Easy Jalapeño Popper Pinwheels (Printable version)
Crispy, flaky pastries filled with cream cheese, cheddar, bacon, and spicy jalapeños. Ready in 30 minutes.
# What you'll need:
→ Dairy & Cheese
01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
→ Vegetables
03 - 2–3 medium fresh jalapeños, seeds removed, finely diced
→ Meats
04 - 4 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped
→ Pantry
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Pastry
08 - 1 sheet refrigerated puff pastry, thawed
→ Egg Wash
09 - 1 large egg, beaten
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, diced jalapeños, bacon, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Unroll the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Evenly spread the cheese mixture over the pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long edge.
04 - Starting from the opposite long side, tightly roll up the pastry into a log. Pinch the edge to seal.
05 - Using a sharp knife, slice the log into 1/2-inch thick pinwheels. Place them cut side up on the prepared baking sheet, spacing slightly apart.
06 - Brush the tops lightly with beaten egg.
07 - Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
08 - Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These disappear faster than any other appetizer I have ever made, and people actually hover around the kitchen waiting for them to come out of the oven.
- The recipe comes together in under 30 minutes but looks like you spent way more effort on them than you actually did.
02 -
- Keep the puff pastry cold while you work with it because if it gets too warm, the butter layers start to melt and you lose that flaky texture.
- Use a very sharp knife and saw gently through the pastry instead of pressing down hard so the pinwheels keep their round shape.
03 -
- Freeze the assembled but unbaked pinwheels on the baking sheet, then transfer to a bag and bake straight from frozen for last-minute appetizers.
- Use a pizza cutter instead of a knife for the cleanest, quickest slices through the pastry log.