Easy Jalapeno Popper Pinwheels
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These Easy Jalapeno Popper Pinwheels are a delicious bite-sized appetizer filled with all the things we love most about ever-popular jalapeno poppers. The savory filling is rolled up in a tender, flaky puff pastry dough and then baked until golden brown for a perfect party food that is always a crowd pleaser.
Easy Jalapeno Pinwheels
Puff pastry pinwheels make some of the best game day party foods. They’re always the first thing to disappear at any party, along with these Baked Jalapeno Poppers. Make this easy jalapeno popper pinwheels recipe and you’ll have the best of both worlds.
You get the same wonderful flavor combinations in the filling from the salty bacon bits, the tangy cream cheese and the gooey cheddar, plus the tender and flakey baked puff pastry all in one bite. But don’t just save them for the big game, they make an easy snack or appetizer for any occasion.
💖Why We Love This Recipe
- They have all the same delicious flavor of jalapeño poppers but in buttery puff pastry bites.
- This is a super easy pinwheel recipe that requires just a handful of simple ingredients.
- Puff pastry pinwheels are the perfect appetizer, but they are also awesome grab and go quick snacks for anytime of the day.
🔪Recommended Tools:
- Baking sheet
- Sharp knife
- Medium mixing bowl
- Rubber kitchen gloves (optional, but useful when handling jalapeno peppers)
🛒Ingredients:
- Puff pastry dough-thawed
- Cream cheese-softened to room temperature
- Sharp cheddar cheese-shredded
- Bacon bits- (or fresh bacon crumbles)
- Jalapeno pepper
- Green onion-chopped finely
- Salt and pepper
👩🏼🍳How to Make Jalapeño Popper Pinwheels
Using a sharp kitchen knife, cut the jalapeños in half. Then deseed and finely chop.
Step 1. Unwrap the puff pastry dough on a cutting board or other flat surface. Roll out to seal the seams. Set aside.
Step 2. In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, jalapeno, green onion, salt, and pepper.
Step 3. Spread the cream cheese mixture in an even layer all over the puff pastry sheet.
Step 4. Roll up the pastry dough into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Chill for at least two hours.
Step 5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper or tin foil.
Step 6. Unwrap the dough and using a sharp serrated knife cut into one-inch slices.
Step 7. Place the slices on the prepared cookie sheet.
Step 8. Bake the jalapeno roll ups for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are nice and golden brown.
Store leftover jalapeno cream cheese pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge
Are These Jalapeno Popper Pinwheels Spicy?
For this recipe, we remove all of the seeds and the membrane, so it really tames the heat in the pepper. Once the chopped pepper is added to the cream cheese mixture, it has a very mild hint of heat, but they are not overly spicy.
Variations
- Extra heat: If you like a little kick, you can leave some of the membranes (the white lines inside the pepper) and a few of the seeds in the jalapeno peppers while chopping them.
- Swap the puff pastry: If you can’t find puff pastry, no worries. You can use crescent dough instead. Keep in mind crescent rolls dough is denser and not as flakey as puff pastry but it works really well in pinwheel recipes.
- No bake pinwheels: For a no bake option you can simply use flour tortillas instead if the pastry dough.
- Mexican pinwheels: Give these pinwheels a south of the boarder twist by mixing a little taco seasoning into the cream cheese filling.
- Fresh jalapeño: We used fresh jalapenos, but you can use the pickled ones in the jar if you prefer. Be sure to drain them really well before adding them to the filling.
Can You Freeze Puff Pastry Pinwheels?
You certainly can. For best results allow the pinwheels to completely cool, then place them in a single layer in airtight container. Place a piece of parchment paper between the layers and they’ll keep for a couple of months in the freezer.
This makes them easy appetizers that you can make in advance. When ready to serve them, just thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a 350-degree oven just until warmed through.
Want More Easy Party Appetizers?
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
- 7 Layer Dip Cups
- Fried Goat Cheese
- Sausage Puff Pastry With Peppers & Onions
- Sausage Dip
- Hot Corn Dip
- Black Bean & Corn Salsa
- Avocado Deviled Eggs With Bacon & Blue Cheese
- Easy Brie & Proscuitto Appetizer
- Phyllo Wrapped Shrimp Appetizer
- Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
- Creamy Pickle Dip
Jalapeno Popper Pinwheels
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough thawed
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup bacon bits
- 1 jalapeno deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 green onion finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Unwrap the puff pastry dough on a cutting board or other flat surface. Roll out to seal the seams. Set aside.1 sheet puff pastry dough
- In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, jalapeno, green onion, salt, and pepper.8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1 cup bacon bits, 1 jalapeno, 2 green onion, Salt and pepper to taste
- Spread the cream cheese mixture in an even layer all over the puff pastry sheet.
- Roll up the pastry dough into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Chill for at least two hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper or tin foil.
- Unwrap the dough and using a sharp serrated knife cut into one-inch slices.
- Place the slices on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake the jalapeno roll ups for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are nice and golden brown.
Notes
- If you like these on the spicier side, you can leave some of the membranes (the white lines inside the pepper) and a few seeds in the jalapeno peppers when you chop them.
- Store leftover jalapeno cream cheese pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition
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I made these for my bunko group and everyone loved them.
I’m so glad to hear they were a hit! I love them for gatherings like this too!