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    Home > Recipes > Appetizer Recipes

    Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

    ↓ Jump to Recipe · By: Julia Foerster · Posted: 01/05/18 · Updated: 01/05/18 · This post may contain affiliate links

    Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

    Ham and Cheese Pinwheels are made with cream cheese, sliced deli ham, and cheese and make a quick and easy snack or appetizer. These baked puff pastry roll-ups are perfect for any occasion and a crowd pleaser every time I make them!

    Close-up of a ham and cheese pinwheel on a wooden cutting board, garnished with some thyme.

    Cheese and Ham Pinwheels are so easy to make! This is a recipe that comes together quickly and doesn’t take much effort to make.

    You can even prepare the filling in advance, spread it onto the puff pastry, roll it into a log and store it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Then just cut the log into slices and bake for 20 minutes. So easy and delicious!

    We have been making these easy cream cheese pinwheels for years! They are great for parties, finger foods always tend to go over really well, but also make a perfect after-school snack which is why I love these delicious ham and cheese pinwheels.

    Top-down shot of ham and cheese pinwheels on a wooden cutting board with a white and blue dishtowel.

    How to make Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

    This recipe is really easy! You start with making the cream cheese mixture. Combine all the ingredients, then take the thawed puff pastry out of the fridge. Unfold it and use a rolling pin to roll it into a 10×12-inch rectangle.

    Spread the cream cheese mixture on top with a rubber spatula. You want to leave a 1/4-inch border on both long ends so the filling doesn’t get squeezed out later and you can easily seal the edges when you roll it into a log.

    A layer of uncooked puff pastry with ham and cheese mixture on parchment paper lying on a wooden cutting board.

    Use the parchment paper as leverage to help you roll the log. You want to tightly roll the puff pastry into a compact log so it will be easier to cut it into slices and hold together well.

    Press the edges together to seal and wrap the log in plastic wrap. Puff pastry will puff up better when you chill it before baking. So put the log for at least 15 minutes into the fridge! This step gives the butter a chance to re-solidify and makes it easier to cut into slices.

    A layer of uncooked puff pastry with ham and cheese mixture on parchment paper lying on a wooden cutting board. The puff pastry is being rolled up from one side to form the pinwheels.

    To cut the log into slices use a sharp knife and don’t worry if your pinwheels come out more oval than round they will become perfectly round when they bake in the oven.

    Try to work quickly so the puff pastry doesn’t get soft. Arrange the pinwheel appetizers on a baking sheet one or two inches apart, they will spread a little bit during baking.

    You can bake these little pinwheels on parchment paper or on a baking mat. I have to say even so the pinwheels are shown on a baking mat in the image below I actually prefer baking them on parchment because they tend to get crispier this way.

    Cut, uncooked slices of ham and cheese pinwheels lying on a silicone baking mat.

    How to thaw Puff Pastry?

    Thawing frozen puff pastry overnight in the fridge is the best approach. This way the pastry will become workable without softening too much. But if you forgot to take it out of the freezer you can thaw it at room temperature. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t soften too much and use it as soon as it is pliable. Don’t unfold the pastry too early, unfold it only when fully thawed or it might crack.

    Looking for more Puff Pastry Appetizers?

    • Easy Twisted Nutella Danish Recipe
    • Lemon Puff Pastry Pockets
    • Spinach Ricotta Puff Pastry Parcels
    • Tomato Mozzarella Puff Pastry Pizza

    Two rows of ham and cheese pinwheels on a wooden cutting board next to a white and blue dishtowel.

    Tools used for making this recipe

    Dijon Mustard: I love this mustard! It has a little bit of honey added so it tastes not as strong.
    Chef’s Knife: I love this knife. My husband bought it for my birthday a few years ago and it’s still sharp and cuts everything. This knife has a great size and will make slicing, dicing, and chopping so easy and effortless.
    Sheet Pan: These are my favorite baking sheets!

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    Two rows of ham and cheese pinwheels on a wooden cutting board next to a white and blue dishtowel.
    Servings: 25

    Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

    Ham and Cheese Pinwheels are made with cream cheese, sliced deli ham, and cheese and make a quick and easy snack or appetizer. These baked puff pastry roll-ups are perfect for any occasion and a crowd pleaser every time I make them!
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Course: Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Calories: 102kcal
    Author: Julia Foerster
    5 from 15 votes
    Print PIN RECIPE Rate

    Ingredients

    • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, about 8.5 oz, thawed
    • 8 oz cream cheese, (225g)
    • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
    • 7 slices deli ham, 6 oz., cut into cubes (170g)
    • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, Gruyere or, Swiss cheese, (125g)
    • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Combine cream cheese, dijon mustard, cubed ham, shredded cheese, and pepper.
    • On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the puff pastry into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over top, leaving a 1/4-inch border on both long ends.
    • Starting at a long end, roll the puff pastry into a tight log using the parchment as leverage. Press the edges together to seal. Wrap the log in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it, seam side down, for 15-30 minutes.
    • Preheat the oven to 375˚F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • Using a sharp knife, cut the puff pastry log into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange the rolls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1-2 inches apart.
    • Bake until golden brown, rotating and switching the pans halfway through, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve warm.

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 102kcal
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Katie says

      December 31, 2022 at 6:25 pm

      Totally misread and did 7 oz ham slice, cut into cubes. I can’t stop laughing. It’s chunky!

      Reply
    2. Ada says

      December 18, 2022 at 11:05 pm

      Absolutely perfect! Never worked with puff pastry before and they still turned out great!!! I wanted the taste to be reminiscent of ‘funeral rolls’ (if you’re familiar, you know the craving) so I added a little extra mustard (sweet honey style), poppy seeds and a little Worcestershire sauce.

      I’m sure it’s delicious either way. The key that makes these better than most puff pastry pinwheels is binding everything together with cream cheese so the pinwheels stay together and the flavors meld together better this way AND also look really pretty because this keeps them from unraveling when they bake.

      Best part is that I made 3 rolls, but it was more than I needed to bake for the potluck so I still had 2/3 of an unbaked roll left in the fridge the morning after when my beau invited his mom over after church… so I was able to just pull this out, cut up and bake… like I’m always this prepared all the time! Made me look like a Pro!!! LOL

      Reply
    3. Garry says

      December 13, 2022 at 8:49 pm

      I added arugula to mixture. Wonderful peppery taste

      Reply
    4. sandra says

      August 28, 2022 at 2:57 pm

      These look delish iv never worked with puff pastry before can these be frozen after cooked dying to try

      Reply
      • Yvonne says

        December 08, 2022 at 3:29 pm

        Freeze before cooking. Slice the log, then freeze on a tray, then separate.

        Reply
    5. Jill says

      February 06, 2022 at 10:22 pm

      I’m new to some of these easy snacks. Can you tell me what puff pastry is or where to find it in the store? I was thinking of using crescent rolls but I’ll see if I can find the puff pastry first… thank you!

      Reply
      • Julia Foerster says

        February 07, 2022 at 10:31 am

        You can usually find it where the frozen desserts are at your store. It might come as sheets or as a roll.

        Reply
      • Dolores Mangual says

        April 23, 2022 at 8:02 am

        Puff Pastry can be very expensive.I buy my puff pasty in the Arab market. It cost half the price and it is already stretched out,no need to use rolling pin.

        Reply
    6. Debra Needles says

      January 30, 2022 at 10:56 am

      My daughter’s wedding reception is next month. The venue is beautiful but has no place to cook. If I cook these at home and take them, will they taste good cold?

      Reply
      • Julia Foerster says

        January 30, 2022 at 11:01 am

        Congratulations! The puff pastry will lose some of its crispiness after a few hours but the pinwheels will still taste delicious cold. I would do a test before the big day and see how they hold up.

        Reply
    7. Brenda Porter says

      January 03, 2022 at 8:38 am

      Could crescent roll dough be used instead of the puff pastry ?

      Reply
      • Julia Foerster says

        January 03, 2022 at 10:50 am

        I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure, Brenda.

        Reply
    8. Dianne Callinan says

      July 01, 2018 at 12:42 am

      Can you freeze the uncooked roll. I have to cater for approx 150 people with cold only finger food (no oven to heat anything) So it would be great to be able to do prep before and freeze

      Reply
      • Julia says

        July 06, 2018 at 10:20 pm

        Yes, you can freeze the roll or refrigerate overnight.

        Reply
      • Sondra Mora says

        April 24, 2021 at 5:11 pm

        5 stars
        My sister served these for an afternoon tea party . They were wonderful and I was late for the party so they were not hot and were simply delicious!

        Reply
    9. Sally says

      January 23, 2018 at 8:24 am

      5 stars
      They were so tasty AND easy to make! Made them for a party and they were gone in seconds. Thank you for the recipe!!

      Reply

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    Julia Foerster from Plated Cravings

    Hi, I'm Julia! Born in Germany, I call Canada now my home and love to share my favorite dishes with you! Here you'll find hundreds of recipes, all made from scratch with lots of tips and detailed step-by-step instructions. ➝ Visit my about page and ➝ subscribe to never miss a new recipe!

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