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This simple asparagus and cream cheese puff pastry is the perfect appetizer for the holidays. Not only are these puff pastries easy to make, but they’re packed with flavor that will impress just about anyone.

overhead image of cooked asparagus puff pastry bundles

Here are the Ingredients to make this Asparagus & Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Recipe:

Puff Pastry Dough – Did you know that most puff pastry dough is accidentally vegan? We like to use either the Pillsbury puff pastry or the Favorite Day Target brand.
Asparagus – For this recipe, we recommend using asparagus spears with a medium thickness. If they are too thin, the ends may burn, and they may not cook through if they’re too thick. Also, make sure to cut the rough ends off your asparagus before preparing them. We like to season ours with sea salt and black pepper.
Olive Oil – This is used to coat the asparagus and will help the seasonings stick to the spears. We like to use olive oil because of the taste, but you can use any oil of your choice.
Plant-Based Pepperoni – We recommend using the Sweet Earth Brand pepperoni for this recipe because it is a little bit larger in diameter than other brands like Yves. Instead of using pepperoni, you can also use other ham-style plant-based deli slices.
Dairy-free Cheese – To top off the puffs, a sprinkle of mozzarella-style shreds adds the perfect pop of flavor. If you prefer, you can also use parmesan cheese-style shreds or cheese slices, but we recommend the Follow Your Heart mozzarella shreds.
Dairy-free Cream Cheese – The base of this recipe is a cream cheese mixture mixed with fresh herbs and garlic. We like to use Kite Hill cream cheese, but the Tofutti cream cheese is excellent too.
Chives – Fresh chives are the perfect addition to the cream cheese mixture. If you prefer other herbs, you can also use green onions, fresh basil, or parsley.
Garlic – We like to use garlic powder to mix into our cream cheese because it’s easier, but if you prefer a strong garlic flavor, you can use diced fresh garlic.
Almond Milk – The milk in this recipe serves two purposes. First, to help seal the puff pastry closed, and second to brush the top of them before baking. This will help the bagel seasoning stick and make it more golden brown when baking in the oven. If you don’t have almond milk, you can use any unsweetened plant milk of your choice.
Everything Bagel Seasoning – Adding bagel seasoning to the top of our puff pastry adds flavor and makes them beautiful to the present. You can make your own bagel seasoning, or use store bought.

square puff pastry dough on a marble board

step by step of Asparagus & Cream Cheese Puff Pastry

Additional Tools Needed:

Baking sheet/sheet pan
Sharp knife or pizza cutter
Oven or air-fryer
Large bowl
Silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or aluminum foil

uncooked puff pastry puffs on white background

Bake or Air-Fry?

We have tested this recipe in both the oven and air-fryer, and both have pros and cons. Cooking times in the air-fryer are shorter, but air-fryers are typically smaller in size, so the total time may be longer if you have to cook them in multiple batches. If you are only making a few of these, the air fryer may be the best option. If you have an air fryer that you can load a tray into it, that will work well too. Otherwise, baking these in the oven is the most efficient.

Final Thoughts

These Asparagus & Cream Cheese Puff Pastries are perfect for the holidays, brunch, or just as a side dish. They’re simple to put together and will please even the pickiest of eaters. They’re also great to customize and mix and match with ingredients like tomatoes,

Looking for More Holiday Recipes?

Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!