This cheesy garlic pinwheels recipe packs a serious punch of garlic flavour that will satisfy even the most die-hard garlic fan. The garlic and herb butter is smeared over the puff pastry and topped with grated cheese before rolling. This is a recipe for all garlic lovers!
Introducing the ultimate cheesy garlic pinwheel recipe, perfect for indulging in the savoury and rich flavours of garlic and gooey cheese. Whether you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing appetiser to go with a cocktail or a quick tasty snack, this recipe for puff pastry garlic twists is guaranteed to impress.
Top Questions
Why are my pinwheels soggy?
Do you heat up pinwheels?
Can you freeze pinwheels?
How do you cook frozen pinwheels?
Why you’ll love this cheesy garlic pinwheels recipe
These cheesy garlic pinwheels are loaded with plenty of garlic, herbs, and gooey cheese, making every bite an explosion of flavour and texture.
The layers of flaky pastry and creamy cheese are perfectly balanced with the bold and sharp flavours of fresh garlic and herbs.
Garlic lovers will rejoice. The heavenly flavour of rich garlic is spread evenly throughout the puff pastry garlic twists. You can add as much or as little garlic to the garlic bread pinwheels as you like.
Ingredients – everything you need for cheese garlic pinwheels
For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
Puff Pastry
Puff pastry is a delicate and flaky pastry that you can always make at home but I recommend buying it ready-made from the supermarket. It makes baking much quicker and you’re guaranteed perfect results every time.
Cheese
Grating cheese allows it to melt more evenly and quickly, creating a smoother and creamier texture. Plus, it adds a subtle sharpness to the overall flavour that complements the garlic and herbs beautifully.
When selecting your cheese, opt for a high-flavour block that you can grate yourself or even use a ready-grated pack to make this recipe even easier. A sharp cheddar or a blend of mozzarella and parmesan would be excellent choices for these cheese garlic pinwheels.
Garlic
Garlic adds a pungent and slightly sweet flavour that intensifies when roasted. It’s important to use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavour. To prepare the garlic, simply chop the cloves finely or mince them using a garlic press.
Butter
Butter serves as a binder for the ingredients, helping to hold everything together in the deliciously flaky pastry. Be sure to spread the butter mixture evenly over the rolled-out dough, ensuring that every inch is covered. This will help the pinwheels hold their shape as they bake but will also ensure that every bite is packed with cheesy, garlicky goodness.
Parsley
Not only does parsley add a burst of fresh flavour to the cheese garlic pinwheels, but it also provides a vibrant pop of colour that makes them look even more appetising.
When incorporating the parsley into the recipe, be sure to finely chop it and mix it into the butter and garlic mixture.
Parsley is also a lovely way to garnish the garlic bread pinwheels when you serve them.
How to make cheesy garlic pinwheels – step by step
For the full garlic bread pinwheels recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
Mix together your salted butter, minced garlic and finely chopped parsley until the ingredients are evenly combined.
Spread it across your pre-rolled puff pastry in an even layer.
Now it’s time to add your gated cheese! The more the merrier, in my opinion, you can either mix multiple kinds of cheese together or just use one strong flavour.
Slice your pastry into thin strips, about 1.5″ wide. Then roll them on themselves, this creates the pinwheel shape.
Lay your cheesy garlic pinwheels onto baking paper on your baking tin and wash them with a little egg or milk to help them brown.
How to cook cheesy garlic pinwheels in the air fryer
Air Fryer Cooking Instructions
- Add a layer of greaseproof paper / parchment paper to the air fryer.
- Place the puff pastry swirls making sure to leave space for them to expand. (I can fit 5 pinwheels in my air fryer at a time. So it takes 2 batches to cook them all.)
- Cook the pinwheels in the airfryer at 180ºC / 356ºF for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
Cheesy Garlic Pinwheels Top Tips
Make sure to roll the dough tightly so that it holds its shape and the cheese filling doesn’t spill out when you slice them and bake them. It’s also worth getting your pastry out of the fridge about 30 minutes early, to help it soften before baking.
If you’re short on time, you can prepare the dough and filling in advance and refrigerate them separately. This way, when you’re ready to bake, all you have to do is assemble and pop your garlic cheese pinwheels into the oven.
Another great tip is to experiment with different types of cheese to customise your cheese garlic pinwheels to your taste. Mozzarella, cheddar, or even a combination of cheeses can work well with this recipe.
Finally, if you want to make bite-sized garlic bread pinwheels portions for a party or gathering, you can cut the rolled pinwheels into smaller pieces before baking.
Serving Suggestions
They are a perfect party treat, but can also be served as an appetiser or snack for any occasion. They would make wonderful canape foods!
If you’re looking to keep it simple, these cheese garlic pinwheels are perfect on their own. So, grab a glass of wine and enjoy these mouthwatering treats.
Equipment
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Substitutions and variations – cheesy garlic pinwheels
Change the cheese
Instead of cheddar and mozzarella, try using feta and parmesan cheese for a tangy flavour.
Goats Cheese and onion are another great pairing!
Add colour with sun-dried tomatoes or peppers
You can also swap the garlic for chopped sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers for added sweetness.
Spice it up with fresh chilli
Cheese and chilli are two flavours made in heaven, adding some finely chopped chilli into the garlic and butter mix. These bake down to create wonderfully spicy cheesy pinwheels.
Storing / Making ahead of time options
If you want to make your life easier and save time when it comes to preparing the ultimate cheese garlic pinwheels, then storing and making ahead is the way to go.
To store these pinwheels, all you need to do is arrange them in an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator before baking, they’ll keep for up to 3 days.
Alternatively, you can freeze the unbaked pinwheels for months. This means that you can make a big batch in advance, and then simply thaw them before baking when you’re ready to serve them.
By making ahead, you will not only save time but also allow the flavours to meld together, giving the pinwheels a more intense and delicious taste. When you’re ready to bake them, all you need to do is preheat your oven, pop them in, and let them bake until they’re golden brown and crispy.
FAQS – cheesy garlic pinwheels
Why are my pinwheels soggy?
Your pinwheels may be soggy due to overfilling them, this means that as they bake the cheese melts and makes your puff pastry soggy. Be careful not to over stuff your pastry.
Do you heat up pinwheels?
You can either eat your pinwheels warm from the oven, cold from the fridge or you can pop them in the microwave for 20 seconds to warm the pastry and remelt the cheese. I recommend only reheating them once.
Can you freeze pinwheels?
Yes, pinwheels can easily be frozen before baking, this means they will last for months in the freezer. You simple have to defrost them before baking.
How do you cook frozen pinwheels?
You cook frozen pinwheels in the air fryer from frozen adding a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time. You’ll want to cook your pinwheels at about 180 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
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Cheesy Garlic Pinwheels Recipe
Cheesy Garlic Pinwheels
Equipment
- Garlic press
- Air Fryer optional
Ingredients
- 1 sheet Puff pastry (approximately 330g)
- 1 Egg
- 150 g Unsalted butter
- 6 cloves Garlic (crushed)
- 30 g Fresh parsley (small handful)
- Salt and pepper (to season)
- 150 g Cheddar cheese (I love a mix of cheddar and mozzarella)
Instructions
- Remove the puff pastry from the fridge and allow to warm up to room temperature. This makes it easier to unroll and roll.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F / Gas mark 6.
- Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper / baking parchment.
- Add the butter to a bowl and soften (not melt) the butter in short bursts in the microwave.
- Finely chop the garlic and fresh parsley and add them to the soft butter. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Unroll the puff pastry and evenly spread the garlic butter over it.
- Sprinkle over a layer of grated cheese.
- Roll up the pastry starting with the long side. Leave it join side down as it will make it easier to cut.
- Slice the roll into slices of approximately 1" pinwheels (I do them about a thumbs width). Place them on the baking tray leaving a gap between them.
- Brush the beaten egg with a pastry brush over the pinwheels.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Some of the garlic butter and cheese may have spread over the parchment paper, but as they cool, they can still be removed on to a plate intact. Serve hot
Bake the cheesy garlic pinwheels in the air fryer
- Add a layer of greaseproof paper / parchment paper to the air fryer.
- Place the puff pastry swirls making sure to leave space for them to expand. (I can fit 5 pinwheels in my air fryer at a time. So it takes 2 batches to cook them all.)
- Cook the pinwheels in the airfryer at 180ºC / 356ºF for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
Make in advance and freeze the slices before baking. Then bake from frozen when ready. My favourite way to make this in advance is to prepare the butter filling and mix in the cheese too. Then I store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Then easily remove it, spread it on the puff pastry and it’s ready to go. Red Leicester, Mozzarella and strong cheeses can work so well with this recipe.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
This is really good! My kids couldn’t stop eating these!
That is so lovely to hear.
So yummy! We eat a lot of Italian food and there are so many dinners I plan to pair these with in the future!
That is a great pairing idea. They have never made it to dinner time in our house.
I loved these! They had so much flavor and were so easy to make! Definitely a winner!
Thank you
I served these the other evening to some guests and they loved them! Next time I’m going to add a little onion and feta to change things up. Delicious!
Oh onion and feta sounds delicious
Ok so they were gone within 10 minutes of coming out the oven – I had to go to the shop for more pastry and made another double batch – so good!