Pesto Puff Pastry Pinwheels have pesto, tangy Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, and plenty of cheese rolled in crispy flaky puff pastry. Perfect for a super simple snack, appetizer, or party nibble, these savory bites are ready in just minutes and very easy to make.

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Why this recipe works

Well who doesn’t love cheesy fillings wrapped in in flaky buttery puffed pastry anyway. So there’s that.

Pastry aside, everything else here are standard kitchen ingredients I threw together: Dijon, pesto, and cheeses. I love making dishes with Dijon and pesto together. The two together are magic to me. Check out my Dijon Pesto Roasted Broccoli as another example.

Pesto puffed pastry pinwheels work because they are so easy to make, are ready in under 30 minutes, and are TASTY. Perfect for a party or a snacky snack. They can even be served warm or at room temperature.

cooked pesto puffed pastry pinwheel on white parchment paper topped with chopped herbs

About the ingredients

Puff pastry. I am in the midst of a puff pastry kick at the moment for the simple reason that I learned how to quickly thaw it. All we have to do is put one frozen sheet in the microwave, zap for 15 seconds on high; flip and repeat. Let it sit out for a couple minutes and VOILA – you have got yourself some thawed puff pastry dough, ready to go.

Find puff pastry dough in the grocer’s freezer section. You are looking for the 17.3 ounces box that comes with 2 sheets.

Cheese. I used mozzarella and parmesan; I have also used Swiss, provolone, Gruyere, and a 4-cheese Italian blend. Stick with any of these cheeses – or any combination of these cheeses – and you are good.

Mustard. I used two, Dijon and whole grain. Dijon is literally one of my favorite things, and I add it to everything – especially Deviled Eggs and Macaroni and Cheese. If I had to make a list of required ingredients I can’t cook without, Dijon would be near the top. Then I also used whole grain mustard because why not. Those little pearls of mustard seed are little pops of delicious flavor.

Pesto. I used store-bought because, full disclosure: I made this recipe up one night when I was on a mission to cook dinner using only ingredients I could find in my fridge and freezer. And because I wanted to keep this recipe as easy as possible. I do LOVE making pesto – homemade pesto is by far tastier and more vibrant. If you would like my basil pesto recipe, give it a try!

Egg. You don’t have to do the egg wash thing, but puff pastry tends to stay pasty white if you don’t. So if you want that classic golden color, do the egg wash thing before baking.

collage of 2 photos showing pastry dough covered in mustard and pesto, then also cheese

collage of 2 photos showing the rolled up dough log whole, then sliced into 12 rounds

prepared pinwheels on bake sheet prior to baking

How to make pesto puff pastry pinwheels

Heat up the oven and thaw the pastry dough if it isn’t thawed already. Carefully unfold the dough on a cutting board.

Simply schmere the Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, and pesto over the dough. The whole grain mustard may not cooperate since it’s a bit thicker – just get it mostly dispersed. We are not worried about perfection here.

Layer your cheeses and roll up the dough. I find my pastry sheets to be square enough that I don’t worry about which edge I roll from. If your sheet is retangular, then roll from the long side.

Puff pastry comes fairly well covered in flour, so pinching the seam shut can be a bit of a pain. I wet my finger with a little water and run it along the roll to act as a “glue” to help it seal. I find the pastry cooperates and I don’t end up with my pinwheels exploding as they cook.

Next we slice the dough to make our pinwheels. this is far easier to do with a serrated knife rather than a straight-edged knife. You should get 12 pinwheels. Place these on a bake sheet covered with a piece of parchment paper. Otherwise, place directly on bake sheet but spray surface with cooking spray first to prevent sticking.

Bake 15-20 minutes until golden outside and cooked through the inside. Enjoy!

TIP: Cut off the very ends of the dough roll and discard before slicing the rest into even pinwheel rounds. This ensures all pinwheels will come out perfect.

Want more puff pastry pinwheels? Check out my Puff Pastry Taco Pinwheels.