Okay, story time. These Spinach Dip in Bite-Sized Pinwheels exist because my friends have a habit of texting “be there in 20!” and my fridge had a tub of spinach dip and a sheet of puff pastry. I just looked at the two and thought… wait a minute. They ended up being the star of the show. The best advice I can give you is to let the cream cheese sit on the counter for a couple of hours first. If you don’t, you’ll be fighting to get it smooth, and nobody has time for that.
Ingredients for Spinach Dip in Bite-Sized Pinwheels
The shopping list for this is super short, which is always a win. You’re not going to need anything weird or hard to find to make these awesome little Spinach Dip in Bite-Sized Pinwheels.
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed out
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, nice and soft
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- A little pinch of red pepper flakes (I add this for a tiny bit of warmth, you can skip it)
- 1 sheet of puff pastry (the kind from the freezer aisle), thawed
- 1 large egg
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Let’s walk through making these. It’s basically just mix, spread, roll, and bake. You’ve got this.
Step 1: Prep the Creamy Filling
First, the filling. Get a bowl and dump in the softened cream cheese, Parmesan, mayo, and all the seasonings. The big secret here is the spinach. It has to be dry. And I mean bone dry. I usually wrap the thawed spinach in a few paper towels and just squeeze the life out of it over the sink. Any leftover water will make the pastry bottom soggy, and we want crispy. Once it’s dry, fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
Step 2: Assemble the Pinwheels
Time to put it all together. Sprinkle a little flour on your counter so the pastry doesn’t stick, and carefully unroll the sheet. Plop the filling on and use a spatula to spread it out, almost to the edges. You want to leave one of the long sides with a little naked border, which helps the whole thing stay glued together. Then, just start rolling from the other long side. Roll it up nice and snug.
Step 3: Chill and Slice
Don’t bake them yet! This step is a game-changer. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and let it hang out in the fridge for at least a half-hour. This lets everything firm up so you can slice clean little rounds instead of squished ovals. It makes a huge difference. While the roll is chilling, get your oven going to 400°F and put some parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Step 4: Bake to Golden Perfection
Once the log is chilled and firm, use a sharp knife to slice it into half-inch pieces and lay them out on your baking sheet. Beat the egg with a splash of water and give the tops and sides of each pinwheel a quick brush. This is what makes them turn super golden and look legit. Bake them for 15, maybe 20 minutes, until they’ve puffed up and are beautifully browned. Let them cool for a minute before piling them onto a plate.
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Why I’m Obsessed With This Recipe
Every single time I make these, they are the first thing to vanish from the plate. It’s that classic, comforting spinach dip flavor, but in a flaky, buttery little package that people just go nuts for. It’s the perfect party food. I really hope you make these. If you do, come back and tell me about it in the comments! I genuinely love to hear how recipes turn out for you all.
Spinach Dip in Bite-Sized Pinwheels
Your new favorite party food! These flaky Spinach Dip in Bite-Sized Pinwheels are so easy to make with puff pastry. A guaranteed creamy, savory hit!
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen chopped spinach (10 oz) thaw it and squeeze the life out of it
- 1 block cream cheese (8 oz) leave it out so it’s nice and soft
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes if you want a little heat
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed but still cold
- 1 egg for brushing
Instructions
Step 1
grab a bowl and throw in cream cheese parmesan mayo garlic powder onion powder pepper now the spinach squeeze it till no water comes out at all then toss it in and mix everything up till it looks even
Step 2
flour your counter roll out the puff pastry spread the spinach mix all over it but leave one long side empty so it can seal later roll it up like a jelly roll nice and tight
Step 3
wrap the log in plastic chuck it in the fridge for half an hour so it firms up turn the oven on to 400F while you wait
Step 4
take the log out slice it into half inch rounds stick them on a baking sheet with parchment beat the egg with a splash of water brush it on top bake 15–20 min till they puff up and go golden
Notes
- spinach has to be bone dry soggy spinach = soggy pastry
- cold puff pastry puffs better
- you can make the log a day before then just slice and bake when you need it
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Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per ServingCalories 100Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 35mgSodium 202mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 4g
These were SO GOOD and a crowd pleaser! I did find 30 minutes in the fridge wasn’t enough and I was on a time crunch, so I moved my log to the freezer for another 10 minutes and that worked much better. I would probably do that instead in the future for better cutting results. Mine took 20+ minutes to bake to golden brown as well. Thanks for sharing! Will definitely make again 🙂
So happy you enjoyed them! Love your freezer tip, that’s super helpful. Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback
Hi do I brush the egg just on the puff pastry or over the top of the wheel? (Cheese part)
Just brush the egg wash on the puff pastry part — tops and sides only, not the cheesy center.
I’m planning to make these for a party in a few weeks! How many pieces does the recipe make? Figuring out if I need to multiply the recipe 🙂
That’s awesome, they’re perfect party bites😊 One batch usually makes about 24 pinwheels, depending on how thick you slice them. If you’ve got a crowd, I’d definitely double the recipe
Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Exactly! You can use fresh spinach instead of frozen. Just make sure to quickly boil it in hot water, then drain it well and squeeze out as much water as possible—this is essential so your rolls don’t get soggy. After that, chop it up and mix it with the filling just like the recipe says.
Are they good served room temp
Yes! They hold up great at room temperature for a couple of hours, so they’re perfect for parties and snacking.
Is it ok to use fresh spinach leaves, instead of frozen?
Yes, absolutely! You’ll need about 1 pound of fresh spinach to replace the 10 oz frozen package. Just sauté it until wilted, let it cool, and then squeeze it bone-dry (just like the frozen kind) so it doesn’t make the pastry soggy.
Can you use ready made spinach dip?
Great question Deanne! You absolutely can use store-bought dip to save time, but there is one thing to watch out for. Pre-made dips are usually much softer and “wetter” than the filling in this recipe. If you use them, the pastry might get a little soggy on the bottom or spread out more in the oven. If you give it a try, I’d suggest draining any excess liquid from the tub first.
How much do we roll out the puff pastry? Or do we just use it as it is out of the box?
Hey Karen, Good catch — I usually just use it as is, right out of the box! Most frozen puff pastry sheets come in a size that works perfectly for this without any extra work. You might need to gently smooth out the creases where it was folded, but don’t worry about rolling it thinner. If you roll it too thin, it won’t puff up as nicely!
Can these be frozen before or after baking?
Yes! for the best results, freeze them unbaked. Slice the pinwheels, freeze them flat on a tray until hard, then store them in a bag. You can bake them straight from frozen (just add 3-5 extra minutes). You can freeze baked ones too, just make sure to reheat them in the oven so they stay crispy!
These pinwheels look delish! Can they be made ahead of time? Could I prepare the recipe to the chilling step and let the roll chill overnight then cut and bake in the morning?
Thank you so much! You absolutely can. Preparing them up to the chilling step and leaving the log in the fridge overnight works perfectly. In fact, it might make them even easier to slice in the morning since the dough will be nice and firm. Just make sure the log is wrapped tightly in plastic wrap so the pastry doesn’t dry out. Happy baking!