Demogorgonzola – A Stranger Things Appetizer
A Giant Demogorgon Puff Pastry Appetizer for Your Stranger Things Dinner in the Upside Down
If you want a Stranger Things appetizer that stops people in their tracks, this is the one. The Demogorgonzola is a giant, plate-sized puff pastry Demogorgon, complete with five monstrous petals and a molten center of caramelized onions, crispy bacon, and gorgonzola.
It looks like a Demogorgon burst through the table, but tastes like a cozy, buttery, savory tart. It is the definition of spooky elegance. Dramatic for photos. Easy to make. And absolutely perfect as the star appetizer for your Stranger Things Dinner in the Upside Down.
How to Make the Demogorgonzola
Start by getting your puff pastry out so it can soften just enough to unroll without cracking. You’re not looking for floppy warm dough, just something that listens to you when you tell it what to do.
While that’s hanging out, get your onions into a pan with a little butter and brown sugar. Let them do their slow, caramelized thing. Low and slow is the vibe here. They should smell so good that you start questioning why onions were ever villainized in cartoons.
Once the onions are golden and soft, take a dinner plate and plop it right onto your puff pastry. This is your stencil. Cut around it so you get a perfect circle. Easy.
Now you’re going to give it that classic Demogorgon moment. Use a knife to make five cuts toward the center of the circle, basically dividing it into five petals, but don’t go all the way through. Leave that middle intact so it stays connected like a creepy little pastry flower.
Spoon your onions right into the center and scatter the bacon and gorgonzola over the top. This is where the flavor lives, so don’t hold back.
Now lift each of the five “petals” and fold them up toward the middle. Overlap them a bit so it forms that open-mouthed monster shape. It doesn’t need to be perfect. In fact, it looks better when it looks a little chaotic.
Brush the whole thing with an egg wash and let it chill in the fridge for a few minutes. Cold puff pastry puffs stronger, and we want drama.
Bake it until it looks like the Demogorgon is blooming in your oven. Golden, puffy, a little unhinged. You’ll know when it’s ready.
Pull it out, give it a little drizzle of honey or balsamic if you want that glossy finish, and sprinkle thyme for full spooky beauty queen energy.
Serve it warm and watch everyone freak out in the best possible way.
love a good themed meal?
Check out our other Stranger Things Inspired Recipes!
Notes
• Use a 9 to 10 inch dinner plate to cut your circle.
• The more cold the pastry when it hits the oven, the more dramatic the puff will be.
• Let the caramelized onions cool for a few minutes before adding them. Warm filling can soften the dough.
Variations
• Swap bacon for sautéed mushrooms to make it vegetarian.
• Add sliced pears for a sweet contrast.
• Use blue cheese instead of gorgonzola for a sharper flavor.
• Brush the pastry with black food coloring mixed into the egg wash for a darker, creepier look.
How to Serve
Place this giant Demogorgon tart on a black plate or dark serving board so it looks like it crawled out of the Upside Down.
It is perfect for:
• Stranger Things premieres
• Halloween parties
• Watch parties for the final season
• Any Stranger Things Dinner in the Upside Down menu
This is the appetizer people will talk about for weeks.
Demogorgonzola
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 4 slices thick cut bacon cooked and chopped
- 3 to 4 ounces gorgonzola cheese crumbled
- 1 egg beaten for egg wash
- Optional honey or balsamic glaze for finishing
- Optional thyme leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Caramelize the onions. Melt butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add onions and brown sugar. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes until the onions are deeply golden, soft, and sweet. Stir often.
- Prepare the puff pastry. Lightly flour your counter. Lay out the puff pastry sheet.
- Place a dinner plate face down on the pastry and use a sharp knife to cut a perfect circle around it.
- Create the Demogorgon shape.
- Use a knife to cut five equal slits from the outer edge of the circle toward the center, stopping about 2 inches before the middle. These slits become the five petals of the Demogorgon mouth.
- Add the filling.
- Spread a thick layer of caramelized onion in the center of the pastry.
- Top with chopped bacon and crumbled gorgonzola.
- Shape the monster.
- Lift each of the five petals up and toward the center, overlapping the edges slightly so the shape forms a five petal monster bloom. Gently pinch the base of each petal so it stays lifted.
- Chill for 10 minutes.
- Place the shaped pastry in the fridge so the butter firms up. This helps it puff beautifully.
- Bake.
- Brush the pastry with egg wash.
- Bake for 22 to 26 minutes until the Demogorgonzola is golden, puffed, and the petals have opened slightly like a blooming monster.
- Finish and serve.
- Let it cool for a few minutes. Drizzle with honey or balsamic glaze if you want extra shine and richness.
- Garnish with a few thyme leaves for a dramatic, eerie finish.
🎬Keep the Magic Going…
No posts
It’s the ultimate Disney, Pixar, and holiday foodie collection.
If you’re the person who wants the full experience – menus, printables, drinks, themed playlists, and enough recipe inspiration to last all year – THIS is the bundle for you.
Ready to Go Bigger Than “let it go”?
Unlock Every Magical Dinner Night With the Epic Bundle!
If one night of Disney magic isn’t enough for you (let’s be honest, it never is), it’s time to level up. The Epic Bundle gives you every digital cookbook I’ve ever made. That’s every menu, every printable, every jaw-dropping dinner and a movie night – at a price Gaston would actually brag about.
You’ll get:
- The Magical Dinner & a Movie Cookbook (the OG classic)
- Just Keep Cooking (Pixar magic for days)
- Once Upon a Dinner & a Movie (fairytale classics)
- Try Everything (On the Menu) (Disney & Pixar’s greatest hits)
- Epic Eats (Blockbuster Hits)
- Spooky Dinner & a Movie (Halloween done right)
- Bloody Good Dinners (horror for adults—if you dare!)
- Christmas Dinner & a Movie (the coziest content on Earth)
- 95+ Movie Night Menus, over 450 Recipes
