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You already know I love a good pinwheel recipe, but I’ve especially been loving sun-dried tomato and cheese pinwheels this summer! Instead of tortillas, I use puff pastry, which makes these super flaky, buttery, and a little crunchy. You can use any cheese you like in this recipe, but I like a mixture of feta and cheddar cheese here. Even better, you can serve the pinwheels warm or at room temp!

A white platter of sun-dried tomato and cheese pinwheels on an orange marble counter next to a green plate, glasses of white wine, and a white bowl of sun-dried tomatoes.

Tomato girl summer is back, baby! Now that I suddenly like the tomatoes (it only took me 30 years), I’ve been making cherry tomato bruschetta and my amazing burrata Caprese dip on repeat. Sadly, none of the tomatoes are coming from my garden this year, cause the garden doesn’t exist lol. Instead, I’ve been spending my weekends re-doing our deck, which is a fresh hell I wouldn’t even wish upon my enemies.

But the highlight of remodeling my backyard is the post-work happy hour! I make a little snack, pour some wine, and pretend like I’m already lounging in my new haven. Dusty overalls, messy braids, and all.

This last weekend, I really wanted to make something in advance, because we had to do the bulk of the work. So, I prepped my favorite make-ahead snack: pinwheels! Literally, you can just freeze the raw pinwheels and bake them whenever you’re ready. It truly couldn’t be easier.

This version is inspired by a savory croissant I used to make all the time in pastry school that had tomatoes, feta, and oregano. But I decided to use sun-dried tomatoes because I found that fresh tomatoes made them a little soggy. I also added some cheddar for extra flavor and swapped the oregano for basil because tomatoes + basil = heaven.

These are truly so, so good. I hope you love them too!!

Sun-dried tomatoes

A package of sun-dried tomatoes on a tan counter.

Sun-dried tomatoes come in two forms: jarred in oil or naturally dried in a package. I tested both for this recipe, but I found that the tomatoes in oil made the wheels a bit too greasy, even when I patted them dry. If you can find the naturally sun-dried tomatoes, I definitely recommend using those instead.

You can usually find sun-dried tomatoes near the dried fruits/vegetables or next to the canned tomatoes, depending on your grocery store.

Recipe directions

A glass bowl of cheese, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes on a brown marble counter.
First, mix the cheddar cheese, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt, & pepper.
A sheet of puff pastry topped with a cheese tomato mixture on a wood board.
Evenly divide the mixture between two sheets of puff pastry. Leave a little gap on the edges.
Hands rolling puff pastry into a log on a wood board.
Then, gently roll each sheet of puff pastry into a log. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Raw tomato and cheese pinwheels.
Once the logs are cold and firm, slice them into 1/2-inch rolls. You should have about 48 total.
A pastry brush brushing egg wash on pinwheels.
Next, place the pinwheels on parchment-lined sheet pans & brush them with egg wash.
Baked sun-dried tomato and cheese pinwheels on puff pastry.
Lastly, bake the pinwheels at 400°F (204°C) for 15-16 minutes, until they are golden-brown.

If you have thinner sheet pans, I would double them up. Otherwise, the bottoms of the pinwheels can burn before the tops turn golden-brown.

Freeze for a make-ahead app

I like to make extra pinwheels and keep them in my freezer for last-minute get-togethers or whenever I don’t have time to make an appetizer! After you slice the pinwheels, place them on a sheet pan and freeze them until they’re solid, about 2-3 hours. Then, pop them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

No need to defrost before you bake! You may just need to add another 1-2 minutes to the total bake time.

A white platter of sun-dried tomato and cheese pinwheels on an orange marble counter next to glasses of white wine, a tan linen, a green plate, and a white bowl of sun-dried tomatoes.

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Sun-Dried Tomato and Cheese Pinwheels with Puff Pastry

Yield: 48 pinwheels
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
These pinwheels are loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, feta, white cheddar, and fresh basil for a quick and ridiculously delicious appetizer! And thanks to the puff pastry, they are flaky, buttery, and a little crunchy. Even better, you can make them in advance for last-minute gatherings or parties. Serve these warm or at room temp, they're good no matter what!
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese gently packed (150 grams)
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (120 grams)
  • 1 cup roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes not in oil (100 grams)
  • 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 big cloves)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (25 grams)
  • Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 sheets puff pastry preferably all-butter, thawed (520 grams)
  • 1 egg

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line two thick sheet pans with parchment paper.
  • Combine the sharp white cheddar, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and basil in a medium bowl. Add a pinch of Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste.
  • Next, roll one sheet of puff pastry into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Spread half of the filling over the puff pastry sheet, leaving a 1/4-inch gap on the edges. Starting with the long end towards you, tightly roll the puff pastry into a long log. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheet and filling.
  • Freeze the pinwheel logs for about 20 minutes or refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. Once the logs are chilled and firm, use a sharp serrated knife to cut the logs into 1/2-inch slices. Line the pinwheels on the prepared sheet pans 2 inches apart. Refrigerate the remaining pinwheels for later.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water to make an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the pinwheels with the egg wash.
  • Bake for 15-16 minutes until the pinwheels are flaky and golden-brown. Repeat with the remaining pinwheels and serve them warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Notes

Make sure to thaw the puff pastry before making this recipe! You can thaw it at room temp for about 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
Look for naturally sun-dried tomatoes, not the sun-dried tomatoes in oil. The ones in oil are too greasy for this recipe.
Always use freshly grated cheese! Not only does it taste better, but it melts better too. Pre-shredded cheese will clump up.
Make sure to seal the edge of the puff pastry when you roll it up. If it won’t stick, you can use a little egg wash to help it stay together.
The pinwheels should be cold before you bake them. If they’re too warm, they will melt apart instead of coming out golden brown and flaky.
If you are using thinner sheet pans, I recommend stacking two together. Otherwise, the bottoms can burn before the tops turn golden-brown.
Make-ahead directions: After you slice the pinwheels, place them on a sheet pan and freeze until solid, 2-3 hours. Then, pop them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. No need to defrost before you bake! Just add another 1-2 minutes to the total cook time.
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1pinwheel, Calories: 82kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 89mg, Potassium: 85mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 39mg
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