Description
Spicy Mexican Corn Bites are delicious mini appetizers featuring a flavorful mixture of corn, cheese, and spices baked inside a crisp puff pastry crust. Perfect for parties or game day, these bite-sized treats combine the vibrant flavors of Mexican street corn with a creamy, spicy filling.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 sheet refrigerated pie crust or puff pastry (thawed)
- Cooking spray or oil
Filling
- 1½ cups corn kernels (fresh, canned, or thawed frozen)
- ½ cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 jalapeño (finely diced)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Juice of ½ lime
Optional Garnish
- Additional chili powder or hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare muffin tin: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a mini muffin tin using cooking spray or oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare crust bases: Roll out the thawed pie crust or puff pastry on a clean surface. Cut the dough into small circles approximately 2½ inches in diameter to fit snugly into the mini muffin tin cups. Press each circle gently into the muffin cups to form a base for the corn filling.
- Mix filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the corn kernels, crumbled cotija or feta cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, finely diced jalapeño, chopped cilantro, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and lime juice. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Fill pastry cups: Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the corn mixture into each prepared crust base, filling the cups generously but not overflowing.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the pastry crust is golden brown and the filling is hot and slightly bubbly.
- Cool and garnish: Remove the bites from the oven and let them cool in the tin for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove each bite from the tin and garnish with a sprinkle of additional chili powder, a drizzle of hot sauce, or extra cheese if desired. Serve warm for the best flavor.
Notes
- Add a dash of cayenne pepper for extra heat.
- Substitute pepper jack cheese for cotija for a melty variation.
- Perfect as party appetizers or game day snacks.
