amaretto (or your favorite Amaretto)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Puff Pastry Bites

• 8 ounces Wood River Creamery Gouda Gruyere cheese, cut into 24 cubes
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
• 1 large egg, for egg wash
• fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Our Love Language is Food

1. Prep: Be sure you've set your puff pastry out to thaw while you start on the cranberry sauce
2. Make the Amaretto Cranberry Sauce: Add all cranberry sauce ingredients (except the Amaretto) to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover to cook (this helps the cranberries burst!). Stir occasionally, helping burst the cranberries with the back of the spoon, until the cranberries are mostly broken down (about 10 minutes). Stir in the Amaretto and cook for a few more minutes with the lid off to help release steam and let the sauce thicken a bit. Set the sauce aside to cool and continue to thicken.
3. Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F, and generously grease 24 mini muffin cups and set aside (make sure to get all sides and the bottoms of each muffin cup).
4. Roll Out and Cut Puff Pastry: Once the puff pastry is thawed, roll it into about a 10" x 14" rectangle. Cut the shorter side into 4 even strips, and cut the long side into 6 even strips, to create 24 puff pastry squares (each square will be about 2 1/2 inches on each side, but they don't need to be perfect!).
5. Assemble the Puff Pastry Bites: Gently place one square of puff pastry into each of the greased muffin cups. Add 1 square of Wood River Creamery Gouda Gruyere into each puff pastry cup, and then top with about 1 tablespoon of the cranberry sauce. Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush the exposed parts of the puff pastry with the egg.
6. Bake: Bake the bites for 18 to 20 minutes. The puff pastry will be golden brown and the cranberry sauce and cheese will be bubbly. Let the puff pastry bites cool in the muffin tins for a few minutes, then use a fork or butter knife to gently loosen and pop them out of the muffin tin.
7. Serve and Enjoy: Serve warm and enjoy!