Cheese Board Pinwheels Recipe

round puff pastries on a dish stuffed with cheese and meat

Rebecca Sanabria

Makes about 52 pinwheels

We all know how clutch a great cheese board can be when you have a crowd coming over for the holidays, and we also know that the more epic you go, the more likely it is that you’ll end up with a fridge full of leftovers. Or in my case, things that didn’t even make it onto the board because I got too ambitious! The great news is that all those random tidbits, no matter what variety of cheeses, meats or olives you have, lend themselves perfectly to this salty, cheesy appetizer. These pinwheels take minutes to make thanks to store-bought puff pastry, and nobody would ever guess that they were a happy accident.

Ingredients

6 ounces cheese, any rinds removed, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 ½ cups)
2 ounces charcuterie meat, cut into small pieces (about ½ cup)
¼ cup pitted olives
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 (16-ounce) box puff pastry (2 sheets), defrosted in the refrigerator overnight

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a food processor, combine the cheese, charcuterie, and olives. Process, scraping down the sides halfway through, until everything is finely ground and no larger than peas. Set aside.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the first piece of puff pastry into a 12 x 14-inch rectangle. Keep the second sheet of puff pastry in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Place pastry so the longer side is parallel to the edge of your counter. Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture evenly over the dough, then roll the dough into a tight log. Use a bit of water and your fingers to help seal the edge of the roll.

Using a serrated knife, slice the roll into 1⁄4-inch-thick rounds. Lay the rounds flat on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between them. You can use your hands to reform the pinwheels into rounds if they flattened when you sliced them. Bake the first half of the pinwheels for 22 minutes, or until the pinwheels have puffed, the cheese is melted, and everything is golden brown.

While the first batch cooks, assemble the second batch. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: These freeze really nicely, which means you could save them for your next gathering. Simply assemble the pinwheels and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, but instead of baking them, freeze them. Once frozen, you can transfer them to a zip-top bag for up to two months. Bake them from frozen, adjusting the cook time to make sure they’re heated through.