Following package directions, remove 1 package of puff pastry from freezer. Place in fridge to defrost for 24 hours, or place on counter to defrost in 2 hours.
Prepare mayo mixture: Place chopped dill, capers, mustard, mayonnaise, horseradish and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
Prepare egg wash: Whisk egg and water in a small bowl. Set aside with pastry brush.
To assemble pinwheels: Roll pastry out on a lightly floured surface. Gently smear the mayonnaise mixture across the surface of the dough leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle with crumbled goat’s cheese. Add the smoked salmon, laying it out in an even later across the surface. Sprinkle with Gruyére. Brush the edge furthest away from you (top) with egg wash. Roll the dough tightly as you would a jelly roll, and ensure the egg-washed edge seals the roll. Wrap roll and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. Cover leftover egg wash and refrigerate.
To bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Remove and unwrap rolled pastry. Using a thin, sharp knife (preferably serrated), cut the roll into 16 pinwheels about ½-inch thick. Transfer to baking tray. Brush the top of each with leftover egg wash then sprinkle with parmesan, sesame seeds and black pepper.
Transfer to oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, cooling for 5 minutes before serving.
Store leftover pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge.
Smoked Salmon Appetizers
Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
For the mayo spread:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon capers, finely diced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Filling:
½ cup grated Gruyére
½ cup crumbled goat’s cheese
8 slices thinly sliced smoked salmon
For the topping:
1 egg room temperature
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
Following package directions, remove 1 package of puff pastry from freezer. Place in fridge to defrost for 24 hours, or place on counter to defrost in 2 hours.
Prepare mayo mixture: Place chopped dill, capers, mustard, mayonnaise, horseradish and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
Prepare egg wash: Whisk egg and water in a small bowl. Set aside with pastry brush.
To assemble pinwheels: Roll pastry out on a lightly floured surface. Gently smear the mayonnaise mixture across the surface of the dough leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle with crumbled goat’s cheese. Add the smoked salmon, laying it out in an even later across the surface. Sprinkle with Gruyére. Brush the edge furthest away from you (top) with egg wash. Roll the dough tightly as you would a jelly roll, and ensure the egg-washed edge seals the roll. Wrap roll and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. Cover leftover egg wash and refrigerate.
To bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Remove and unwrap rolled pastry. Using a thin, sharp knife (preferably serrated), cut the roll into 16 pinwheels about ½-inch thick. Transfer to baking tray. Brush the top of each with leftover egg wash then sprinkle with parmesan, sesame seeds and black pepper.
Transfer to oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, cooling for 5 minutes before serving.
Store leftover pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge.
Smoked Salmon Appetizers
5 / 5. 3
Smoked salmon rolled in flaky puff pastry with a smear of flavoured mayonnaise and two cheeses…
Perfect for brunch, cocktail parties or casual get-togethers, try these SMOKED SALMON APPETIZERS.
We posted a similar homemade appetizer recipe a few months ago, made with smoked ham, mustard and cheese, and everyone loved them. That got us thinking: what if we created a version with other favourite fillers like smoked salmon, fresh herbs and an enhanced mayonnaise? Trust us, this appetizer idea is just as tasty. In fact, these SMOKED SALMON APPETIZERS are so fantastic, we expect you and your guests will have a tough time deciding whether you like them more than our HAM AND CHEESE PINWHEELS. Make them both and decide for yourself!
Here’s why this recipe works:
It’s easy to prepare, with little prep time required.
These smoked salmon appetizer bites can be prepped hours before your party.
Using store-bought puff pastry makes this party snack idea extra-easy to assemble and bake.
This is one of those smoked salmon recipes that also pairs perfectly with the flavour of mustard, mayo and melted cheeses.
Here’s how to make the best SMOKED SALMON APPETIZERS:
INGREDIENTS
In setting out to craft this homemade appetizer recipe, the goal was to keep it simple. Remember, less time in the kitchen equals more time hanging out with family and friends. This appetizer falls under the category of pinwheel recipes. Although pinwheels can be made using yeast dough (think: CINNAMON BUNS or PIZZA ROLLS) or flour tortillas, we made this version using store-bought puff pastry. Rolling up puff pastry with some very flavourful fillers and then baking it is easy work. If you don’t already have the ingredients on hand, they’re easy to pick up on your next grocery run. Then prepare to be amazed by the combination of smoked salmon, cheese and flavoured mayonnaise. Yum is on the way!
SMOKED SALMON
For best results, make these pinwheels using thinly sliced smoked salmon, about 4 to 6 ounces. If you’re in a pinch, lox will work, too. What’s the difference between smoked salmon and lox? Smoked salmon is cured and then smoked, whereas lox is only cured, typically in a salt brine. For best results, look for options that aren’t enhanced with flavouring; we’ll leave the flavour boost to our mayo, mustard and dill mixture. Additionally, how about some nutrition facts about smoked salmon? It’s relatively low in calories while boasting high-quality protein and essential fats. Nutrient-dense smoked salmon is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals including vitamins B12, vitamin E and vitamin D, plus niacin, copper and selenium.
CHEESE
We decided to add cheese to our smoked salmon and pastry pinwheels for two reasons, the first being that smoked salmon pairs well with cheese. We used goat’s cheese, Gruyére and Parmesan, but feel free to tweak this recipe to your taste. Try making it with cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella, feta cheese or a fragrant blue cheese. The other reason we added cheese? How it melts as the appetizers bake. These baked SMOKED SALMON APPETIZERS turn out richer than both the cream cheese pinwheels and tortilla roll-ups. Let’s face it: buttery puff pastry and melted cheese with a stellar filler is always mighty tasty. This combination and any other you dream up for your appetizer recipes will always be enjoyed and well-received.
MAYONNAISE MIXTURE
Here’s the plot twist where we take this pastry pinwheel recipe from simple to amazing. It involves mixing up a number of ingredients often served alongside smoked salmon. Enter mayonnaise, chopped fresh herbs, mustard, pungent horseradish, capers and lemon juice. Again, feel free to make this recipe your own. Start by selecting a favourite herb like chives, parsley, tarragon, cilantro, thyme or fresh dill, which is what we used. Then add some mayonnaise (Greek yogurt works too) to the bowl plus a favourite mustard like Dijon, a grain mustard, honey mustard or a hot English mustard. Then, add a favourite horseradish, the hotter the better. Finally, chop some capers, add a squeeze of tangy lemon juice, stir, and you’re ready to assemble. Amazing!
HOW TO ASSEMBLE PUFF PASTRY PINWHEELS
Making salmon pinwheels is easier than you might think. Watch the VIDEO we crafted for this post before you begin to give you a sense of what it takes to make pinwheels. One essential tip: start with thawed pastry dough. Following the package directions, the first step is to thaw frozen puff pastry dough in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter a few hours before you begin.
Once the pastry is thawed, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about a third larger than when you began. Please note, you’ll only need one roll or square of puff pastry for the recipe to yield 18 appetizers.
After rolling the dough, gently smear mayonnaise mixture across the surface in an even layer, leaving a ½-inch border all around. This will help keep all of the filling within when you go to roll up the pinwheels.
Then add the goat’s cheese, the thinly sliced smoked salmon, and the grated Gruyère. Try to distribute these ingredients evenly across the pastry. The final steps are to roll the pastry up, brush the edge with the egg wash to seal it, then wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cover and keep that egg wash – later, we’ll be brushing it on top of the pinwheels right before they are sent off to bake.
CUT AND BAKE
As mentioned above, the yield on this recipe is 18 individual pinwheels. This is easy to accomplish by lightly scoring the roll using a serrated knife, then use the score marks as guides while slicing.
Transfer the pinwheels to a parchment-lined baking tray. We bake eight per tray, brushing each with the egg wash and adding a sprinkle of black pepper, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and sesame seeds.
The SMOKED SALMON APPETIZERS then go to the oven, baking for about 20 minutes total time or until they puff up and the pastry is golden.
Before serving, transfer the baked pinwheel to a wire rack to cool for five minutes. Then pass out these delicious party bites for everyone to enjoy. The flavour of the smoked salmon and cheese partnered with the mayonnaise mix is divine. On the off chance you have leftovers, simply store them in an airtight container and warm before serving.
This party snack idea is so tasty, we suggest you PIN the recipe to a favourite appetizer or party snack board on PINTEREST or BOOKMARK this tab for easy access. SHARE it with friends so they can make them too. We’d also appreciate seeing pics of all the delicious dishes you’re making these days. Use #weekendatthecottage when you post those pics on Facebook and Instagram. Thanks!
GET SPICY!
Before sending you on your way to make this dish, it’s the perfect time for an update: our three SPICE BLEND GIFT SETS are now available in Canada on Amazon.ca!
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Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
For the mayo spread:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon capers, finely diced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Filling:
½ cup grated Gruyére
½ cup crumbled goat’s cheese
8 slices thinly sliced smoked salmon
For the topping:
1 egg room temperature
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
Following package directions, remove 1 package of puff pastry from freezer. Place in fridge to defrost for 24 hours, or place on counter to defrost in 2 hours.
Prepare mayo mixture: Place chopped dill, capers, mustard, mayonnaise, horseradish and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
Prepare egg wash: Whisk egg and water in a small bowl. Set aside with pastry brush.
To assemble pinwheels: Roll pastry out on a lightly floured surface. Gently smear the mayonnaise mixture across the surface of the dough leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle with crumbled goat’s cheese. Add the smoked salmon, laying it out in an even later across the surface. Sprinkle with Gruyére. Brush the edge furthest away from you (top) with egg wash. Roll the dough tightly as you would a jelly roll, and ensure the egg-washed edge seals the roll. Wrap roll and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. Cover leftover egg wash and refrigerate.
To bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Remove and unwrap rolled pastry. Using a thin, sharp knife (preferably serrated), cut the roll into 16 pinwheels about ½-inch thick. Transfer to baking tray. Brush the top of each with leftover egg wash then sprinkle with parmesan, sesame seeds and black pepper.
Transfer to oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, cooling for 5 minutes before serving.
Store leftover pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge.
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