Cranberry Goat Cheese Pinwheels (Easy Puff Pastry Appetizer)

You'll find a complete list of ingredients with quantities in the recipe card below. But before we get to the full recipe, here are a few notes about the ingredients.

• puff pastry: Using store-bought puff pastry makes this appetizer recipe come together quickly. Butter puff pastry is sold in either a sheet (very convenient and you don't need to roll it out) or in a block. If you can source gluten-free puff pastry where you live, it also produces delicious results! See my notes below about gluten-free puff pastry brands.
• dried cranberries: These give a sweet but tart flavor to this easy party snack.
• pistachios: Buy shelled pistachios to avoid all the work of shelling them yourself. I use lightly salted pistachios.
• goat cheese: a log of creamy mild goat cheese is perfect for this pinwheel recipe.
• brown sugar: Brown sugar adds a slight caramel flavor to these pinwheels.
• egg: You'll brush the pastry with egg wash before baking.

Here's an overview of what you'll do to make this recipe for cranberry goat cheese pinwheels perfectly. You'll find complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

• Thaw a puff pastry sheet in the refrigerator overnight. Carefully unroll it into a square leaving it on the parchment paper it was wrapped in. If using the block-style puff pastry, roll it into a square about 10 inches (25 cm.) wide.
• Spread a small amount of melted butter evenly over the pastry.
• Sprinkle with brown sugar, followed by crumbled soft goat cheese, then dried cranberries and chopped pistachios.
• Roll tightly into a log then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes. (Chilling the dough makes it easier to slice and makes flakier pastry.)
• Remove from the fridge, brush with egg wash, and use a sharp or serrated knife to cut into slices about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick.
• Place spiral-side up about 2 inches (5 cm) on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
• Bake until flaky, puffed, and golden brown, about 18 minutes at 375°F.
• Drizzle generously with honey.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

See my other puff pastry pinwheel recipes:

• Puff Pastry Cranberry Brie Pinwheels
• Puff Pastry Spinach Artichoke Pinwheels
• Puff Pastry Pesto Pinwheels

Serve these cranberry goat cheese pinwheels on their own or as part of an appetizer platter. You'll find lots of delicious gluten-free choices in my collection of 25 Easy Finger Food Appetizers.

Here are a few favorite easy appetizer recipes:

• Cranberry Walnut Beggars' Purses: an easy but impressive puff pastry appetizer.
• Garlic Lovers' Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms: Bite-sized mushroom caps, stuffed with garlic, herbs, and blue cheese!
• Mini Crustless Smoked Salmon Quiche: bite-sized elegant gluten-free quiche.

To store: Refrigerate leftover pinwheels in an airtight container.

To reheat: Reheat on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at 375°F. for just a few minutes.

Freeze it: You can freeze pinwheels either before or after they have been baked. Bake, then cool completely, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Transfer them to an airtight container and freeze for a month or more.

You can also freeze the unbaked log. Wrap it tightly, and freeze it in an airtight container. Thaw the log in the fridge overnight, then slice and bake as directed.