These crescent roll appetizers are filled with a sweet, salty and savory combination of baked cheese, pear and prosciutto.
It’s one of the most delicious fall appetizers that will have everyone talking – just four ingredients and you’re all set!
I’m back with another fabulous fall appetizer you’re going to love. Today I’m sharing an easy crescent roll appetizer, full of fall flavor – and it uses one of my favorite shortcuts!
We all love the flavors of fall, but I can’t let pumpkin and apple have all the fun. While I love to bake with those delicious flavors, I also love the savory combinations that work so beautifully for fall.
I wanted to create fall appetizers that would capture the essence of the season, and these crescent roll appetizers filled with baked cheese, pear and prosciutto certainly do just that!
I love pears for a sweet addition to salads, entrees and even cocktails in fall and winter. Be sure to check out my incredible homemade Pear Cider recipe if you love pears as much as we do!
Crescent Roll Appetizers
Pears don’t get enough credit in the fall flavor scene! The mild, sweet flavor works beautifully with a variety of sweet and savory combinations. Even better, because they are often a little softer than apples, they take less time to bake!
Why You’ll Love It
These could not be easier to throw together for your next dinner party. They will be an incredible addition to your Thanksgiving dinner line-up, too! Just a few steps and you’re on your way.
Ingredients and Substitutions
See printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.
- Prosciutto – If you’ve never had Prosciutto, you’re missing out! It’s an Italian dry-cured ham that is sliced incredibly thin and full of salty flavor. It’s the perfect foil to the sweet pear in this recipe!
- Crescent Rolls – these are one of my favorite shortcuts. It’s simply a packaged dough that requires no effort at all- simply pop the can and use it anywhere!
- Bartlett Pear – you can use any kind of pear that is available, but Bartlett pears are our favorite. They are sweet, perfectly textured and smell delicious!
- Fontina – this is a semi-soft cheese that has a buttery, nutty flavor. It works beautifully with the sweet flavor of pear and the salty Prosciutto slices.
Variations
- Fontina melts beautifully, but if you can’t find it or want to try something else, no worries!
- Blue cheese is very popular with pear – that would be a fun way to switch things up instead of Fontina.
- Yes, you can use traditional thinly-sliced ham for these, but prosciutto is a little more elegant and interesting.
Tools to Use
How to Make
- Preheat oven and prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice cheese. Slice the pear into half moon slices.
- Roll out crescent dough onto baking sheet. Cut (or pull) into triangles- mine were already pre-sliced into the crescent roll shape.
- Add a slice of prosciutto to dough. Top with cheese slice. Roll as directed, adding pear slices. Continue that process until all 8 rolls are prepared. Bake the rolls until golden.
- Serve warm.
Tips
- A silpat sheet, or simple parchment paper, works wonders when baking crescent rolls by helping to evenly distribute the heat on the pan.
- Add a few cracks of fresh sea salt and black pepper over the top before serving.
- A drizzle of honey is perfection over the top as well!
Frequently Asked Questions
The ingredients are very similar, but the packaging is different. The canned crescent rolls tend to be more moist and tender as they bake, in comparison to sheets of frozen puff pastry.
In the technical sense, crescent rolls are actually a bread product, whereas croissants are considered a pastry. That’s because crescent rolls contain yeast, which gives them rise and a lighter feeling. Croissants are baked with a technique that layers butter and dough to create a true flaky pastry.
How to Store
- Room Temperature – You can leave these crescent roll appetizers out at room temperature while serving for up to two hours safely.
- Refrigerator – Store your baked pear crescent roll appetizers in the refrigerator safely for up to three days.
- Freezer – Yes, you can freeze these crescent roll appetizers. Defrost in your refrigerator overnight and gently warm in the oven.
More Appetizers
Crescent Roll Appetizers with Prosciutto, Pears and Fontina Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces crescent roll dough (1 can – 8 count can)
- 8 slices prosciutto
- 1 bartlett pear sliced thin
- 8 ounces Fontina cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a medium cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice 8 ¼ inch thick slices of cheese. (Remove the rind.) Slice the pear into 16 thin half moon slices.
- Roll out crescent rolls on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cut into triangles.
- Add a slice of prosciutto to dough. Top with cheese slice. Roll, and then before you do the final roll of the point of the triangle, tuck two thin slices of pear on top of the roll.
- Firmly pull the triangle over the pear slices and seal under the roll.
- Continue that process until all 8 rolls are prepared.
- Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes until golden.
- Let cool until the cheese has set a bit and then add to a towel lined serving bowl.
Tips
- You can also use sheets of frozen puff pastry for this recipe. Simply allow them to thaw to room temp and wrap in a similar fashion, bake until golden.
- You can also sub a different type of cheese! Try your favorite white cheddar or even a blue cheese.
- A silpat sheet, or simple parchment paper, works wonders when baking crescent rolls by helping to evenly distribute the heat on the pan.
- Add a few cracks of fresh sea salt and black pepper over the top before serving.
- A drizzle of honey is perfection over the top as well!
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Can you prepare these in the morning and refrigerate until ready to bake?
Hi Barbara!
We’ve never tested that before – my worry would be that the pears would brown from oxidation. If you try it out, please be sure to report back!
Enjoy,
Julie
Are these mini of full sized crescent rolls?
Can I make ahead a few hours and bake just before guests arrive
Absolutely! They can also be baked and simply warmed as well.