Savory

Spinach Dip Bites

I’m hungry.

I’m hungry just looking these guys in the eye again. I’ve been daydreaming about these for weeks, you see, and they were as tasty as I imagined!

I miss them already, and I promise that it’s not just because of their cuteness. It has more to do with my love for spinach dip and my greater love for all things mini.

Basically, I need to go make more of these, then you need to come over and toast to mini-cheesy-goodness. Or you can make them, and I’ll come to your house. You pick.

Spinach Dip Bites {makes 32 minis}
Recipe adapted from Picky Palette via oh joy!

Ingredients:

  • about 16 oz. pizza dough (half of the recipe below)
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 3 oz. softened cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup light sour cream
  • 2 T fresh shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/8 t chili powder
  • a hefty pinch of kosher salt
  • a generous sprinkle of ground pepper (about 1/8 t)
  • 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 32 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooing spray. Divide the pizza dough amongst them: pinch off a small bit of dough (about .5 oz), flatten, and press in and up the sides of each muffin cup. Set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir spinach until wilted, about 3 minutes then add garlic, stir while cooking a minute then turn heat off.
  3. Sir together the cream cheese, sour cream, cooked spinach mixture, parmesan cheese, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined. With a small cookie scoop divide the spinach dip between the 32 mini muffin tins lined with pizza dough. Sprinkle with mozzarella.
  4. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until just turning brown on the edges. Remove and cool for 3-5 minutes before removing from the tins.
  5. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Dough f’sho.

Pizza Dough
Recipe from Baking Illustrated via Annie’s Eats

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 envelope yeast (rapid rise or active dry)
  • pinch of sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups water at room temperature
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 1/2 t salt

Directions:

  1. Measure warm water into a 2-cup measuring cup. Sprinkle with yeast and sugar. Stir to mix and then set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the room temperature water and oil and stir to combine.
  2. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Or stir together with a wooden spoon and some muscle and pour on the counter to knead.) Briefly combine the dry ingredients and low speed. Slowly add the liquid ingredients continuing to mix until a cohesive mass forms. Stop the mixer and replace the paddle with the dough hook. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, and put into a large greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
  3. Press the dough to deflate it. Divide in half. Place half in the freezer until you want to make pizza or more of these guys. Use half for the spinach dip bites above.

“chomp chomp”

I ate three four to be sure they were goo-ood.

12 thoughts on “Spinach Dip Bites”

  1. Megan, you were not truthful enough when it came to praising these. I am in love and in lust with these. My toddler and I are over hear fighting over these. They are GREAT and that is an understatement. I changed a few things but they came out fantastic. I added cheddar cheese in addition to the mozzarella and omitted the cream cheese b/c I didn’t have any; added red onion, bell pepper and some spices; baked them in a regular sized muffin tin. We had this w/ ice cold fresh homemade cherry iced tea.

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