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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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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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Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, about 8.5 oz, thawed
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 Tbsp mustard
- 6 oz ham, chopped
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine cream cheese, mustard, chopped 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.
In the 4th paragraph under “How to Make Ham and Cheese Pinwheels” you say that putting the rolls in the fridge will prevent the “butter “ from softening. I couldn’t find butter listed in the ingredients? Am I missing something? They do sound yummy!
I see why this sounds confusing =) What I mean is the butter (or fat) in the puff pastry.
Thanks, I figured that but just wanted to be sure. Thanks again for the speedy reply. Puff pastry is on my shopping list! These sound so good!
Totally misread and did 7 oz ham slice, cut into cubes. I can’t stop laughing. It’s chunky!
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
I added arugula to mixture. Wonderful peppery taste
These look delish iv never worked with puff pastry before can these be frozen after cooked dying to try
Freeze before cooking. Slice the log, then freeze on a tray, then separate.
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!
You can usually find it where the frozen desserts are at your store. It might come as sheets or as a roll.
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.
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?
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.
Could crescent roll dough be used instead of the puff pastry ?
I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure, Brenda.
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
Yes, you can freeze the roll or refrigerate overnight.
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!
They were so tasty AND easy to make! Made them for a party and they were gone in seconds. Thank you for the recipe!!