Pears in Puff Pastry Appetizers are deliciously fruity and savory bite-sized tarts all wrapped up in a flaky golden brown pastry. This easy appetizer recipe needs just seven ingredients and they look so fancy you can call them hors d'oeuvres.
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Pears are so underrated and, for the most part, totally overlooked. Why, I don't know because I love a good fresh, ripe juicy pear. And I like to use fresh pears for baking, They add a sweet, and sometimes spicy flavor to cobblers, pies, and muffins. So next time you are thinking of using an apple in a recipe, switch it out for a pear.
Jump to:
- Why you will love these appetizer pinwheels
- 🍐The Key Ingredients for the best Pear Pinwheels
- 👩🏻🍳How To Make Pears In Puff Pastry Rolls
- Pro-tip #1 for using puff pastry
- Pro-tip #2 for baking success
- Appetizer FAQ's
- 🍐About pears
- Variations
- Try these fast and easy appetizers
- Stock up on these ingredients
- More Recipes to Make
- Recipe
Why you will love these appetizer pinwheels
- These flaky pastries are bite-sized, which I think makes them a perfect appetizer. I just don’t like fiddling with messy appetizers that fall apart after one bite or having to get the gooey cheese on my cracker while holding a glass of wine. Do ya know what I mean???
- All of these ingredients are perfect for a fruit and cheese tray by themselves, but cutting them up and rolling them in puff pastry makes a simple but delicious appetizer.
- This is one easy recipe that uses frozen puff pastry sheets and a quick trip in the oven for baking.
- Try these other appetizer recipes made with puff pastry. Bake these sweet Apricot Parmesan Puff Pastry Bites. or these savory Puff Pastry Appetizers with caramelized onions.
🍐The Key Ingredients for the best Pear Pinwheels
- Puff pastry sheets - use your favorite frozen pastry; I used Pepperidge Farm
- Pears - I use a red pear for this recipe; other types of pears will work well
- Asiago Cheese - I use Peppered Asiago from Trader Joe's, but you can use any Asiago cheese.
- Pistachios
- Dried Cranberries
- Rosemary - fresh or dried for a delicious, savory flavor
For this recipe, you need one pastry sheet that needs to be thawed. Many of the boxes of puff pastries contain two sheets. You can keep the other for later, or you can double the recipe and make two rolls.
If you choose to make both rolls you can, of course, bake them both, or you can wrap one in wax paper and foil then freeze for later.
👩🏻🍳How To Make Pears In Puff Pastry Rolls
Step 1. Cut the pear in half and remove the core then slice and cut into small cubes.
Step 2. On a cutting board, chop the pistachios and cranberries into smaller pieces with a chef's knife. Remove the leaves from the rosemary and chop.
Step 4. Unfold the thawed pastry sheets on a floured board and roll the sheet so it is a bit larger and thinner. There is no special size, just don't make it super thin.
Step 3. Use a grater to shred the cheese unless you prefer to use pre-shredded cheese, which will work just as well.
Pro-tip #1 for using puff pastry
Puff pastry tips
- The pastry dough should be thawed enough so it does not crack when unfolding.
- If the dough is too warm when you are working with it, it will lose its flakiness when baked.
- Puff pastry should be at room temperature while rolling on a floured surface
- Make sure the puff pastry is chilled before baking for nice flaky layers.
Step 5. Spread the pears, cheese, pistachios, and cranberries on the puff pastry sheet. Leave a ½" on one side of the dough empty.
Step 6. From the longest side, roll the pastry over the pear filling. Roll as tightly as you can.
Step 7. Beat the egg in a small bowl, then brush it onto the open end of the pastry sheet to act as glue, then finish rolling the pinwheels. Turn the dough over so the seam side is facing down.
Step 8. Brush the top of the roll with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with salt. This is optional but tasty!
Step 9. Wrap the prepared roll in wax paper and chill for an hour before slicing. At this time, you can leave the roll in the fridge for several days. When you are ready to bake, heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 10. Remove the rolls from the fridge, place them on a cutting board, and cut them into ½" slices. Place the rolls on a silicon baking mat. Bake for 17-20 minutes.
Pro-tip #2 for baking success
Baking tip - It is best to place these rolls on a silicone baking mat since the pears will caramelize and may stick to parchment paper.
Step 11. Serve these pinwheels warm. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
So, so simple. You can even keep the unbaked pastry rolls in the freezer for up to three months. It's a good appetizer to have on hand.
One bite, and you will know why these are my favorite appetizers. The pears and cranberries add some sweetness, and the peppered Asiago cheese, rosemary and pistachios add a nice savory component to these pinwheels.
These are best served warm and won't last long, and I promise these pinwheels will impress your guests.
Appetizer FAQ's
1. Set the box of puff pastry in the refrigerator and let thaw for 4 hours or overnight. If you want to thaw one sheet, take that out of the box wrap it in plastic wrap, and thaw.
2. Take the puff pastry sheets out of the box and thaw at room temperature for an hour.
3. To thaw puff pastry quickly, wrap the puff pastry sheet in a paper towel and set it on a plate. Microwave the pastry for 15 seconds on high, then flip it over and microwave it for another 15 seconds.
Yes, after you make the rolls, wrap them in wax paper and foil and freeze for up to three months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then slice and bake.
🍐About pears
I love using fruit that is in season when baking; it's fresh, flavorful, juicy, and ripe. You can definitely buy pears year around, but most pears are in season from August through January, and there are so many tasty varieties to choose from.
The Difference between a Bosc and an Anjou Pear
- The Bosc pear has cinnamon-colored skin and a beautiful pear shape. This sweet pear has a firm but juicy texture and is the best pear for baking.
- The Anjou pear has that pretty green skin or the deep red-colored skin. The texture of this pear is soft, juicy, and moderately sweet.
- Read about when pears are in season in the January Seasonal Fruit Guide.
Variations
These pinwheels are so easy to make and you can easily change up the ingredients.
- You can use pecans instead of pistachios or use them both.
- Apples are a good substitute for the pears.
- Use a different hard cheese like parmesan or gouda instead of Asiago cheese.
- Add dried cherries instead of dried cranberries.
- Add chives instead of rosemary.
Try these fast and easy appetizers
Savory Mini Swiss Cheese Quiches
Rosemary and Asiago Cheese Popcorn
Savory Cheddar Cheese Crackers
Stock up on these ingredients
To make these pinwheels, you need a few basics to get you going
Puff pastry is the base of these pinwheels, and Pepperidge Farms Frozen Puff Pastry is available at most stores. Asiago cheese has a delicious nutty flavor and is perfect for shredding or grating.
More Recipes to Make
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Recipe
Pears Puff Pastry Pinwheel Appetizers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough thawed
- ⅔ cup pear cut into very small cubes
- ¼ cup Asiago cheese I use Peppered Asiago Cheese, shredded
- ⅛ cups pistachios finely chopped
- ⅛ cup dried cranberries finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon rosemary optional
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- On a floured surface, unfold the thawed puff pastry and roll into a larger square, mainly to make the pastry sheet thinner.
- On a large cutting board, prepare the fillings. Cut the pear in half and remove the core. Slice the pear into thin slices and then cut the slices into stripes and then dice.
- Using a grater, shred the cheese, or you can use preshredded cheese.
- In a small bowl beat the egg. Top the dough with the all the filling Leave one long side of the pastry without the filling and brush with the beaten egg.
- Start rolling the pastry over the ingredients into a tight roll. Seal the edge with the beaten egg.
- Heat the oven to 400° F while the pastry is chillig.
- Wrap the logs in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for an hour. Or at this point, you can freeze these rolls for several months. After the pastry is chilled, cut into slices. I cut mine into ½" slices. Place on a baking sheet lined with a silcon baking mat. Brush the top with the egg wash and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake the pastries for 17-20 minutes until lightly golden brown.
- These pastries are best served while warm.
- Store any leftover pastries in an airtight container.
Notes
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Nutrition
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About Jere' Cassidy
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place. I am glad to be sharing sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
Devan
Thanks Jerè for another awesome recipe. I loved the contrast of sweet and salty flavours going on here from the pear and cheese. FANTASTIC! Saving this for the next time I have some guests over!
Amy Liu Dong
Such a great pastries recipe, it's so unique and looks so yummy. I love how you added pistachios, as it's my favorite snack. I'll definitely make this for the family. Loved it! Thanks!
Jessica
These pinwheels are just delightful! I love the combo of sweet and savory flavors. I know it's a ways away, but I already have these on my holiday appetizer list. I like them so much that I may have to prepare them for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Lindsay
YUM! These were so simple with the premade puff puff pastry and we gobbled them right now. Thanks for a fabulous recipe!
Jere Cassidy
You gotta love the premade puff pastry.
Nora
Wow! This appetizer looks amazing! I love the combination of pear, cheese, and cranberries! Can't wait to have a bite! Thanks for sharing!
Kasey
I’ve always said pears are underrated! I love sweet and savory pastries like this one!
Alice | SkinnySpatula
This is an amazing appetizer, I love the pear and pistachio combination.
Lara
I LOVE puff pastry with fruit! These are perfect for entertaining!
Marthana Sharp
I was looking for an appetizer and when I saw the picture of the dough with all the pears, cranberries and pistachios it looked so pretty. Let me tell you, these were delicious and so easy to make. I never had Asiago cheese before and found myself nibbling on it all day. Great recipes.
Marie - NotEnoughCinnamon.com
You're right, pears are so under rated but they are super delicious! These cute little appetizers sound super tasty and they're beautiful, too!
Jere Cassidy
Thank you for the kind words.
Lizzie
This looks like such a good pastry to prepare ahead of time for parties! And I've learned something today, I'd never heard of asiago cheese before. I love cooked pears, and this looks like a great flavour combination.
Mary
Cranberries, pear, and cheese is such a winning combination!
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ
Yum. This sounds like the perfect appetizer and I'm with you on keeping those hands free for the wine.
Jere Cassidy
Haha! Wine is important.
Diana
Love these fruity pinwheel bakes with nuts. In Russia we make very similar dessert but we add raisins.
Jere Cassidy
Mmm, raisins with apples for the filling.
Christina Shoemaker
What a fun way to use a puff pastry!! These flavors sounds SO VERY GOOD together!! I am all over this!!!