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Ham and Cheese Pinwheels are slices of Black Forest ham, plus Swiss and cheddar cheeses, wrapped inside light and flaky puff pastry. A delicious spread of spicy brown mustard, mayonnaise, garlic, and fresh thyme adds more delicious flavors.
Fair warning: These Ham and Cheese Pinwheels are so good, you’ll be tempted to eat them one after another after another… 🙂
Ham and cheese are a classic food pairing, and the combination of shredded Swiss and cheddar cheeses with the flavorful, smoky Black Forest ham is spot on.
The crispy puff pastry is spread with a mix of spicy brown mustard, mayonnaise, and seasoned with fresh garlic and thyme – additional flavors that will have you licking your lips after every bite.
What is Black Forest ham?
Black Forest ham is a variety of dry-cured, smoked ham that originated in the Black Forest region of Germany. It tends to have a more intense and smokier flavor than Virginia ham and it also has more moisture in the finished ham.
Lots of supermarkets sell Black Forest ham in the deli – but some brands are better than others. Look for a brand that has a very dark, mahogany-colored outer skin.
How do you make Ham and Cheese Pinwheels?
Start with two sheets of thawed puff pastry – the supermarket variety is fine. Lay them flat on a cutting board, then spread the pastry with a thin layer of the mustard-mayonnaise mixture.
Next, lay slices of the ham on the pastry, then combine the shredded cheeses together, then sprinkle over the ham.
Roll the puff pastry into a long pinwheel log, then slice the log into slices. (A serrated knife like this (affiliate link) works best to avoid flattening the log as you slice.)
Place each slice on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then bake until puffed and golden. Serve immediately.
Can I make these Ham and Cheese Pinwheels ahead of time?
Yes – you can. These Ham and Cheese Pinwheels reheat nicely in the oven, so you can bake them off ahead of time and reheat before serving.
They also freeze well. Lay the pinwheels on a parchment-lined sheet tray and freeze in a single layer. Once they are frozen solid, you can store them in a freezer bag, or wrap them in stacks. Reheat still frozen – no need to thaw them before reheating.
You may enjoy these appetizer recipes:
- Bang Bang Shrimp
- Mini Shepherd’s Pie Bites
- Fruit Salsa with Lime Tortilla Chips
- Buffalo Chicken Nachos
- Sweet and Spicy Shrimp, Pineapple and Bacon Skewers
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Ingredients
1 17.3–ounce box puff pastry sheets (2 sheets)
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard, we used Guldens
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, finely minced
12 ounces Black Forest ham, thinly sliced
6 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
6 ounces Jarlsberg Swiss cheese, shredded
Instructions
Thaw pastry dough and bring to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with rack in top third of oven.
Line three sheet trays with parchment paper.
Lay out the two sheets of dough on your cutting board.
In a small bowl mix mustard, mayonnaise, thyme and garlic and spread evenly between the two sheets going right to the edge on three sides and leaving a half inch open on the fourth side. The dough is slightly longer one way than the other so leave the open edge on one of the longer sides.
Lay out ham slices between the two again covering to three edges.
Mix the two cheeses together and divide between the two sheets, again leaving one edge free of filling.
Dab a little water along the open edge on each sheet.
Start a tight roll beginning on the opposite side of the open edge and ending on the open edge, seam side down.
Use a very sharp serrated knife to slice 18 slices from each roll. The serrated knife can be “sawed” through the roll without flattening it as you go.
Use a small spatula to lift each roll and slide 12 onto each prepared sheet tray. If they are mis-shaped, just neaten up with your hands before baking.
Bake one pan at a time for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Ours took exactly 18 minutes per pan.
Serve warm.*
*Jack had the idea of drizzling honey on these before serving. He liked it, Martha didn’t. Your choice.
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Can these be frozen raw in a log form and sliced and bake before serving?
We’ve never tried doing so Betty. I’d be a little worried about the puff pastry holding up to thawing, refreezing, and thawing again…if you try it, let us know how it works out.
Do you roll both sheets of puff pastry ad one roll or do you make two separate rolls?
Hi Kati – Thanks for your question. We used each sheet to make a separate roll – each sheet gave us 18 slices so 36 rollups total. Hope that helps clarify!