Crab Puffs (a MUST try)

Last week I found the best coffee cake and today I give you the best appetizer.

Crab puffs.

I saved this recipe ages ago but never got around to making them. My friend made lobster cheese bites for a birthday party (I'm guessing they are a lobster/cheese combination with breadcrumbs and baked, possibly? Or deep fried? I haven't tried them) and it reminded me to try this recipe. They are very similar to making cream puffs but you're less likely to mess these up. Cream puffs can collapse, these won't as easily. Don't open the door when they are cooking though, just to be safe. Since the dough is almost the same as cream puffs, I went ahead and took the same short cut by mixing in the eggs with my Kitchenaid Mixer. It saves your arm, trust me.

What's great about these puffs is they taste good hot but taste just as good (if not better) at room temperature, so they are the perfect appetizer to take to a party. The outside is golden brown and when you break them open they are full of ooey-gooey-cheesy goodness. Holy moly, out of this world I tell ya. My husband and I gobbled them up immediately (even my toddler ate some which is rare). Another plus is that they taste great with canned crab meat. We do not have access to fresh crab but if you do then feel free to use that instead.

A must try. Trust me! :)

Mix the dough until a ball forms, then leave for 5 minutes 

Spoon the dough onto the greased pan 

Bake until golden brown

Crab Puffs
Serving Size = About 4 dozen (I had 3 1/2 dozen)
Original Recipe

• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of water
• 1/2 cup butter, unsalted
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I used wayyyy more, maybe 5 or 6 splashes, but adjust to taste)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups (8 oz) shredded Swiss cheese (I used my food processor. I normally do not care for Swiss, but I LOVE it in this recipe)
• 1 can (6 oz) drained crab meat, flaked and cartilage removed

(Have everything prepped and ready to go)

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a large baking sheet.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, butter, mustard, salt, cumin, and hot pepper sauce to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir quickly until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Pour the dough into a mixer and with the flat beater start stirring. Add the eggs one at a time until combined, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until smooth and shiny (it will thicken as well). Stir in the crab meat and cheese.
4. Drop rounded teaspoon fulls 2 inches apart onto the greased baking sheets (mine were more like tablespoons). 
5. Bake for 23-26 minutes (26 for my tablespoon sized puffs) or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Serve warm.

*Update: These do taste good out of the freezer as well. Just preheat the oven at 350F and bake for about 15 minutes or until the middle is hot.

Linking to: Foodie Friday, Frugal Friday, Friday Favorites, Gallery of Favorities, Friday Potluck, Savvy Homemade Monday, Masterpiece Monday, Let's Do Brunch