Surprise Cheese Puffs

These little two-bite appetizers punch way above their weight.

Each stuffed green olive gets wrapped in a blanket of sharp cheddar dough spiked with paprika and a dash of cayenne, then baked until puffed and golden.

The outside shatters into buttery, cheesy flakes. The inside is warm, briny olive with its pimento heart still intact.

The recipe makes 50, which sounds generous until you put them on a platter and watch grown adults hover like seagulls.

Make them ahead and chill until firm before baking. They actually hold their shape better when they hit the oven cold.

Kitchen Tips

• Pat the olives dry with paper towels before wrapping. Wet olives make the dough slide off during baking.
• Use the sharpest cheddar you can find. Mild cheese gets lost against the olive’s brine.
• These freeze beautifully unbaked. Arrange them on a sheet pan, freeze solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the time.