• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Broccoli Cheese Pinwheels

appetizer· sides· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
December 1, 2022

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Broccoli Cheese Pinwheels – Puff pastry is rolled up with cream cheese, broccoli, and shredded cheese. They’re sliced into pinwheels and baked to perfection. Perfect as a snack or as a side dish for meals. Add chicken to make them a meal on their own!

broccoli cheese pinwheels on a white serving plate

Fun, healthy snacks are a new trend in our house now that the kids are a little pickier. They don’t always want veggies – ok they NEVER want veggies – so sometimes you just gotta wrap them in pastry and cheese to get them to eat some.

These Broccoli Cheese Pinwheels are the perfect way to get the kids eating some veggies without the nagging. And they’re so simple to make. Just 4 ingredients rolled up, sliced into pinwheels, and then baked to perfectly golden brown.

Here are my Broccoli Cheese Pinwheels!

overhead shot of broccoli cheese pinwheels on a white plate
close up of pinwheel on a serving plate
a hand holding a broccoli cheese pinwheel

Making the pinwheels

Pinwheels are super cute snacks, made with very little effort. For these, we use a thawed puff pastry dough. I roll mine out a little to make them a little thinner and smoother. Next comes some cream cheese. The cheese holds everything in place and gives the centers a creamy texture.

Now it’s time to sprinkle on the cooked broccoli and cheese. The broccoli needs to be cooked because it will not have time to cook in the pinwheels. Plus, all the excess water from the raw broccoli will make the pastry soggy.

Finally, the dough is rolled into a log and sliced into pinwheels. They’re baked to perfection and then ready to serve.

Tips & Tricks

  1. Chilled dough = flaky pastry. The key to flaky pastry is making sure it’s cold before you place in the oven. So make sure you freeze the pinwheels for a couple minutes before baking.
  2. Cut broccoli into pieces. The broccoli must be chopped before added to the pastry and rolling. If the broccoli is too big, the pinwheels will not stay round and will get misshaped.
  3. Adjust portions for appetizers. This recipe makes 8 good meal-sized portions. If you are serving as an appetizer, slice them smaller to make 16 wheels.
  4. Bake until golden brown. Do not pull out of the oven until the pinwheels are golden brown on all sides and in the center.
Print Recipe

Broccoli Cheese Pinwheels

Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time25 minutes mins
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed
  • 10 ounces frozen broccoli florets
  • 3 ounces cream cheese
  • ½ cup shredded cheese I used a Mexican cheese blend

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Cook broccoli in microwave according to package instructions. Measure out 1 cup of cooked broccoli and chop it into smaller pieces. Save remaining broccoli for another use.
  • Roll out puff pastry into a 10×10 inch square. Spread cheese cheese all over using an offset spatula to ensure the layer is even. Sprinkle evely with broccoli pieces and shredded cheese. Taking the edge closest to you, roll up pastry dough to create a log. Cut the log into 8 even pinwheels (16 if you intend to serve these as an appetizer and want smaller portions). Place the pinehweels on a prepared baking sheet and place in the freezer for 5 minutes before baking.
  • Remvoe from the freezer and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the pastry turns golden brown and the centers looked cooked. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Pin for later:

pin of broccoli cheese pinwheels

More recipes you’ll love:

Cheddar Sesame Crackers
close up of bowl of cheddar sesame cracker
Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels
Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels on a plate with sprigs of herbs in between the pinwheels, shot from overhead
Pigs in a Blanket Wreath
Pigs in a Blanket being dipped into a bowl of dipping sauce in the center of the pigs in a blanket wreath with sprigs on thyme and a platter of plates and with a can of dr pepper on it, shot from a side angle

Share this:

  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

9 Comments

« Blackberry Doughnut Cake
Gingerbread Soufflé »

Comments

  1. jackson says

    December 21, 2025 at 1:58 am

    Sounds good.

    Reply
  2. Jamie D. Drews says

    March 5, 2025 at 10:54 pm

    It looks so crunchy. Thanks for your recipe.
    block blast adventure gives you engaging experience about a puzzle platform.

    Reply
  3. charlie says

    December 5, 2022 at 12:46 pm

    These look delicious! So perfect for a cold winters day!

    Reply
  4. Charles says

    December 3, 2022 at 12:10 pm

    Add some shredded chicken breast and these will be great for Super Bowl! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  5. Andrea says

    December 3, 2022 at 11:49 am

    Great flavors and so easy to make, these will be a huge hit at my Holiday party.

    Reply
  6. Beth says

    December 3, 2022 at 11:19 am

    Oh man! These were such a hit at our party today. They were gone in seconds and everyone wanted the recipe!

    Reply
    • Cully says

      December 11, 2023 at 2:20 pm

      Me, too! I’m making some right now for a Christmas/card party. So easy and everyone absolutely loves them. I did spread my puff pastry out thinner to make more!

      Reply
  7. Angela says

    December 3, 2022 at 10:57 am

    YUM! What a fun take on pinwheels. My kids will gobble this up!

    Reply
  8. Tara says

    December 3, 2022 at 10:14 am

    Such fun and beautiful pinwheels! I love the combination of broccoli with all that cheese. Yum!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

fall flavors

close up of a slice of pumpkin crumb cake separated from the rest of the cake but not on a plate yet

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

a slice of apple cinnamon stuffed french toast on a plate with powdered sugae

Apple Cinnamon Stuffed French Toast

plate of Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons with a gourd in the background, shot from the front

Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons

overhead shot of Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin in a baking dish

Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin

zoomed in shot of Smashed Sweet Potatoes with cheese being shredded over them

Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Butter

a cinnamon stick being dipped into a mug of mulled wine with another mug of mulled wine and a glass dish of mulled spices in the background, shot from a side angle

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

Breakfast
Appetizers
Entrees
Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Roundups
Holidays

Browse by Date

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy

holiday favorite

a glass dish with pumpkin cinnamon rolls in it with some missing from the center and a spatula with a pumpkin the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

close up of raspberries & cream profiterole sitting on a white plate

Raspberries & Cream Profiteroles

a slice of bread being dipped into the butter in a dish of roasted garlic mushrooms with a loaf of bread in the background, shot from a side angle

Roasted Garlic Mushrooms

Pigs in a Blanket Wreath on parchment paper with thyme sprigs and a dish of dipping sauce in the center with cans of dr pepper and plates in the background, shot from a side angle

Pigs in a Blanket Wreath

overhead shot of partially eaten baked carrot cake oatmeal in casserole dish with serving spoon

Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

 

Okay, story time! Over the holidays, we finally go Okay, story time! Over the holidays, we finally got to visit Gideon's Bakehouse in Orlando, you know, the legendary bakery with the nearly HALF-POUND cookies that everyone raves about? The ones with 2+ hour wait times?

They had a virtual queue going, so we shopped around until it was our turn (thank goodness!). I grabbed a few of their famous cookies, including one that immediately caught my eye: the Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookie. 

I'm obsessed with banana and chocolate together, so this was a no-brainer!

And OH MY GOSH. It was even better than I imagined! Not only was it loaded with chocolate and real banana flavor, but it had candied walnuts throughout for this sweet-salty crunch. INCREDIBLE! 

The biggest bummer? You can ONLY get them in Orlando, no online ordering, no shipping. So of course, I decided to recreate them at home! And you guys... I think I got pretty darn close!

What makes these cookies special:
🍌 Real Banana Flavor: Mashed banana (not artificial!) gives them that authentic banana bread taste
🥜 Candied Walnuts: This is KEY—they stay crunchy and add that sweet-salty element
🍫 Double Chocolate: Regular AND large chocolate chips for maximum chocolatey goodness
🍪 Thick & Chewy: Chilling the dough keeps them beautifully thick

Want to make your own Gideon's-inspired cookies at home? 💌 Comment 'BANANA' below and I'll send you the link!

Have you been to Gideon's? What's your favorite cookie flavor? 👇
#BananaCookies #ChocolateChipCookies #GideonsBakehouse #OrlandoBakery #BakeryStyleCookies #BananaChocolateChip #HomemadeCookies #CookieRecipe #BakingFromScratch #CopycatRecipes
I used to love cooking, but during busy weeks it f I used to love cooking, but during busy weeks it felt like a chore. I was too exhausted after work to make anything fun. But with all that time at home, I was able to rethink our favorite foods and make them more achievable for weeknights.

I'd always loved mojo pork (that Cuban citrus-marinated pork that's SO flavorful), but I never made it because traditional pork loin takes FOREVER to roast. But then I had a lightbulb moment: What if I used pork TENDERLOIN instead? 

We eat it all the time because it's lean, quick-cooking, and my husband can grill it in under 30 minutes. Why not marinate it in mojo?

Here's what makes this recipe a weeknight winner:
🍊 The Marinade: Orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and oregano create that classic Cuban flavor. Just dump everything in a bag and let it work its magic!
⏰ The Timeline: Marinate for 4-24 hours (I usually do overnight), then it's only 25 minutes of active cooking time. Quick sear + oven = done!
🍽️ The Versatility: Serve it with rice and beans, make tacos, top a salad, use for Cuban sandwiches, or meal prep it for the week!

Three critical tips:
-DRY the pork after marinating: This is SO important! Pat it completely dry before searing or you'll steam it instead of getting a beautiful crust
-Use a meat thermometer: Pull it at 145°F for perfectly juicy pork every time. No guessing, no cutting it open repeatedly
-Don't over-marinate: 24 hours max or the texture gets mushy!

This has become one of our absolute go-to meals. It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but it's secretly SO easy!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'MOJO' below and I'll send you the link!

#MojoPork #PorkTenderloin #CubanFood #WeeknghtDinner #EasyDinner #DinnerIdeas #MarinadeRecipe #HealthyDinner #MealPrepIdeas #QuickDinner
Can we talk about how guava and cream cheese is TH Can we talk about how guava and cream cheese is THE most underrated flavor combination ever?! 

Growing up, guava was always around. My dad would spread it on toast with butter every morning, and I did the same. But it wasn't until I had guava with cream cheese at a Latin bakery in Florida that I truly appreciated this tropical fruit. 

The cream cheese perfectly balances the tangy guava jelly and makes everything ultra creamy. Wrapped in flaky puff pastry? KILLER.

I know this pastry braid looks super fancy and complicated, but here's the secret: IT'S SHOCKINGLY SIMPLE. When I first saw a pastry braid, I was so intimidated by how intricate it looked. It felt almost unattainable without tons of practice. But I'm here to tell you that is absolutely not the case!

Here's the whole process:
1️⃣ Roll out puff pastry and cut slits on the sides
2️⃣ Spread cream cheese and guava down the center
3️⃣ Overlap the side pieces to create the braid
4️⃣ Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar
5️⃣ Bake until deep golden brown

THAT'S IT! The braiding technique is so much easier than it looks, and the result is absolutely stunning.

Two critical tips:
-Keep it COLD before baking: Cold puff pastry = steam when it hits the hot oven = flaky layers! If the butter is too warm, it won't puff properly.
-Bake until DEEP golden brown: Not just golden, but DEEP golden. This ensures crispy, flaky pastry that's cooked all the way through. Nobody wants soggy pastry!

This is perfect for brunch, dessert, or honestly just because you want something that looks impressive but is secretly easy to make. You can also substitute any fruit preserves if you can't find guava!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'GUAVA' below and I'll send you the link!

#GuavaPastry #PuffPastry #PastryBraid #LatinDesserts #CreamCheese #BrunchRecipes #HomemadePastries #BakingFromScratch #WeekendBaking #ImpressiveButEasy
Do you remember those Danish butter cookies that c Do you remember those Danish butter cookies that came in the fancy blue tin? The ones your mom would buy every Christmas and you'd go absolutely CRAZY for? 

Well, guess what? You can make them YOURSELF! And they're shockingly simple!

I'm talking about those perfectly crispy-on-the-outside, melt-in-your-mouth-on-the-inside shortbread cookies that are basically edible butter. And honestly? 

I don't think they should be reserved just for the holidays. These cookies deserve to be eaten ALL YEAR LONG!

Here's what makes them so special:
-The Recipe: Only FIVE ingredients—butter, flour, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. That's it! If you can cream butter and sugar together, you can make these.
-The Texture: They're like shortbread cookies but slightly softer, so when you bite into them, they literally melt in your mouth. It's pure butter heaven.
-The Secret: Use European-style butter! It has a higher fat content which makes these cookies extra creamy and flavorful. It's worth the upgrade, I promise!

Important tips:
Be VERY careful measuring your flour—too much and the dough will be impossible to pipe
Use a LARGE star tip (not a small one!) or you won't be able to squeeze the dough out
These actually taste BETTER after they cool! The crispiness is what makes them so good, so resist eating them warm (I know it's hard!)

These are perfect for coffee breaks, gift-giving, parties, or honestly just because you deserve a good cookie. You can make them in under an hour from start to finish!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'BUTTER' below and I'll send you the link!

#DanishButterCookies #ButterCookies #ShortbreadCookies #HolidayBaking #CookieRecipe #HomemadeCookies
After making approximately ONE MILLION pumpkin tre After making approximately ONE MILLION pumpkin treats recently, I was desperate for something with all those cozy fall vibes but maybe... a little less pumpkin? 

So I set my sights on something that doesn't get nearly enough love in the dessert world: SWEET POTATOES! 

And here's my controversial opinion: Sweet potato beats pumpkin ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. There, I said it! 

These Sweet Potato Cupcakes are super moist, perfectly spiced, and topped with the creamiest cinnamon cream cheese frosting. 

They taste similar to pumpkin cupcakes (so if you're a die-hard pumpkin lover, you can absolutely swap in pumpkin puree!), but here's why sweet potato wins:
✨ More starch = MORE moisture and density in the cupcake
✨ The flavor is 100x better (fight me on this!)
✨ That perfect balance between sweet and earthy

But what I'm MOST proud of is how the frosting and cake work together. You know how sometimes you get a cupcake with frosting that's way too sweet so you just eat the cake? Or killer frosting but blah cake so you only eat the frosting? NOT THIS CUPCAKE. 

The spiced cake needs a little sweetness to balance it out, and the tart cream cheese frosting is PERFECT. They're soulmates! 

Important tips:
-Don't undercook them or they'll sink in the center (but more frosting fixes everything!)
-Fill the liners 3/4 full—not all the way—to get exactly 12 cupcakes
-Use a 2M Wilton tip for that fancy frosting swirl (or just spread with a knife!)

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'CUPCAKE' below and I'll send you the link!
Team Sweet Potato or Team Pumpkin? Let me know in the comments! 

#SweetPotatoCupcakes #CreamCheeseFrosting  #CupcakeRecipe

Copyright © 2026 Certified Pastry Aficionado · Web Design by Viva la Violet

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.