Our easy cheese pinwheels made with puff pastry, two cheeses, and roasted red peppers are such a delicious appetizer! These cute little pinwheels fly off the plate!
These puff pastry pinwheels are high on my list of best hors d’oeuvres. They are simple, pretty on the plate, taste incredible, and are perfect for making in advance! In our recipe below, we spread puff pastry with Boursin cheese, add lots of parmesan, and top with roasted red pepper for sweetness and color.
I love them so much, and based on how quickly these disappear at parties, I can tell you my friends and family love them, too. Serve these alongside other popular appetizers, like red pepper hummus, classic shrimp cocktail, and tomato bruschetta.
Key Ingredients
- Puff Pastry: Use 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed. A standard box usually contains 2 sheets. I used Pepperidge Farm in the photos, but any brand will work! I thaw my puff pastry sheet in the fridge overnight. You can also thaw it on the counter. It should be ready in about 1 hour. I also use puff pastry to make quick and easy chocolate croissants, which would be the perfect way to use that leftover sheet.
- Cheese: I use two cheeses in these. First, something creamy like garlic and herb Boursin cheese (it’s so delicious). Goat cheese or even herbed cream cheese are good substitutes. Then, I sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over the filling. Pecorino cheese or even a sharp cheddar work, too.
- Roasted Red Peppers: People eat with their eyes, and rolling up chopped roasted red peppers makes these pinwheels so pretty and appetizing. I grab a few peppers from a jar of store-bought roasted peppers. You can use fresh diced red peppers if you don’t have them. In fact, can roll up just about anything. Think bacon, ham, caramelized onions, or different vegetables.
- Fresh Herbs: These are optional, but I love adding something fresh and green to the pinwheel filling. Fresh parsley or basil are excellent.
- Egg: So that the pinwheels bake up to be golden brown and pretty, we brush a little egg wash over them right before sliding them into the oven. It’s simple and made with beaten egg and water.
How to Make Cheese Pinwheels
Once your puff pastry is thawed, this recipe goes very quickly. Unfold the sheet, roll lightly to flatten any creases, and then add the filing. You’ll spread the soft Boursin cheese over the whole sheet and then top with parmesan, chopped roasted peppers, and herbs.
Roll the sheet up like a jelly roll, then slice it into your pinwheels. Place them onto a baking sheet, brush on some egg wash, and bake. They’ll take less than 20 minutes! Serve them hot or at room temperature.
Cheese Pinwheels
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
These easy pinwheels are the perfect appetizer or hors d’oeuvres! We use store-bought puff pastry, which makes them so easy! You will need thawed puff pastry, so leave it overnight in the fridge or on the counter for about 1 hour before making the pinwheels.
You Will Need
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup garlic and herb spreadable cheese, such as Boursin
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil
Directions
1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
2Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk and set aside.
3Lightly flour your work surface. Unfold the pastry sheet, then lightly dust the top with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll lightly so the creases are flattened out (you don’t want to make the square much bigger).
4Brush the square of pastry with egg wash. Evenly spread with the 1/2 cup of garlic and herb cheese, then sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, peppers, and herbs.
5Starting at the side closest to you, roll the puff pastry up like a jelly roll.
6Cut into 20 slices, about 1/2 inch thick. A serrated bread knife works well for this.
7Place pinwheel slices onto the baking sheet. Then, lightly brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Puff pastry: Use 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed. A standard box usually contains 2 sheets. I used Pepperidge Farm in the photos, but any brand will work! I thaw my puff pastry sheet in the fridge overnight. You can also thaw it on the counter. It should be ready in about 1 hour.
- Nutrition facts provided are estimates.
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A lovely recipe. As I made the pinwheels to go with Sangria, I mixed red and yellow peppers to reflect the Spanish flag which was very effective. Thank you for sharing:)
Could you use sun dried tomatoes instead of the peppers?
Yes
Made this for Friday evening party with friends, I am a meat eater but there were a few vegetarians and i wanted to make something everyone could enjoy. These went down a storm! So so easy to make and the compliments were fantastic. I added Nigella seeds to the outside before I cut it into slices and that created a nice contrast on the crust and gave it a great finish. Have already been asked for the recipe and I will definitely be making this again and again and again……
Wonderful!
Thanks for the Recipe these savouries turned out beautifully and are wonderfully tasty, and not really spicy, but flavour, my husband says “they are a definite do again!” I made these for a kitchen tea and did bacon and cheese ones as well.
Hello, can I use short crust pastry for this recipe? Would there be a difference in cooking time compared to puff pastry?
Yes you should be able to. I’d expect the cooking time to be similar, but stay close to the oven while baking just to make sure.
What does the egg do? Can it be avoided?
Hi Raman, The egg helps the pastry brown and hold together. You can probably get away with not using, just make sure you roll the pinwheel up tightly.
This has to be one of the worst recipes i have ever made. Totally tasteless.
Hi Ger, we are sorry you did not enjoy the recipe.
subbed basil for parsley and baked for about 20 mins then transported to a party about 2 hours away and were a hit even at room temperature. will definitely make again!
fantastique
love the pinwheel pastry recipe! Can i freeze before baking? Then, bake before a party next week? If so, should i bake from frozen state, or thaw first?
Freezing should be fine. We’d thaw for 20 minutes or so then bake.
These were excellent! So simple to prepare, yet so tasty. I subbed basil for the parsley, and other than that, followed this recipe to a tee, and they came out perfect. I served these at my annual Sangria Party, and they were a hit.