Christmas Pimento Cheese Bites are crispy phyllo cups filled with warm, creamy pimento cheese and topped with sweet, slightly spicy red pepper jelly for an irresistible sweet-and-savory holiday appetizer. A sprinkle of optional pecans adds crunch and a nutty note that makes each bite feel extra special on Christmas boards, cocktail spreads, or game-day platters.
This recipe uses freezer-section mini phyllo shells, store-bought or homemade pimento cheese, and red pepper jelly—ingredients that show up again and again in Southern-style party appetizers and “pimento cheese bites” recipes. Everything bakes briefly at 350°F just until the shells are golden and the filling is melty, so you get big payoff from very little hands-on time.
Why you’ll love these bites
Christmas Pimento Cheese Bites are fast, festive, and easy to scale up. Using ready-made phyllo cups means you skip making dough, and pimento cheese plus pepper jelly delivers a flavor combo that Southern appetizer recipes consistently describe as crowd-pleasing. Because they are bite-sized, they are perfect for grazing tables and holiday parties where guests want small, flavorful nibbles.
They are also flexible and forgiving. You can use your favorite brand or homemade pimento cheese, change the jelly, or leave off the pecans for nut-free guests. The make-ahead option—filling cups and refrigerating them before baking—fits well with busy holiday cooking, which is why similar fillings-for-phyllo-cups guides recommend this style of prep.
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