Bacon and Mushroom Tartlets

Perfect for passing around at parties, nibbling with a cocktail, or for starting your meal with a flavor-packed appetizer, these Bacon and Mushroom Tartlets are packed with flavor! From the dough to the filling, there’s big umami flavor in every bite!

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These bite-sized flavor bombs (2 bites if you’re being dainty) are loaded with all sorts of goodness. Made with a chive-infused dough that’s so easy and so delicious, the filling is creamy, bacony, mushroomy, and cheesy.

This is seriously the best tartlet dough ever, and it makes the tastiest mini mushroom bacon cups. Pastry dough is dry and crumbly and difficult to work with, but this cream cheese dough is a dream! Make the dough ahead of time and pop it into the fridge to chill, then assemble when ready!

You can even prep these tartlets ahead of time – scroll down for my tips on how to do that.

Perfect for entertaining, snacking, or just with a glass of wine, these Bacon & Mushroom Tartlets are terrific!

Ingredients

There are no strange or hard-to-find ingredients in these bacon and mushroom cups, and you may already have some of them in your fridge and pantry!

• Cream cheese – Softened.
• Butter – I use salted butter, also softened.
• Chives – Fresh chives are best but dried also works. See my substitution suggestions below if you don’t have chives.
• All-purpose flour
• Salt – I use kosher salt – it has a purer flavor. If you use table salt, use half as much.
• Bacon – Regular bacon is best, save the flavored bacon for brunch.
• Mushrooms – Trimmed and washed.
• Onion – I use regular yellow cooking onions.
• Garlic – Fresh is best!
• Red bell pepper – For a bit of color and sweetness.
• Bourbon – Just a splash for some sweetness.
• Sour cream – Full fat works best as it tends to be creamier.
• Parmesan cheese – Freshly shredded.
• Parsley – Fresh parsley, chopped finely.
• Egg – Just one egg for an egg wash to help the dough brown.

How to Make The Best Bacon Mushroom Tartlets

There are 3 steps to this recipe: make the dough, prepare the filling, and then assemble the tartlets. For a full list of ingredients and instructions, please scroll to the recipe near the bottom of this page.

To make the dough:

1. Mix the softened butter and softened cream cheese in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (an electric hand mixer also works for this step) until light and fluffy.
2. Add the chives, flour, and salt. Mix until a stiff dough forms.
3. Divide the dough into 2 disks and wrap them with plastic wrap, and pop them into the fridge for an hour or so, or even overnight.

For the filling:

1. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp, then drain the bacon on paper towels. Remove all but about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet.
2. Cook the mushrooms and onions in the remaining bacon fat in the skillet until the onions are soft and translucent and the mushroom’s liquid has evaporated.
3. Add the red bell pepper and garlic, and saute for an additional minute.
4. Deglaze the pan with the bourbon, and cook until nearly all the liquid is gone.
5. Turn off the heat and stir in the bacon, sour cream, all but 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, and parsley. Stir well and season. Let the mixture cool or pop it into the fridge.

To Assemble

1. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Super cold dough will roll out nicely.
2. Cut the dough into 2-3 inch squares, or just big enough to fit into the mini muffin pan with the corners and edges sticking up a bit.
3. Press the squares into the mini muffin tin and then fill them with a heaping tablespoon of the cooled filling.
4. Mix the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the edges and corners of the pastry with this egg wash.
5. Top each filled cup with a small pinch of the remaining shredded Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake the Bacon and Mushroom Tartlets at 425-F until the edges are lightly brown and the filling is hot and bubbling.
7. Serve the tartlets slightly warm or at room temperature.

Chef Jenn’s Tips

• The butter and cream cheese should be very soft (not melted) for them to mix together. Let them sit out at room temperature for at least an hour before mixing the dough.
• Flour the countertop and your rolling pin before rolling the dough, and reroll the scraps as needed.
• Very cold dough will roll better, and stick less, than soft dough, so make sure it has time in the fridge to chill.
• You don’t need a fancy cutter to cut the dough, a regular kitchen knife will do just fine.

Recommended

Variations & Substitutions

• Crumbled sausage and even finely diced ham will be delish in this recipe in place of the bacon.
• No chives? Freshly chopped parsley would work, or thinly slice the green parts from a green onion and use that in the dough.
• Don’t want to use alcohol in this recipe? A splash of heavy cream will also work, or an equal amount of apple juice.
• No bourbon? Use whiskey, sherry, or a splash of any other sweet alcohol.
• Shallots or sweet onions can replace the regular yellow cooking onion in this mushroom tartlet recipe.
• Sub Greek yogurt for the sour cream, but do not use mayonnaise.
• Cremini, white mushrooms, and even finely diced portobello mushrooms (with the black gills removed) will all work in this recipe.

How To Prep This Mushroom and Bacon Tartlet Recipe Ahead Of Time

This is a super easy recipe to prep ahead of time. Then all you need to do is pop the mini muffin pan into the oven and bake the filled tartlets! Here’s how:

• The dough can be made up to several days in advance. You can even roll and cut the dough into squares, then just lay the squares on a platter or large plate, dust them very lightly with flour, and cover with plastic wrap until ready to use them. The dough squares can overlap a bit but don’t just stack them up, or you risk them becoming one lump of dough.
• Make the filling up to a day in advance, and pop it into the fridge until ready to fill the pan.
• You can even get a pan of tartlets ready for the oven up to a day in advance. Then just bake and serve!

Storage

These mini mushroom and bacon cups are best eaten fresh when the dough is still firm and dry. The longer the cups sit, the more the dough will get soggy. They’re fine for a few hours, or even most of a day, but if you want to keep them longer, freeze them!

To freeze the mushroom tartlets – freeze them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, then, when frozen, package them in a resealable plastic bag or freezer-safe container. Then just warm them in the oven and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Wondering how to serve Bacon and Mushroom Tartlets? They’re terrific as an appetizer, party snack, or cocktail nibbly. You can also serve them as a part of a larger party spread, along with other appetizers and dips, including Smoked Bullets, Fried Tomatillos, Spinach and Brie Dip, or Crab Dip.

Step By Step Process

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