With their playful spiral shape and pop of green color, these spinach cream cheese puff pastry pinwheels are a sneaky and delicious way to get kids to eat their veggies. Tuck a few into a lunchbox, offer them as an afterschool bite, or pass them around at your next cocktail party. They're guaranteed to disappear fast!
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🗝️ Recipe's key points
- Serve them warm for irresistible flavor, or enjoy them chilled straight from the fridge.
- They freeze beautifully, making them an ideal make-ahead appetizer for the holidays.
- Puff pastry turns golden and flaky, so kids won't even notice the healthy greens inside.
- Just a handful of simple ingredients and a few easy steps get these handheld appetizers assembled in minutes.
With flaky pastry, hidden greens, and freezer-ready convenience, these bite-sized snacks are the ultimate make-ahead crowd-pleaser.
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients for the easy baked cream cheese pinwheels. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- Puff pastry – Softened at room temperature to handle and unfold without breaking.
- Butter – I prefer unsalted butter for better control of the level of salt in these spinach cream cheese puff pastry pinwheels.
- Onion – Yellow or white onion works well.
- Garlic – Cooked with the onion for aromatic depth of flavor.
- Spinach – Use fresh spinach. If you use frozen spinach, thaw it first. Then squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Mix it in with the cream cheese.
- Dry seasoning (thyme, tarragon, dill) – An easy way to add delicious herbaceous flavor to these puff pastry pinwheels.
- Black pepper & Kosher salt – Taste to test and adjust as needed.
- Cream cheese – Soften at room temperature for easy mixing.
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions for the easy baked spinach pinwheels with cream cheese recipe. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Start by thawing the puff pastry on the countertop. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the onions.
- Meanwhile, wash, dry, and roughly chop the spinach.
- Stir the onions frequently and cook until soft and golden.
- Once onions are done, add the garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the spinach to the pan and season with black pepper.
- Cook the spinach until wilted, turning it constantly with tongs.
- Add the cream cheese, herbs, onion flakes, and salt to a large bowl.
- Add the spinach and mix well with a fork.
- Unfold the thawed puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Divide the cream cheese and spinach mixture between two puff pastry sheets, lightly spreading over the entire surface.
- Beginning with one edge, roll each pastry sheet into a log. Place rolls on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Slice the chilled rolls into ½-inch slices.
- Bake the pinwheels for about 25 minutes at 400º F or until golden. Cool for a few minutes and serve warm.
🥫 Storage
Store leftover spinach pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Store them for longer in the freezer for up to 2-3 months and thaw to enjoy later.
You can then reheat them in the oven, keeping a close watch that they don’t burn. They're also equally as delicious when served cold.
📚 Variations
- Pastry/dough alternatives: Pinwheel appetizers can also be made with refrigerated pizza dough, crescent roll pastry sheets, or phyllo dough although you will likely need to adjust the baking time. Keep in mind that changing the pastry will alter the texture of these appetizers.
- Frozen spinach: Frozen spinach is a convenient alternative to fresh spinach. Thaw and squeeze as much excess liquid out of the frozen spinach to avoid a runny filling.
- Gluten-free spinach puff pastry appetizer: Use a brand of gluten-free puff pastry to cater to dietary preferences.
- Seasoning: Feel free to experiment with other seasoning blends for the spinach cream cheese mixture, such as Italian seasoning or a different blend of your favorite dried herbs.
- Filling: Other add-ins or filling swaps could include pesto, mushrooms, shredded Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, or sun-dried tomatoes.
- Meaty twist: Flaky smoked pieces of salmon would be a delicious combination with the spinach and cream cheese mixture.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Plan ahead for this spinach appetizer. Let the puff pastry sit at room temperature first. Then it will unfold easily without breaking.
- Refrigerating the rolls for 30 minutes firms up the cream cheese filling and the softened pastry, making it much easier to slice clean, even rounds without squishing or tearing the dough.
- Make sure to cut uniform ½-inch slices so that they bake evenly at the same rate.
- These baked spinach pinwheels will be hot when initially removed from the oven. Allow them to cool for a few minutes before eating.
🤔 FAQs
Can I make spinach pinwheels ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can prepare and refrigerate the rolls before slicing and baking. They’re perfect for easy entertaining and holiday prep.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
Yes! Just thaw the spinach completely and squeeze out as much liquid as possible so the filling doesn’t become watery.
Can these puff pastry pinwheels be frozen?
They freeze beautifully. You can freeze them before baking or after baking. Reheat in the oven to crisp the pastry back up.
Do I serve these warm or cold?
They’re delicious both ways! Warm gives you that flaky buttery texture, but they’re also tasty chilled or at room temperature.
What herbs work best in spinach pinwheels?
Dill, thyme, and tarragon add wonderful flavor, but parsley, basil, or Italian seasoning also work beautifully.
Can I add other cheeses?
Certamente! Parmesan, mozzarella, feta, or Gruyère are all delicious additions to the creamy spinach filling.
📗 Related Recipes
If you love these savory spinach cream cheese roll ups, be sure to try these tasty pinwheel recipes. They're easy with endless variations.
- Italian Pinwheels - These easy Italian pinwheels pack all the flavors of a classic Italian sandwich. Enjoy deli meat, cheese, creamy spread, and crisp lettuce into one delicious bite.
- Pizza Pinwheels - Using refrigerated pizza dough or crescent rolls, simply add your favorite pizza toppings, roll the dough into a log, and slice into 1-inch pieces for an easy, mouth-watering pizza-inspired snack.
- Tortilla Pinwheel - This quick and versatile appetizer combines deli meats and flavored cream cheese with your choice of greens.
🍽 What to serve with spinach puff pastry pinwheels
Serve these cheesy spinach pinwheels on a platter with other equally delicious party appetizers and finger foods, such as these cream cheese cucumber sandwiches, garlic olive oil bread dip, crispy air fryer zucchini chips, and cheesy sausage balls.
You can also enjoy these easy spinach cream cheese puff pastry pinwheels as a light vegetarian lunch with Arugula Salad, or pair them with Avocado Chicken Salad.
🔪 All Our Way recommends the following
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Large skillet – A single skillet is all you need to cook the aromatic base and wilt the spinach for these baked puff pastry appetizers.
- Mixing bowl – To combine the cheesy filling ingredients.
- Dry measuring spoons – Measure out the dried thyme, tarragon, dill, and salt accurately.
- Baking sheet – Provides a flat, heat-safe surface for baking the sliced pinwheels until golden.
- Chef's knife – To prepare the ingredients and cut the chilled pastry log into clean, even ½-inch slices.
- Parchment Paper – Lines the baking sheet to prevent sticking and makes cleanup easy.
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
You know what I love most about recipes like these? They make people gather around the table without even realizing it. One person grabs a pinwheel, then another sneaks “just one more,” and before long the tray is mysteriously empty. Happens every single time in our family.
And honestly? Puff pastry deserves a standing ovation for making us all look like fancy little chefs without all the work. Those flaky, golden swirls come out of the oven looking like you spent the whole giornata (day) cooking. But the recipe is wonderfully simple. Those are my favorite kinds of recipes.
I also love that these little beauties are so versatile. They’re perfect for Christmas parties, brunches, game day spreads, and baby showers. You can even pack them in lunchboxes for hungry kids after school. And if someone claims they “don’t like spinach”? Just hand them one and wait for the silence. 😏
So pour yourself a little vino, put on some music, and enjoy every buttery bite, amici miei (my friends). Life is simply better with flaky pastry and good company around the table. Buon appetito! 🍷🥐
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
What's new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.
📖 Recipe
Spinach Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Pinwheels
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 2 puff pastry sheets thawed
- 3 Tablespoons Butter unsalted
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic chopped
- 1 pound fresh spinach stems removed
- black pepper
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions, stir frequently and cook until soft and golden.
- Meanwhile, wash the spinach, dry thoroughly, then roughly chop.
- Once onions are done, add the garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add spinach to pan, season with black pepper, and cook by turning constantly with tongs until the spinach is wilted.
- Add spinach, cream cheese, herbs, onion flakes, and salt to a large bowl. Mix well with a fork.
- Once puff pastry is soft enough to handle, unfold sheets and place on lightly floured surface.
- Divide cream cheese mixture between two puff pastry sheets, lightly spreading over entire surface.
- Beginning with one edge, roll each pastry sheet into a log. Place rolls on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven at 400º F.
- Remove rolls from refrigerator and slice into ½ slices. Place slices back on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden. Let cool for a few minutes, and serve warm. Pinwheels can be refrigerated for 2-3 days and can be served cold as well.
Notes
Nutrition
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