These easy Pesto Puff Pastry Pinwheels are sure to be a party favorite! With only 3 ingredients these pinwheels are the perfect appetizer!
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Easy Cheesy Pesto Pinwheels
These are my kids’ new favorite things. They both devour them the minute they get out of the oven. So it is safe to say these are perfect to bring to a party or family get together. You know they are going to be a crowd pleaser!
They are especially great because they are only 3 ingredients! They also take minimal effort and can fully be made ahead of time and reheated when you are ready to serve. As we speak I have a dozen of these in my freezer just waiting for a Christmas or New Year’s Eve party!
I think part of what makes this recipe so great is that you get the flaky puff pastry and the savory pesto but the warm stringy mozzarella is what really pulls it together.
Plus there are so many variations you could make. Try different versions for different parties! Try a flavored pesto, different cheese, or make these Caramelized Onion Puff Pastry Pinwheel.
I think the hardest part is remembering to take out the puff pastry to thaw for when you are ready to make them!
Ingredients
- Puff Pastry Sheets – To make 24 you will need two sheets of puff pastry, luckily that is usually how many come in a pack! To make sure that the puff pastry rolls up correctly you all want to make sure it is fully thawed by the time you are ready to assemble the pesto pinwheels, it usually takes them 40 to 60 minutes to thaw.
- Pesto – Prepared pesto of your choosing. Choose your favorite store bought brand, you can also use homemade pesto as well!
- Sliced Mozzarella Cheese – An 8 ounce pack of sliced mozzarella should be about 10 slices. You will just want to make sure you have enough to be able to cover most of the puff pastry.
Instructions
Roll out the thawed puff pastry sheets. On one puff pastry lay out half of the cheese slices, cutting the cheese in half if needed to cover most of the puff pastry. Repeat with the other puff pastry and remaining cheese.
On each puff pastry use 3 tablespoons of pesto, scoop the pesto over the cheese. Spread the pesto out on top of the cheese.
Roll up each puff pastry into a log shape, trying to keep the shape tight. Leave seam side down on a plate or pan. Transfer to the fridge for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400º F. Place parchment paper on 2 sheet pans.
On a cutting board seam side down cut each log into 12 even pinwheels, 24 total. Place 12 on each sheet pan, leaving at least an inch space between each one.
Transfer to the oven, bake 15 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately (or see note below for freezing)
pro tip: Freeze/Make Ahead
To make ahead the best thing to do is freeze these after they are fully cooked. Make the pinwheels, once fully cooled transfer to a freezer ziplock bag. Be gentle not to crush them (12 fit best in a gallon bag). If possible use a straw to suck out any extra air in the bag to prevent freezer burn. Transfer to the freezer. Keeps in the freezer about 3 months. To reheat preheat oven to 400º F. Line a baking sheet with the frozen pesto pinwheels and transer to the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the pinwheels are hot.
tips, tricks and questions
Do you freeze pinwheels before or after cooking?
After! Check out the pro-tip above for more info on how to freeze.
Note that in order to make sure the puff pastry doesn’t get soggy don’t use too much extra pesto or it might affect the puff pastry This is also the reason I spread the pesto on the cheese instead of the puff pastry, to avoid any sogginess!
Recipe Variations:
- Try a Flavored Pesto, like sun-dried tomato or I have even seen buffalo pesto at the store (how good does that sound!?).
- Add a layer of Prosciutto, add a layer of prosciutto before of after the cheese.
- Add a good sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese for a little extra nuttiness and cheesiness.
- Try adding a filling like Sun Dried Tomatoes!
If you like this Cheesy Pesto Pinwheel Recipe you might also like:
Pesto Pinwheels
These 3 ingredient cheesy appetizers are sure to be a party favorite, Pesto Puff Pastry Pinwheels are easy to make and delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 thawed puff pastry sheets
- 6 tablespoons pesto
- 10 slices low-moisture mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Roll out the puff pastry sheets. On one puff pastry lay out half of the cheese slices, cutting the cheese in half if needed to cover most of the puff pastry. Repeat with the other puff pastry and remaining cheese.
- On each puff pastry use 3 tablespoons of pesto, scoop the pesto over the cheese. Spread the pesto out on top of the cheese.
- Roll up each puff pastry into a log shape, trying to keep the shape tight. Leave seam side down on a plate or pan. Transfer to the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400º F. Place parchment paper on 2 sheet pans.
- On a cutting board seam side down cut each log into 12 even pinwheels, 24 total. Place 12 on each sheet pan, leaving at least an inch space between each one.
- Transfer to the oven, bake 15 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately or see notes for freezing.
Notes
To make ahead the best thing to do is freeze these after they are fully cooked. Make the pinwheels and once fully cooled transfer to a freezer ziplock bag, being gentle not to crush them (12 fit best in a gallon bag). If possible use a straw to suck out any extra air in the bag to prevent freezer burn. Transfer to the freezer. Keeps in the freezer about 3 months. To reheat preheat oven to 400º F. Line a baking sheet with the frozen pesto pinwheels and transer to the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the pinwheels are hot.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1 pinwheelAmount Per Serving: Calories: 69Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 100mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 3g
Nutritional data is automated and might not be 100% accurate, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.
Martha H says
So easy and delicious! Will make these again!