These pinwheels? Honestly, they’re my secret weapon for holiday chaos
You know that moment just before guests arrive—you’ve vacuumed like a tornado, but then realize there’s nothing snacky on the table? That’s basically how I landed on these cranberry cream cheese pinwheels with feta and herbs. I made them for the first time right before my in-laws showed up (not last Christmas, but the one before—time blurs!), and somehow, amidst the last-minute panic, they disappeared from the plate in ten minutes flat. My dad claimed he didn’t even like cranberries and ate, what, five? That’ll tell ya something.
Oh, and a heads-up, I once tried slicing these too soon and made a right mess—learn from my, ahem, adventurous spirit.
Why you’ll actually want to try this
I make these whenever I’m tasked with bringing “something festive but not sweet,” which — why is every potluck either a cookie-fest or all dips? (Don’t get me wrong, I love a dip, but sometimes you need a little pastry swirl of happiness.) The combo of creamy cheese, tangy feta, and sweet-tart cranberries is just... I don’t know, sings from the plate. My brother-in-law goes wild for these, unless I accidentally go overboard on the dill (which I did that one time by mistake—he’s still recovering). And you don’t have to be a pastry wizard, promise. The only frustration is not sneaking too many tastes before they hit the table.
What you’ll need (plus a few swaps)
- 2 sheets of puff pastry (thawed if you get the frozen kind — I usually grab Pepperidge Farm but honestly, anything in the freezer works. One time I used crescent dough, and it was, well, kinda weird, but edible!)
- 200g (about 7 oz) cream cheese, softened (full-fat is lush but if you’re watching the waistline, the reduced-fat stuff does the job)
- ¾ cup dried cranberries (I ran out once and used chopped dried cherries—still good! My aunt swears by the ones from Trader Joe’s, but any brand is fine)
- ½ cup crumbled feta (sometimes I swap in goat cheese, but feta’s tang is hard to beat)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or a handful—if you’re like me and never measure herbs). Don’t sweat it if it’s not flat-leaf; I’ve even used dried in a pinch.
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (optional, but trust me, it wakes up the filling. Or don’t, if dill is not your vibe)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten (you could skip it, but the pastry’s much shinier with)
- Pinch of black pepper (sometimes just a few grinds, sometimes more, depending how I feel that day)
How I actually put it together
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C)—yeah, it needs to be hot. Find a baking tray and line with parchment (foil will do if that’s what’s lurking in your drawer).
- In a medium-ish bowl, mix up the cream cheese, feta, cranberries, herbs, and black pepper. I confess: this is where I sneak a spoonful to ‘check seasoning’ (read: eat most of it).
- Unroll your puff pastry sheets on a floured surface. If it sticks, just drape a bit more flour on. Spread the cheese mixture over both sheets—don’t go all the way to the edge, or the filling squishes out later (learned that one the hard way).
- Roll up each sheet firmly like a Swiss roll/traditional roulade—start at the short end so you get bigger pinwheels. Don’t freak out if they’re a touch wonky. It’ll sort itself in the oven.
- Brush each roll lightly with the beaten egg (or just slap it on with your fingers in a pinch—I do that when the pastry brush is hiding). Slice into pieces about as thick as your thumb, or just under an inch. If they look a bit flat, squish the ends a little to round them out. Again, nobody cares.
- Pop them spiral-side up on your tray, leaving space—they puff as they bake. Bake about 18-22 minutes, until golden and dreamy-smelling. Halfway through, I rotate the tray because my oven has moods.
Some of my “notes from the trenches”
- I’ve forgotten the dill and parsley before and to be honest, nobody noticed—herbs are more of a bonus than essential.
- If you wait until the rolls are just-warm, slicing them is tons easier. Once, I didn’t wait, and the filling oozed out like some sort of food volcano.
- They taste pretty great at room temp, but if you reheat ’em really quickly, they get all flaky again. Actually, I think they’re even better the next afternoon, if any survive.
Variations I’ve tried (plus that one flop)
- I switched out cranberries for diced sundried tomatoes and swapped feta for shredded cheddar—tangy in a different way. (My husband, who is suspicious about fruit in savory things, liked this version best.)
- Tried adding chopped walnuts for crunch. Not bad! But don’t use too many, or things get weird and crumbly.
- I once replaced the pastry with whole wheat tortillas. Just... don’t. They turned out tough and everyone politely left them on their plate.
If your kitchen isn’t fully kitted out...
No rolling pin? Grab a wine bottle, works a treat. And I’ve lost more pastry brushes than I can count, so sometimes I just dab egg on with the back of a spoon. If you don’t have a mixing bowl, any big mug will do if you’re desperate (been there!).
Stash or share—but they always vanish fast
Technically, these pinwheels keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container—but honestly, in my house they never last more than a day! If for some wild reason you have leftovers, pop them in the fridge and reheat at 350°F for a few minutes to get back some crispness. They also freeze okay, but wrap tight or they’ll soak up all the freezer funk.
Serving them up (the way we do)
I usually crown these on the big platter right in the middle of the table (with a little bowl of extra parsley just because my grandmother says it looks pretty). Sometimes, I’ll make a little dipping bowl of honey or that spicy honey-mustard dip if I’m feeling fancy. I think they go perfectly with a glass of Prosecco or something bubbly—just a tip!
Pro tips (learned the messy way)
- I once tried rushing the chilling step, rolling up warm pastry—disaster. Filling everywhere.
- Don’t worry if your pinwheels are a bit uneven; they puff up all friendly-like in the oven anyway.
- There’s a myth you need a fancy pan but a regular cookie sheet lined with anything non-stick does the trick.
FAQ—Because my cousin keeps texting me these
- Do I have to use puff pastry? Honestly, it’s the quickest route, but in a pinch, crescent dough works. Pie crust? Not so much—bit too dense, in my opinion.
- Fresh or dried herbs—does it make a difference? Eh, I like fresh, but I’ve used dried, and nobody fussed. Just use a little less if they’re dried. Or throw in a wild card herb if you’ve got thyme or chives handy!
- Can I make them in advance? Yup, especially if you want to avoid screaming at the oven with guests at your door. You can assemble, wrap tight, and chill, then slice and bake later. Actually, here’s a tip I picked up here—flash-freeze the roll before cutting for neater slices (works like a charm).
- Can you freeze them? Sure thing, but they are best fresh. If you freeze and reheat, it’s not quite the same; you miss out on that just-baked flakiness. Although, I froze a batch once by mistake and… they were still snackable, just a tiny bit soggy. Not the end of the world.
- What’s the best way to reheat? Oven, every time. Microwave gets them sad and limp. Learned that one the hard way.
And, if you really want to go down the pastry rabbit-hole, maybe check out this quick homemade puff pastry recipe—I’ve tried it once or twice, and when I’m feeling “fancy chef” (rare occasion), it’s actually not that hard.
That’s it! If you try making these Cranberry Cream Cheese Pinwheels with Feta & Herbs, let me know how your family likes them—or doesn’t, honestly. Every kitchen has its own little hiccups, and that’s half the fun.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)
- 4 oz (115g) cream cheese (softened)
- ½ cup dried cranberries (chopped)
- ⅓ cup feta cheese (crumbled)
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives (chopped)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg (beaten, for egg wash)
Instructions
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1Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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2In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, chopped dried cranberries, crumbled feta, parsley, chives, and black pepper. Mix until well blended.
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3Unroll the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture over the pastry, leaving a ½-inch border on one side.
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4Carefully roll up the pastry from the filled edge to the border, forming a log. Brush the border with beaten egg to seal.
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5Slice the log into 16 equal pieces and place them cut side up on the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with more egg wash.
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6Bake for 16–18 minutes until golden brown and puffed. Let cool slightly before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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