One of my favourite school lunch boxes / after-school snacks / dinner-is-still-45-minutes-away saviours is pinwheels. They’re tasty, they’re quick to make, and they’re super-duper EASY to make. And now it’s time to share 4 pinwheel recipes we think you’ll love!
These scrumptious, versatile bites have earned their rightful place as my go-to saviours for school lunch boxes, after-school snacks, and those moments when dinner feels like it’s light-years away. Why, you ask? Because they’re not just tasty – they’re quick, and they’re unbelievably EASY to make.
From savoury sensations that awaken your taste buds with every bite to sweet delights that promise pure indulgence, our pinwheel recipes cater to every craving and occasion. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a kitchen novice, you’ll find these recipes to be your trusty companions in whipping up delectable pinwheels in no time.
Here are four awesome pinwheel recipes for you to make for your kids to devour!
Pinwheels: as easy to make as saying the ABCs
Literally, ANYONE can make pinwheels. You just need a packet of puff pastry. You don’t even need a whole packet. Pinwheels are an awesome way to use up any leftover sheets of puff pastry from other recipes, plus they freeze and defrost SO well.
Top tips for pinwheel success
- Always fully defrost your puff pastry. Trying to roll partially frozen puff pastry will cause breakages in your roll!
- If using soft spread for a filling (such as Nutella), pop your roll in the fridge to harden up before slicing into pinwheels. This will stop the filling from squishing out.
- Don’t turn your oven down too early, pinwheels need the heat to puff up nice and proud!
- For maximum puff, skip the ‘light’ puff pastry and stick with using full fat, full butter, regular puff pastry for the maximum puff in your pinwheels.
They see me rollin’ – the pinwheel method.
The method for making pinwheels is almost always the same. Place your fillings on top of the defrosted pastry sheet and then roll it up tight, rolling away from you and peeling the plastic off the back of the pastry at the same time. Trim the ends and slice into wheels.
4 Pinwheel Recipes to Try this Week!
Ready to see what you can do with one packet of puff pastry? Let’s go get our fill and roll on!
1. Pesto and parmesan pinwheels
Just half an hour is all you need to whip up these tasty morsels of buttery, flaky, spinach-loaded goodness!
2. Pizza pinwheels
Pizza pinwheels are a delicious pastry snack for hungry kids during the holidays, PLUS it’s an awesome way to use up puff pastry. WINNING!
Note: Pizza pinwheels freeze really well! If you need to use that ham in a hurry, make a batch of these and pop them in the freezer ready for when the kids go back to school. They’re awesome lunch box snacks.
3. Nutella pinwheels
This recipe is from The Classy Baker and requires just four ingredients- puff pastry, Nutella, hazelnuts, and milk. Kids love these pinwheels as a sweet treat. If you’re looking to add them to the lunch box, you can swap Nutella for nut-free Nutella, which is called Buddee Spreads.Â
Apple and Cinnamon Pinwheels
Apple Pinwheels are insanely good! Also known as apple roses, this quick and easy dessert requires apples, puff pastry, lemon juice, flour, apricot jam and icing sugar. While you can add them to the lunchbox, this pinwheel recipe is probably best for a fresh and healthy(ish) dessert.
