Food

Easy Ham and Cheese Pinwheels Recipe

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Feb 25, 2022 • 3 min read

As flavorful as they are visually striking, these ham and cheese pinwheels make a simultaneously elegant and comforting party appetizer. Learn to make this quick and easy recipe at home.

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What Are Ham and Cheese Pinwheels?

Ham and cheese pinwheels are finger foods consisting of ham and cheese rolled up in flaky, buttery puff pastry, sliced into swirls, and baked into a decadently crisp, salty parcel. While this puff pastry appetizer may look delicate, it’s anything but fussy. A firm cheese—sharp, grated cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese, or thin slices of Swiss cheese and provolone—will be easiest to work with and melt beautifully. Sliced deli ham brings a salty, umami contrast (and since you’ll bake it, there’s no need to splurge on costly options). A smooth jalapeño cream cheese spread binds the flavors together.

Serve puff pastry pinwheels beside a bowl of ranch dressing for a surprising and playful combination of high-low flavors at your next Game Day gathering.

4 Tips for Making Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

This simple appetizer can easily transition from day to night; it’s as well-suited for serving at brunch as it is on a cocktail party food platter. Here are some tips on dough preparation, rolling the pinwheels, and more:

  1. 1. Keep the ingredients cold. Keep your ingredients refrigerated up until the last minute to prevent the butter from oozing out of the pastry (and the ham and cheese from getting gooey). Cold pastry is easiest to work with, roll up, and slice.
  2. 2. Slice the fillings thinly. Tightly wrapping the dough and fillings will be easiest with thin, deli-sliced ham and grated cheese.
  3. 3. Skip the meat. For vegetarians or vegans, try grated or sliced cheese (vegan or dairy) with Dijon mustard, a dusting of garlic powder, and a layer of caramelized onions. For an Italian twist, try a combination of pesto, shredded low-moisture mozzarella, and finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
  4. 4. Personalize the puff pastry dough. Store-bought frozen puff pastry (or frozen crescent roll dough) makes preparing this recipe day-of a cinch. As an alternative, homemade puff pastry is a multistep project with delicious results. Discover the process of laminating and rolling out the classic French buttery dough with a classic pâte feuilletée recipe, or use the rough puff method in this easy puff pastry recipe. Alternatively, switch up this versatile recipe by rolling the ham and cheese in pizza dough for a yeastier pastry with more volume and rise—or even in flour tortillas, for no-bake tortilla roll-ups.

Spicy Ham and Cheese Pinwheels Recipe

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makes

24 pinwheels

prep time

10 min

total time

25 min

cook time

15 min

Ingredients

Note: The total time does not include 20 minutes of inactive time.

  1. 1

    In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, minced jalapeño, and garlic powder. Season the mixture with a pinch of salt.

  2. 2

    Cover a work surface with a large sheet of plastic wrap.

  3. 3

    Remove the cold dough from the refrigerator, and place it onto the plastic wrap.

  4. 4

    Use a rolling pin to gently roll the cold dough out to an approximately 10x12-inch rectangle.

  5. 5

    Use an offset spatula or spreading knife to apply an even layer of the cream cheese mixture onto the dough.

  6. 6

    Cover the cream cheese mixture with the ham slices, then the grated cheese, so that the ham and the cheese are each in a thin, even layer.

  7. 7

    Starting from the bottom of the dough rectangle (the side closest to you), use the plastic wrap to carefully and tightly roll the dough and fillings up into a log like a jelly roll (picture rolling up a sushi roll).

  8. 8

    With the seam-side down, wrap the log tightly in the plastic wrap, using your hands to gently squeeze the log out so that it is uniform in shape.

  9. 9

    Freeze the log for 15–20 minutes.

  10. 10

    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

  11. 11

    Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, cover it in a sheet of parchment paper, and set it aside.

  12. 12

    Pour the poppy seeds onto a wide, shallow plate.

  13. 13

    In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg with a tablespoon of water.

  14. 14

    Brush the log with the egg wash, then gently roll the log over the plate of poppy seeds just until the seeds stick.

  15. 15

    With the log horizontal to you, use a sharp knife to slice down the center of the log crosswise. Slice each half in half once again. Keep slicing each piece into an even half until you have 24 pinwheels total, approximately a ½-inch wide each.

  16. 16

    Place each pinwheel on the lined baking sheet at least a ½ inch apart.

  17. 17

    Bake the pinwheels until they are golden brown and crispy, about 15 minutes.

  18. 18

    Let the pinwheels cool slightly before serving and store them in an airtight container.

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