Boy oh boy, am I excited to tell you about today’s recipe.
These Puff Pastry Beer Brats with Beer-Cheese Sauce are like pigs in a blanket on steroids. INSANE.
Last summer, I discovered how much I actually enjoy bratwursts. I am not a huge sausage fan in general, and while I enjoy chorizo and Italian sausage in doses, grilling one up and eating it hot-dog style is not my thing. Until this past summer!
I found some artisan bratwursts while working on a project for someone else. When we grilled them up, I was skeptical. But when we topped them with sauerkraut or caramelized onions and mustard, my brain exploded. They were SO good. I finally got the hype. It was like the best hot dog I’d ever eaten.
So! In honor of the impending Super Bowl this weekend, I thought it would be fun to make some brats cooked in onions and beer and then wrap them up with puff pastry and serve them with a cheese sauce made from the same beer. Like pigs in a blanket but waaaay better.
Turns out, my idea was a good one.
These are straight-up delicious. Flaky, buttery pastry surrounds meaty and mustardy goodness. And the cheese sauce situation is out of control. I think it might be my favorite rendition of a cheese sauce on this blog yet. Bold statement, I know.
These are decadent and so fun!
While they’re not something I would make or eat on a regular basis, they are the perfect thing to make for a party or event. Or the Super Bowl! They’re total football food.
Let’s get into how to make these bad boys, shall we?
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make These Puff Pastry Beer Brats with Beer-Cheese Sauce:
- Unsalted butter
- Onion
- Bratwurst sausages
- Beer — I like a light pilsner for this
- Frozen puff pastry – defrosted but still chilled
- Whole grain Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Egg wash
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Heavy cream
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
How to Make These Puff Pastry Beer Brats with Beer-Cheese Sauce:
- Start by cooking the onions in a large skillet until mostly softened. Add in the brats and beer and allow to cook for 10 minutes or until the brats are cooked through.
- Set the brats aside to cool and then strain the onions out of the beer and discard. Save the beer for the cheese sauce.
- Spread mustard and a drizzle of honey over a sheet of puff pastry and then cut the pastry into four squares.
- Roll each brat up in each pastry square, pinching the seams closed. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake the pastry-wrapped brats for 20 minutes in a 400°F oven until they are golden brown, puffed, and crispy.
- While the brats are baking, make the cheese sauce by melting some butter in a saucepan and then whisking in some flour. Cook for a minute or two and then add in the reserved beer used for cooking the brats, milk, and heavy cream.
- Allow the mixture to cook until it is thickened and creamy and then stir in the shredded cheddar and mustard. Cook until the sauce is creamy and smooth and all the cheese has melted.
- Serve the brats alongside the cheese sauce while everything is hot.
Tips & Tricks:
- If the pastry gets too warm while you are working with it, I recommend putting the formed pastry-wrapped brats in a freezer for about 10 minutes so the pastry can firm back up. We want the butter in the pastry to be cold so that it puffs up in the oven.
- If you have less than ¾ cup of reserved beer after cooking the brats, top off your measuring cup with some additional beer to make ¾ cup. I tested this recipe twice, and one time I was left with exactly ¾ cup beer and another time, I only had ½ cup. It will depend on how hot your pan is and the type of beer you use.
- Unfortunately, these are not the sort of thing that you can make ahead. They should be eaten shortly after they come out of the oven. Puff pastry has a tendency to lose its crispiness over time. Cook and eat immediately for maximum crispiness!
- You can use whatever sausage you like here. Feel free to switch it up.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy:
- Sheet-Pan Sausage & Peppers Bowls
- Buffalo Cheese Dogs with Blue Cheese Slaw
- Slow-Cooker Chili Dogs with Jalapeno Beer Cheese
- Sausage & Peppers Soup
Elevated pigs in a blanket! I am so down. Give me all the cheese sauce, too.
Print
Puff Pastry Beer Brats with Beer-Cheese Sauce
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
These Puff Pastry Beer Brats with Beer-Cheese Sauce are pigs in a blanket on steroids. Flaky, buttery pastry encases bratwursts cooked in onions and beer – they’re baked until crispy and golden and then served alongside the best darn beer cheese sauce on earth. These are ideal for making and sharing with friends and family. Extra cheese for me, please!
Ingredients
For the Brats:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 bratwurst sausages
- 12 oz beer (I like a light pilsner for this)
- 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted but still chilled
- 2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Egg wash, for brushing
- Kosher or pretzel salt
For the Beer-Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- The reserved beer used for the brats
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the Brats:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes or until the onion is softened.
- Add the bratwursts to the pan and allow to brown a bit on each side. Pour the beer over the bratwursts and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook for 10 minutes or until the bratwursts are cooked through.
- Remove the bratwursts from the pan and set on a plate – we want them to cool off before wrapping in the pastry.
- Strain the beer into a measuring cup – discard the onions. Save the beer for the cheese sauce.
- Place a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured counter or cutting board and use a rolling pin to gently roll over the pre-cut seams of the pastry to seal them.
- Spread the mustard evenly all over the surface of the pastry. Drizzle the honey over the mustard.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into four equal squares.
- Place a bratwurst on the edge of one pastry square. Roll the puff pastry around the bratwurst, pinch the seam closed, and then place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bratwursts.
- Prick the tops of the rolled bratwursts with a fork and then brush with egg wash. Sprinkle kosher salt over top. If the pastry gets too warm from the heat of the bratwursts, pop the whole tray in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown, puffed, and crispy.
For the Beer-Cheese Sauce:
- While the bratwursts are baking, make the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook the mixture for 1 minute or until it is starting to turn light golden brown.
- Stream in the reserved beer (you should have about ¾ cup beer left – if more beer cooked off, add some more beer to your measuring cup to equal ¾ cup) from cooking the bratwursts and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the milk and heavy cream. Cook the mixture until it is thickened and creamy – enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the grated cheese and mustard and mix until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is creamy and thick. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
To Serve:
Serve the puff pastry bratwursts alongside the cheese sauce for dipping while everything is still hot. You can serve the bratwursts whole or cut them into smaller pieces.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: snacks
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
Oh my goodness-these look like the best thing EVER!