Description
Deliciously savory French Onion Soup Bites featuring caramelized onions, melted Gruyère cheese, and flaky crescent roll dough baked to golden perfection. These bite-sized appetizers capture all the comforting flavors of classic French onion soup in a fun, portable form — perfect for parties or snacks.
Ingredients
Scale
Caramelized Onions
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Dough & Toppings
- Cooking spray, for greasing pan
- 2 (8-oz.) cans crescent rolls
- 4 oz. Gruyère cheese, grated
- Fresh thyme, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the muffin pan: Generously grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray to ensure easy removal of the bites once baked.
- Caramelize the onions: Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until butter melts. Add thinly sliced onions and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook while stirring often for about 30 minutes, until onions are tender and richly caramelized.
- Add broth and vinegar: Stir in the low-sodium beef broth and sherry or red wine vinegar. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid mostly reduces but onions stay slightly moist, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, then remove from heat.
- Prepare crescent dough cups: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Unroll one can of crescent rolls and cut along perforated lines into 12 small rectangles. Press each piece into the muffin cups, stretching to cover sides and bottom evenly. Repeat with second can.
- Fill the cups: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the caramelized onion mixture into each dough-lined muffin cup. Sprinkle grated Gruyère cheese evenly on top of the onions.
- Bake the bites: Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake for 18–20 minutes, until cheese is melted and crescent dough is golden brown.
- Cool and serve: Allow bites to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves for aroma and presentation.
Notes
- Use low-sodium beef broth to control saltiness and enhance the savory flavor.
- Be patient when caramelizing onions—this step is key to developing the deep, rich flavor.
- Gruyère cheese melts beautifully; substitute with Swiss cheese if unavailable.
- These bites can be made a few hours ahead and warmed slightly before serving.
- For a vegetarian variation, use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
