February 13, 2011: Onion Cheese Puffs Recipe

This recipe comes from my dear Aunt Jean who, one summer, spent a lot of time at the Milwaukee Public Library and transcribed recipes she found intriguing from various cookbooks. I just made these recently for the first time to satisfy a snack attack; I hadn’t been to the grocery store for a while and I was craving something savory to munch on.

Don’t be daunted by the length of directions; they really are quite easy to make and there are few ingredients.

Onion Cheese Puffs

½ cup + ¼ cup butter
2 cups chopped onion (white, yellow, or green depending on your preference)
1 ½ cups water
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
6 eggs
1 cup freshly grated cheese (any type of semi-hard cheese)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a large cookie sheet. Tip: use the wrappers from the butter sticks.

Melt the ¼ cup butter in a medium to large saucepot. Add the chopped onions and sauté on medium-low for about 5 minutes. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.

In the same saucepot, boil the water. Add the remaining ½ cup of butter. Heat until the butter is melted and the water comes to a boil once again.

Add the flour all at once. Turn heat to low and stir until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat and beat in eggs, one at a time, with an electric mixer (this could also be done in a food processor). Add the cooked onions and cheese.

Drop by heaping tablespoons on greased cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown and puffy, about 25 – 30 minutes.

Tip: My husband and I thought these were a bit bland. Next time I’ll try adding chopped green chile. I also sprinkled the tops with garlic salt to add some flavor. If you don't fancy salt, try sprinkling with paprika, chili powder, or cayenne pepper.

Flavor variations (substitute for the onion and cheese in the above recipe):
Italian – parmesan cheese, oregano, and garlic OR sundried tomatoes, basil, and provolone
Mexican – Colby jack or cotija cheese, green chilies, and onion
Lorraine: Swiss cheese, bacon bits, green onion

These puffs are really versatile and since they use minimal ingredients, you could make these often as snacks or an appetizer. They could also be substituted for the breadsticks in my Valentine’s Day menu (see February 3 post).