Making snacks and starters for guests can be a bit of a puzzle to figure out sometimes. You want to serve something tasty, but not something that’s too boring. These tasty Crispy Mushroom Cup Appetizers are an easy way to make a special appetizer that guests won’t be able to step away from.

To make this easy you pulse the mushrooms and shallot together in the food processor before sautéing them with some thyme.

A bit of sherry in with the mushrooms gives them even more flavor. You can use broth or white wine if you don’t have sherry. And speaking of wine, this starter goes really well with some white wine or a mild beer.

Once they’ve softened you add some shredded Gruyère cheese. You can use Swiss or sharp cheddar instead, but you want to make sure whichever cheese you use is tangy. It gives this starter a stronger flavor and brings it to life.

In order to simplify the process we are using pre-made puff pastry shells. These little culinary lifesavers are great to have on hand for get-togethers. They are par-baked and so they keep their shape while you fill them.

You can make your own from pastry dough or even adapt this recipe and use some thinly rolled pie crust. In fact this would be a great use of leftover pie dough! If you use a homemade dough just make sure to pre-bake them in mini cupcake pans before adding the filling so there’s no raw dough.

After that all you have to do is fill the cups with the sautéd mushrooms and top with a little cheese and then you’re ready to pop these into the oven.

A little sprinkle of some chopped chives on top makes these appetizers not only look good, but gives them a little bit of fresh flavor.

The shells become crispy in the oven and the savory mushroom filling is a perfect match for the rich cheese. These appetizers have it all and they’re the perfect little bites to serve before the main event.