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These Spinach Artichoke Bites are the perfect two-bite party appetizer. Flaky crescent dough holds a creamy, cheesy filling made with spinach, artichokes, Gruyère, and Parmesan. Think of them as mini versions of your favorite spinach artichoke dip baked into buttery little cups.
Krissy’s Notes
I love bite-sized appetizers that don’t need plates or silverware. Especially when they involve a warm, cheesy filling wrapped in flaky pastry. These little gems are always a hit and disappear fast.
The filling tastes similar to my rich Spinach Artichoke Fondue Dip, thanks to Gruyère and Parmesan. It’s smooth, flavorful, and pairs perfectly with buttery crescent dough. The best part? You can make the filling a day or two ahead, which makes party prep so much easier.
What You’ll Need To Make Them
The full recipe is below, but here’s what makes these spinach artichoke bites so irresistible:
- Crescent roll dough: Buttery, flaky, and easy to work with. You can also use puff pastry or phyllo.
- Spinach and artichoke hearts: The classic combination that gives these bites their signature flavor.
- Gruyère and Parmesan cheese: Melt into the sauce for richness and depth.
- Garlic and nutmeg: Add warmth and flavor to balance the creamy base.
- Milk and half-and-half: Create a smooth, luscious sauce that holds everything together.
How to Make Spinach Artichoke Bites
Full instructions are in the recipe card, but here’s the overview:
- Make the filling. Create a roux with olive oil and flour, whisk in milk and half-and-half, then add cheeses, garlic, nutmeg, spinach, and artichokes.
- Prepare the dough. Cut crescent dough into small squares and press into a mini muffin pan.
- Fill and bake. Spoon the creamy spinach-artichoke mixture into each cup, top with mozzarella, and bake until golden brown and bubbly.
- Serve. Enjoy warm, though honestly, they’re still delicious at room temperature.
Make Ahead and Storage
To make ahead: The spinach-artichoke filling can be prepared up to three days in advance. Assemble and bake just before serving.
To store: Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven until warmed through.
To freeze: Freeze unbaked bites on a sheet pan, then store in an airtight container. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cook time.
Learn From Me
I’ve made these for several parties and have picked up a few helpful tips along the way.
- Use a mini muffin pan. It’s the easiest way to get uniform, bite-sized portions.
- Be sure to squeeze the spinach completely dry so the filling stays thick and creamy.
- These bites are best served warm, but they taste great even once cooled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few questions I’ve gotten from readers over the years.
Yes! Puff pastry gives them a crispier, flakier texture. I’ve used both and go back and forth as to which one I like better.
Yes. You would need to use a 32 ounce pack of fresh spinach and steam it just until it wilts. Then you will still need to squeeze out the excess liquid.
They reheat beautifully in the oven or air fryer. Just avoid microwaving to keep the pastry crisp.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- dash of nutmeg
- 1 pound spinach frozen, thawed with all the liquid squeezed out
- 14 ounces artichoke hearts (one 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained)
- 16 ounces crescent roll dough (2-8 oz. packages crescent roll dough)
- 4 ounces mozzarella shredded
Instructions
- To make the filling: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat and add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the flour just starts to change color and turn fragrant, about five minutes. Do not let the flour brown.
- Add the 3 cloves garlic (minced) and cook until very fragrant, about 30 seconds longer.
- Combine 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 1/2 cups half and half in a measuring cup and add about a 1/2 cup at a time to the flour mixture, whisking after each addition until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup Gruyere cheese, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and dash of nutmeg. Stir until the cheese has just melted, then remove from the heat and set aside.
- Working over a bowl or the sink, squeeze the liquid out of 1 pound spinach. Chop 14 ounces artichoke hearts fine and then fold both the spinach and the artichokes into the sauce.
- You can refrigerate the filling if using within the next few days, freeze it if you’re using it for a future date, or proceed to the next step to make your appetizer.
- To make the Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Bites:Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Working half a package of the 16 ounces crescent roll dough at a time, roll out into a rectangle. Cut into 12 equal portions. Before setting each portion in the well of the muffin tin, ensure any seams are closed. Stretch dough to make a square shape and place in the muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining dough until all 24 shapes are formed.
- Spoon small amounts of filling into each pastry cup. Since you're making twelve at a time, aim to use about half of the filling, reserving the rest for the second round.
- Top with shredded 4 ounces mozzarella and bake until golden brown, about 14 minutes. Remove from mini muffin pan and serve warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How does the recipe for Brie bites use one can of dough to make 24 bites, but this one uses 2 cans and makes the same amount? The part where you t say to fill them with the spinach mixture is missing.
Thanks for catching the missing filling step in the recipe! Fixing that now. With respect to the amount of dough with the brie bites, I remember them being more of a one-bite appetizer and these are a two-bite appetizer if that makes sense. You can vary the amount of dough used depending on the size bite you want and how much you like the pastry.
This was such a delicious appetizer! All my favorite flavors.
We did a practice batch in preparation for Mother’s Day and these were fantastic! So easy and they had such a great flavor!
These are incredible little morsels, so creamy and cheesy on the inside. I made them as a side for soup, the two paired very well. I love the mixture of textures, creamy and crunchy dough.
Where does the mozerella fit in and how long do they cook?
Hi Kathryn, My apologies! Somehow the last step of the recipe was getting cut off, but I have updated it. You add the mozzerella at the end and then bake for about 14 minutes until golden brown.