Baked Jalapeño Popper Pinwheels with Bacon
These jalapeño popper pinwheels are made even better with flaky, buttery puff pastry! They have cream cheese, cheddar, bacon, green onions, spicy jalapeño peppers, and ranch seasoning for a flavorful, bite sized appetizer. Save this recipe for game days, holiday parties, and hanging with friends!
Ingredients
Jalapeño Popper Filling
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened (226 grams)
- 1 cup freshly-shredded sharp cheddar cheese (100 grams)
- 1/2 cup finely diced jalapeños, (60 grams - about 3 jalapeños)
- 1/3 pound thick-cut bacon, cooked & crumbled (150 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon homemade ranch seasoning or store-bought (8 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons freshly-snipped green onions, plus more for garnish (10 grams)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 large cloves)
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Baked Pinwheels
- 2 sheets puff pastry preferably all butter, thawed (520 grams)
- 1 egg
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer (optional)
- Bread knife
Instructions
Jalapeño Popper Filling
- Combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, diced jalapeños, cooked bacon, ranch seasoning, green onions, and garlic in a large mixing bowl.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the filling until it's very well-combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. (Or, you can mix everything together by hand with a rubber spatula.) Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.
Baked Pinwheels
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Roll one sheet of puff pastry into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Spread half of the jalapeño popper filling over the puff pastry sheet all the way to the edges. Starting with the long end towards you, tightly roll the puff pastry into a long log, sealing the edge well. Repeat with the remaining filling and sheet of puff pastry.
- Place the logs on a sheet pan, cover, and freeze for 20-30 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Once the logs are chilled, use a sharp knife to cut them into 1/2-inch slices, about 20-22 pinwheels each. Line the pinwheels 2-3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans. Refrigerate any remaining pinwheels for later.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops and sides of the pinwheels with the egg wash. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the pinwheels are crisp and golden-brown. Repeat with the remaining pinwheels. Serve warm.
Notes
Make sure you're using freshly-shredded cheddar cheese. Pre-shredded will make the filling grainy.
For less spice, make sure to remove the seeds in the jalapeños. I like to keep them in but it's totally up to you!
To make the recipe less spicy, replace some or all of the jalapeños with poblano peppers. For more spice, add cayenne or hot sauce to the filling, to taste.
Feel free to leave out the bacon for a vegetarian version. Or, replace it with your favorite vegan/vegetarian bacon alternative.
If you use the homemade ranch seasoning in the recipe card, leave out the cayenne for less spice. Or, add it if you want spicier pinwheels. Leftover ranch seasoning can be used on snack mix, popcorn, chicken, etc.
Don't forget 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.
Serving: 1pinwheel, Calories: 105kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 109mg, Sugar: 0.3g, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 0.3mg
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