Holiday Pinwheels with Sun-Dried Tomato, Herbs, and Goat Cheese

For starters, take a shortcut with store-bought puff pastry. Inside the flaky, buttery crust, the combination of cream cheese, tangy goat cheese, mixed fresh herbs, garlic, and sweet sun-dried tomatoes result in the most irresistible bite. 

What’s more, the beauty of these pinwheels is that the combination of fresh herbs from your Gardyn can be interchanged, yielding a delicious result no matter what’s used. So whether these are served alongside a traditional Christmas morning brunch or as an appetizer on New Year’s Eve (with a glass of bubbly, naturally), these pinwheels are a true crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients:

Makes 24 pinwheels

1 package store-bought puff pastry; thawed according to instructions.

8 oz. cream cheese; at room temperature

5 oz. goat cheese; at room temperature 

3-4 tablespoons mixed herbs (we used rosemary, thyme, oregano, chives, and Italian parsley); minced

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (preferably those marinated in oil); chopped finely

1 large clove fresh garlic; minced

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper 

1 egg (for egg wash)

Instructions: 

Follow the thawing instructions on the package of puff pastry.

Combine the softened cream cheese, goat cheese, fresh herbs, lemon zest, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined and set aside.

Then, beat the egg in a small bowl and set aside.

Working with one sheet at a time, unroll the puff pastry and place on a piece of parchment or wax paper (or simply keep it on its original paper) with the longer two ends of the pastry running horizontally. 

Next, spoon the cheese-herb filling into the center of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Spread the mixture into an even layer with a rubber spatula. 

Then, with a pastry brush (or your finger), spread the egg wash all the way around the border. Roll up the puff pastry into a log, ensuring a nice seal at the end. Place log(s) in the freezer for about 30 minutes to make slicing a breeze. While chilling, preheat the oven according to package instructions. 

When ready, remove the log(s) from the freezer and slice 1 inch off the ends with a sharp knife. Discard these pieces and then proceed to slice the log into 12 even pinwheels. 

Place pinwheels on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart; brush the tops with more egg wash and bake 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. 

Serve warm and enjoy!