These flaky and delicious Upside-Down Bratwurst and Cheese Pastry Appetizers are a taste treat you didn't know you needed. They're easy and fun to make and perfect to serve for a party or casual dinner by the fire or television.
For other sausage related recipes please check out the following: Italian Sausage with Fennel and Potatoes, German Knockwurst Sausage Sandwich, Crescent Wrapped Bratwurst Appetizer Bites, and Italian Sausage Caprese Sandwich... just to name a few.
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Table of Contents Found Here
- The ingredients:
- Ingredient information:
- Tools and equipment needed:
- Add-in or swap-out suggestions:
- How many upside-down puff pastry sandwiches does this recipe make?
- How to easily adjust the serving size of this recipe
- How to serve these as sausage and cheese pastries as appetizers?
- Can bratwurst and cheese upside-down sandwiches be frozen after baking?
- Can these sausage and cheese puff pastry sandwiches be made in an air fryer?
- Additional recipes featuring puff pastry sheets:
- Printable Recipe Card
- Please comment if you've made this recipe.
The ingredients:
*Please note that the exact measurements along with a "shop the recipe" feature from Instacart and Walmart is available inside the printable recipe card.
Ingredient information:
PRE-COOKED BRATWURST - You can use your favorite brand of bratwurst, but because these will be made in a rather unconventional way, using pre-cooked bratwurst is essential. Thinly sliced pre-cooked bratwurst will have time to heat through but won't have time to cook thoroughly. If using uncooked bratwurst, sear and cook the bratwurst thoroughly in a skillet before continuing with this recipe. Or, purchase pre-cooked bratwurst (as shown in the video) and carry on.
PUFF PASTRY SHEET - Each sheet of puff pastry will make six servings. Depending on the kind of store-bought puff pastry you use, you may need to plan ahead and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before beginning this recipe. That's the kind I used, and there are two pastry sheets per package. If you're using that same kind, you'll need to lightly roll the thawed dough with a touch of flour to flatten the seams where the pastry was folded.
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR - As mentioned above, depending on the brand of puff pastry sheets you use, you may only need a light dusting of flour to roll the pastry sheet.
EGG - The egg in this recipe is used for the egg wash to give the pastry top (um, bottom) a beautiful golden brown appearance. This step may be omitted if desired, but I highly recommend this final step before baking for aesthetics and visual taste bud appeal.
GRUYERE CHEESE - This deliciously nutty, semi-hard cow's milk cheese melts like a dream. The combination of bratwurst, honey mustard, and gruyere cheese is highly flavorful and perfectly balanced for these crispy, crunchy appetizers/sandwiches.
OIL - Oil is the first layer when building these savory, upside-down appetizers. A tiny touch for each pastry is required to add flavor and prevent sticking that would otherwise happen when adding ingredients in reverse order to a baking sheet. Of course, the parchment paper helps as well, but using parchment paper is optional. You'll notice that I used both for added protection and had no problems due to sticking.
MAYONNAISE - You can use your favorite mayonnaise. If you'd like to forgo the mayonnaise altogether, you can also do that.
STONE GROUND MUSTARD - Feel free to use your favorite variety of mustard if you don't want to use a grainy stone-ground mustard. The choice is yours.
HONEY - A little bit of natural sweetness is never bad, and honey fits the bill perfectly in this recipe. The honey mustard mayonnaise sauce is used within these savory upside-down pastries and as a dipping sauce when serving.
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Tools and equipment needed:
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- measuring spoons
- chefs knife
- cutting board
- box grater (optional)
- kitchen timer
- pastry brush
- mixing bowls
Add-in or swap-out suggestions:
Feel free to swap the bratwurst for hot dogs or lunch meat. Make sure you keep the filling within the borders of the puff pastry you cut so it doesn't stick out and burn.
Don't want to add meat at all? No problem. Stick with cheese alone, and you'll still have a very tasty upside-down melted cheese sandwich or appetizer.
Any type of cheese will be delicious. Cheddar, Swiss, Gouda, Mozzarella… you name it.
Adding caramelized onions to just about anything always melts my heart. Spoon a little caramelized onions onto the baking sheet before adding the pastry topping, and you've taken something already delicious to epic proportions!
How about a squeeze of pizza sauce, pepperoni slices, and some shredded mozzarella before topping with puff pastry? Oh my goodness!! I'm headed off to the kitchen now because that sounds SO good!!
Don't want to use the honey mustard mayonnaise sauce? That's perfectly fine. Feel free to use your favorite dipping sauce, dressing, or BBQ sauce and have at it. If you like it, that's all that matters.
Did someone say pickles? No? They should have. A few thinly sliced dill pickle rounds would be a terrific addition to these upside-down pastries. Add pickle slices within the ingredients' layers, but make sure they're not dripping wet so they don't add excess moisture and sogginess to the end result.
How many upside-down puff pastry sandwiches does this recipe make?
As written this recipe makes six rectangle sandwiches. However, should you choose to cut the puff pastry in different sizes (either before or after baking), feel free to do so.
How to easily adjust the serving size of this recipe
Should you need to increase (or decrease) the serving size for this recipe you can easily adjust the ingredient quantities using the sliding scale shown in the recipe card by hovering over the number in the serving size.
How to serve these as sausage and cheese pastries as appetizers?
After baking, I suggest cutting the sandwiches into triangles (whatever size you like) and serving those triangles along with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Can bratwurst and cheese upside-down sandwiches be frozen after baking?
You bet.
Add them to airtight freezer containers (or bags) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in an oven or air fryer (uncovered) until hot and crispy.
Can these sausage and cheese puff pastry sandwiches be made in an air fryer?
They sure can, although you may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
Set the air fryer to 350 degrees and cook until golden and crispy. The time will depend on the air fryer, but it should be 7-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them while they're cooking so you can monitor their progress.
Additional recipes featuring puff pastry sheets:
Homemade Fillable Puff Pastry Appetizer Cups are super simple to make. They can easily be filled with sweet or savory fillings, so they're always ready for anything.
Flaky Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers have a light and crispy outer crust thanks to store-bought pastry sheets and a hot and creamy chicken pot pie filling in the center. You'd better make plenty because they'll disappear quickly.
Easy homemade Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers are bakery window-worthy. The flaky, buttery puff pastry lovingly encases a homemade apple pie filling to die for. After baking, they're drizzled with an incredible vanilla and cinnamon sugar glaze! YUM!!
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Printable Recipe Card
Upside-Down Bratwurst and Cheese Pastry Appetizers
Equipment
- small dough roller optional
- box grater optional
- Rolling Pin optional for rolling pastry
- fork
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed and rolled to smooth out folds
- 2 ounces cooked bratwurst thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 ounces shredded gruyere cheese
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
- In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard and honey. Set aside.
- Carefully open one sheet of thawed puff pastry (follow package instructions) and lightly dust with all-purpose flour. Gently roll (or press) the seams of the pastry until no longer visible and the dough is flat and the edges are relatively even.
- Use a chef's' knife or pizza wheel to cut the pastry into 6 equally sized pieces. Cover the prepared pastry with a damp paper towel or plastic wrap, and set aside.
- Drizzle approximately ½ teaspoon of oil onto a parchment lined baking sheet for each puff pastry appetizer, making sure to leave ample space between each drizzle of oil to accommodate the additional ingredients.
- Place 5-7 thinly sliced pre-cooked bratwurst on top of each oil drizzle and mound each appetizer with approximately 1 tablespoon of the shredded cheese.
- Dollop approximately 1 teaspoon of the prepared sauce on top of each and cover with 1 prepared piece of pastry.
- Use the tines of a fork to gently press and seal each pastry to the baking sheet on all sides and use a paring knife to make a small steam hole in the top of each pastry.
- Brush each upside down pastry with beaten egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) making sure to brush the forked edges as well.
- Bake the pastry appetizers in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet half way through the bake time, for even color and doneness.
- Remove and cool slightly before serving.Cut the upside down bratwurst and cheese appetizers into triangles and serve warm with additional honey mustard sauce, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you will enjoy making (and eating) these puff pastry bratwurst appetizers as much as I've enjoyed bringing the to you!
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!
Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you will come back and visit me often. Please know that there is always room for you around my kitchen table!
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
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