These Fig and Goat Cheese Pinwheels are the ultimate unique and delicious holiday treat! Creamy goat cheese, perfectly sweet fig preserves and thyme makes these flaky pastries ultra delicious!
Thank you to Erath Wines for sponsoring this post!
Hi friends! I’m popping in today to share another holiday recipe with you, tis the season right?! And this recipe seriously couldn’t be easier.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
These pinwheels look SO sophisticated and like you spent hours making them from scratch…when in reality, they couldn’t be easier to whip up!
Using store bought preserves and puff pastry makes this recipe so simple to come together but still be a seriously stunning crowd pleaser.
I absolutely love the flavor combination in this recipe!
You have the ultra creamy goat cheese that’s slightly tangy and packs a flavor punch! From there, that’s combined with the perfect sweetened fig preserves that have a honey-like sweetness..and then, to really amp it up, I added some fresh thyme! The thyme is a savory herbaceous and fresh ingredient that really makes this appetizer shine.
Speaking of appetizers…one thing that I really love about this recipe is that you can serve it as either an appetizer OR dessert. It’s versatile and delicious!
Pairing with Erath:
Don’t you love a good wine and food pairing?! I know I do! Like I said above, whether you want to serve this dish as a happy hour appetizer OR a dessert later on, Erath 2019 Pinot Noir Reserve Collection is the perfect wine for both options!
The subtle sweetness of the fig jam in each bite pairs perfectly with the lusciously smooth black cherry undertones of each sip.
And i just absolutely am obsessed that the fresh thyme gives the pastries a slight savory element which mingles delicately with each passing sip. It’s SO delightful.
Erath has been perfecting the art of winemaking in Oregon for over 40 years! I have been absolutely loving their wines this holiday season – they are elegant, approachable and have a type of wine that will work for every dish. Find out more about them by going to their website HERE!
Ingredients You Need:
Thawed Puff Pastry – store bought puff pastry is the way to go here, so simple and easy!
Fig Preserves – the absolute perfect sweet jam option for this recipe, a must!
Goat Cheese – I used plain goat cheese!
Fresh Thyme – use fresh herbs in this recipe! Not only does it look beautiful but it tastes that way too!
Light Brown Sugar – used for additional sweetness in the recipe!
Egg – to make a quick egg wash to ensure the pastries get golden brown and flaky!
How to Make Pinwheels in 5 Simple Steps:
- Make sure that your puff pastry is THAWED and ready to go! Unroll the puff pastry and place on parchment paper on a large sheet pan. Spread the fig preserves on top, making sure it’s evenly spread with about 1 inch or less of puff pastry left untouched on the sides. Crumble the goat cheese evenly on top of the puff pastry. Spread the brown sugar and thyme evenly as well.
- Gently roll it up into a tight log, making sure nothing is spilling out as you go! Once rolled up, I ended up just rolling my parchment paper around it for convenience. Pop in the freezer for 20 minutes to chill. While it’s chilling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Once done chilling, remove from the freezer and unroll the log onto the parchment paper. Take a very sharp knife and slice them into ½ inch circles. Repeat until done and place them evenly on top of the parchment paper on the sheet pan.
- Beat an egg in a small bowl to make egg wash and then lightly brush each pastry. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve immediately while warm and garnish with additional brown sugar and thyme. Enjoy a sip of Erath with each bite!
Best Tips for Success:
Since we are making sure this recipe is ultra simple, make sure that if you’re using frozen store bought puff pastry, that you give it adequate time to thaw. I usually buy a refrigerated brand of puff pastry to skip this step altogether!
Be sure to have a super sharp knife when you are slicing the log into pinwheels. I also found that if I had a towel next to me, it was helpful to clean the knife after each slice as I went. I found that it made for cleaner pinwheels!
Make sure that when you are rolling the pinwheels up into the log, that all of the filling isn’t coming out of the sides! Make sure it’s a tight roll!
Ingredient Substitutions:
If you aren’t able to find fig preserves, apricot would be a wonderful substitution.
If you don’t have fresh thyme, fresh rosemary will also work!
If you’re not a super fan of goat cheese, you could cut up small chunks of brie for the pinwheels.
Storing Leftovers:
I think these are best enjoyed the day of, however, if you find yourself with leftovers, simply store them in a tightly sealed container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and heat them back up when you want to enjoy one!
I hope you all love this recipe as much as I do! Cheers!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Here are a few others you might like:
Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Bites
Baked Brie with Apricot Preserves
Cheesy Garlic Butter Stuffed Mushrooms
Thank you so much for following along here, friends! Want to see more? Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo if you end up making a recipe! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! Like a recipe that you saw? Follow me on Pinterest here! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make a recipe, it would make my whole day if you were to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Lots of love! – Haylie
Fig and Goat Cheese Pinwheels
These Fig and Goat Cheese Pinwheels are the ultimate unique and delicious holiday treat! Creamy goat cheese, perfectly sweet fig preserves and thyme makes these flaky pastries ultra delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 thawed sheet puff pastry (13.2 oz) - I use Jus-Rol brand and love it!
- ½ cup fig preserves
- 4 oz log goat cheese, crumbed
- 4-5 sprigs Fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, for egg wash
Instructions
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Unroll the thawed puff pastry and place on parchment paper. Spread the fig preserves on top - making sure it’s evenly spread with about 1 inch or less of puff pastry still left untouched on the sides.
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Crumble the goat cheese evenly on top of the fig preserves. Add the brown sugar and fresh thyme, making sure it’s evenly spread.
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Gently roll it up into a log, making sure the roll stays tight and nothing is spilling out as you go. Once rolled, I rolled up my parchment paper around it.
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Pop the roll in the freezer to chill for 20 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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Once they have chilled, remove and spread out the parchment paper. Use a SHARP knife to slice them in ½ inch pinwheels. I found that wiping my knife after each cut was beneficial.
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Once sliced, spread them evenly out on the parchment paper on a large sheet pan.
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In a small bowl, beat one large egg to make an egg wash. Lightly brush the tops of the pastries with the egg wash.
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Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastries are golden and flaky!
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Garnish with sprinkles of additional brown sugar and thyme. Enjoy while warm!
These were so good. Our Christmas visitors loved them and they were the perfect little fancy appetizer. The flavor of the fig and goat cheese together just works so well.
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that! 🙂 Thank you for making the recipe, Brian and Ines! Y’all are the best!
Hi. Will this go as an appetizer with champagne brut?
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Hi Michele, I think those two would go perfectly together! 🙂 Cheers!
I am planning to serve these appetizers later this week and want to work ahead. Have you tried freezing the unbaked slices and then baking when needed? Any suggestions re the best way to do this?
Carol, great idea to try and work ahead! I personally haven’t tried this method so I’m not sure if it will work. However, if you were to try it out, I would suggest going ahead and preparing them like the recipe states all the way up to the baking part. From there, place them in a single layer in a freezer safe container and then freeze. I would try to bake them directly from frozen, you might need to add a couple minutes to the bake time, be sure and keep an eye on them. Let me know if it ends up working out. Fingers crossed! 🙂
I am curious to hear if you tried to freeze them and bake from frozen. Did it work well?
What temperature are these rolls baked at please?
Ahhh! Becky, I’m so sorry I forgot to add that in the instructions. I just added it – but I would recommend 400 degrees. I also use the Jus-Rol puff pastry brand. Happy baking! -Haylie
I love the flavor but they didn’t turn out like yours. They were much puffier and don’t look as appetizing. The filling spilled out everywhere and I didn’t even do as much as was suggested. If you defrost the dough too much could that cause an issue? I don’t think mine was chilled enough.
Hi Becky! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe! I’m so sorry they didn’t turn out as well as you’d like, although I’m glad you love the flavor! I think that the lack of chilling could be an issue for sure – I try to work pretty quickly slicing them once they have chilled in the freezer so I can pop them in the oven quickly. It could also be the type of puff pastry you use! I really love the Jus-Rol brand, if you want to try that out! I hope you give my other recipes a shot! All the best -Haylie
So yummy! I served them for my book club friends and they were a hit.
Yay!! Sounds amazing, Amy! 🙂 Thank you!!
I’m wondering how crucial the egg wash is?
Hi Adele! If you skip the egg wash, these might look a bit more rustic and not as put together in addition to losing some of that golden brown glossy color when they bake. Hope that helps! -Haylie
These are absolutely delish!! I used a log of goat cheese at room temp & spread it on the pastry then spread the fig preserves. I left off the brown sugar because the preserves were sweet enough. Soooo good…will definately make these again…also going to try spreading butter & brown sugar cinnamon for a breakfast pastry. Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
Hi Daye! Awesome!! So glad you enjoyed. I love the fig and goat cheese combo together SO much. Happy baking season to you!! -Haylie
This looks so good! What a great appetizer for Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much, Suzanne!!! Such a great appetizer idea!
How would you make these in the air fryer?
Hi Paula!! Unfortunately I’m really not very well versed in air fryers 🙁 So I’m not sure how they would work out!
Use dental floss to cut roll. Bring floss under roll. Cross ends over the top and pull out. Cuts roll without flattening it.
Love that idea, Susan! Just be sure it’s non-flavored floss to avoid spearmint fig pinwheels, lol!
This recipe is SO good. I made the mistake of skipping the chilling period (time crunch) and it’s probably why my fig filling leaked and left me with a less attractive (but still really delicious) plate. If you want to make these, give yourself time to chill them properly as the recipe suggests!
Diana, yay!!! Thank you so much for the 5 star review! I’m so glad you enjoyed these 🙂
This is probably a dumb question, but do you roll them from the long side or the short side of the puff pastry? Thanks!
Hi KC, not a dumb question at all!! You roll them from the short side of the puff pastry. Here is a link to my Instagram reel on this recipe if that helps!!! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmZue9pJYNm/?igshid=NTYzOWQzNmJjMA==
Can I make these a day ahead and warm up the next day or will they not taste good?
Hi Chastity! I personally haven’t done that – they are *best* when eaten the day of BUT I totally think you could warm them up and serve them the next day! I would try doing it on low heat in the oven until warmed through 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
Would this taste good/work with Brie and Fig?
Hi Holly! Brie might be super runny and go everywhere…so I’m not sure! However, you could instead make this recipe: https://ourbalancedbowl.com/cranberry-brie-puff-pastry-bites/ and sub the cranberry sauce for fig jam!! That would work amazingly 🙂 happy Thanksgiving!!!
Have not made them, but is there a substitute for goat cheese. Not a fan.
Hi Lisa! I personally haven’t tried it – but you could potentially try room temperature cream cheese instead of goat cheese!
I live in Canada and Jus Rol puff pastry is not available. The puff pastry I can usually buy has several sheets to a box. How many sheets would I use to achieve the desired results.
Thank you
Hi there Lorraine! I would try and combine two of the sheets (be sure they are thawed) and pinch the ends together (or use a roller) to make one large sheet of puff pastry. You can also weigh it out if you’d like! The Jus-Rol are 13.2 oz per package. Hope that’s helpful!
These. We’re. Delicious!!! I will be making these for my NYE Party. It was so easy to put together and so classy!
Thank you SO much, Leslie!! So glad you to hear that you enjoyed and will be making them again!!