Ingredients
frozen puff pastry, thawed salted butter goat cheese dried cranberries cinnamon sugar salt
What you will need in the kitchen
Baking sheet parchment paper sharp knife serving plate
After spending so much time in New York this December, I realize now more than ever how busy we all are this month. Everyone seems to be hustling and bustling. The number one request I’m receiving right now is for effortless recipes. Minimal ingredients, minimal prep, and all-around simple to create – yet still delicious! It’s not the easiest to achieve a yummy recipe with only a few ingredients. But after spending some time brainstorming new holiday recipes, I came up with these delicious pastry swirls. The inspiration for these swirls came from Trader Joe’s. So many people have raved to me about their Cranberry Goat Cheese log. The flavor combination sounds so yummy! I really wanted to create something with a similar flavor profile but make more of a more complete appetizer. I used one of my favorite ingredients for this time of year, puff pastry, and added a light sprinkling of cinnamon sugar. It sounds like it could be too sweet, but it’s the most wonderful and special combination. You have to take my word here. I know you’ll love these easy goat cheese swirls!
Onto the details
Step 1: gather up your ingredients Store-bought puff pastry. One of my best holiday tips is to always keep puff pastry in the freezer, especially during December. I have so many appetizer recipes that use puff pastry! Salted butter – just a little, but it goes a long way. Cinnamon sugar – I mix brown sugar and cinnamon for a more flavorful combination. Again, you only need a little, but I think this makes the tangy goat cheese even more delicious. And maybe a little more appealing to those who might not love goat cheese. Goat cheese – of course! And if you don’t enjoy goat cheese, cream cheese is a great alternative. Or try this recipe for Brie pastry swirls. Dried cranberries – a pantry staple that never gets enough love in my opinion. I use these in my holiday recipes and cocktails, and on all of my cheese boards this time of year. I love them! Step 2: assemble Take your thawed-out sheet of pastry and brush over some melted butter. Now, sprinkle with some cinnamon sugar. Next, spread the crumbled goat cheese over the pastry dough and sprinkle the cranberries on top. Now, all you need to do is roll the pastry up, just like you would a cinnamon roll, into a log. Cut swirls using a sharp knife, then arrange them on a baking sheet. Step 3: bake When you have the swirls rolled out you can do two things. Chill the swirls until you’re ready to serve your guests, or bake them right away and enjoy. These are a great make-ahead appetizer! The sweet cinnamon, in combination with the tart cranberries, goat cheese, and pastry, is what makes these swirls sparkle. Whenever I’m working with cranberries I always find they need to be paired with something sweet to break up their tartness and highlight just how delicious they really are. I love playing with sweet and savory flavor combinations. The cinnamon adds a nice warmth that pairs perfectly with the tangy goat cheese and balances out the tart cranberries. It feels especially fitting for this time of year. They’re bite-sized and great for prepping in advance and then popping in the oven just as guests arrive. These take only a few minutes to bake. Bake until golden brown. They’ll come out of the oven just as everyone settles in and begins to look for apps (or desserts!). These are best to eat within a few hours after they’re served, but can be stored at room temperature for two to three days. My biggest tip? Double the recipe. This recipe makes about sixteen pastry swirls, but everyone eats at least two, sometimes more. Also, these are delicious with a dollop of honey or jam (my preference would be fig jam!). The perfect appetizers for holiday hosting! Looking for other easy brie recipes?? Here are my favorites: 5 Ingredient Cranberry Brie Cinnamon Puff Pastry Swirls Cranberry Brie Pastry Tarts Cranberry Brie Pull Apart Bread Mini Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Baked Brie Bites Lastly, if you make these puff pastry bites, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
