Celebrate pumpkin szn with these Savory Pumpkin Twists stuffed with pumpkin puree, melty fontina cheese, sauteed leeks, and spices!
Warm, cheesy, and flaky, these babies are literally the perfect pumpkin appetizers for your Thanksgiving dinner or cozy fall dinner! People will *LOVE* these!
Savory Pumpkin Twists With Puff Pastry
These are my mom’s cheesy Pumpkin Twists. They’re delicious and quick and easy to make but when I first posted this recipe back in 2020 I couldn’t figure out how to call them (and I still haven’t): twists, pinwheels?!
I couldn’t find any inspo because nobody seemed to use this exact shape back then lol. So… how would you call these?!
Why you’ll love these Pumpkin Twists:
- Flavorful filling. Stuffed with Fontina cheese, Parmesan, sautéed leeks, spices, and pumpkin puree, these appetizers are packed with flavor!
- Cheesy. With lots of melty Fontina cheese and Parmesan, you’re sure to get your cheese fix!
- Flaky. Crispy on the outside and perfectly flaky on the inside, these cheesy pumpkin twists are the perfect way to use puff-pastry during fall!
- Quick and easy. Ready in 30 minutes, these are the perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving or the Holiday season, as well as a delicious snack for a crispy fall day!
Ingredients
Full measurements and instructions included in the recipe card below 🙂
Olive oil. This is for sautéing the leeks and because my mother came up with these in the Mediterranean area, she exclusively made these with olive oil. I like to swim in butter so I sometimes use butter instead. Other neutral vegetable oils such as canola or sunflower will also work but if you want to prioritize flavor, do olive or butter.
Leeks. The most underrated veggie ever: a sweeter, milder alternative to onion with a delicious melty texture. Please do not substitute these with onions, you really need leeks because they bring their own unique (and subtle) flavor to these appetizers.
Pumpkin puree. You can use store-bought or homemade pumpkin puree, just make sure it’s *pure* pumpkin puree so no extra ingredients added in. Do *not* confuse pumpkin puree with pumpkin pie filling, as pumpkin pie filling contains sugar and spices and is used in desserts.
Paprika. Both smoked or regular will work, I personally like to add in smoked whenever I have it on hand.
Cinnamon for extra coziness, don’t worry, you won’t be able to taste it, it’s just there to amplify the natural flavor of pumpkin.
Puff pastry. I like using store-bought because it’s obviously way more convenient but if you’re into baking everything from scratch, you’re welcome to make your own. If using thick frozen puff-pastry (or making your own), you’ll have to roll it out until 1/8-inch thick (3 mm).
Fontina cheese. I recommend Fontina because it has a very distinct warm, nutty flavor that really takes these to the next level. Other good options would be Gruyere, Provolone, Emmental or even Gouda cheese. I don’t particularly recommend regular shredded mozzarella cheese because it doesn’t really do much when it comes to flavor.
Parmesan cheese. Ideally, grate your own if you can, both flavor and texture will be better (some store-bought brands of Parmesan just won’t melt because they’re coated in substances to keep the cheese from clumping up in the package).
How to make Savory Pumpkin Twists
Step-by-step instructions and measurements included in the recipe card below 🙂
STEP 1: Saute the leeks. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat until hot. Add in the chopped leeks and saute until soft and fragrant (5-6 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Once the leeks are done, transfer them over to a clean dish and let them sit aside so they cool down while you follow the other steps.
STEP 2: Season the pumpkin puree. Simply add in the smoked paprika, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix and taste, adjust spices if desired.
Make-Ahead, Storing & Reheating
Make-Ahead Instructions: I don’t recommend fully making and baking these ahead of time because they’re best eaten fresh when the puff pastry is still crispy and flaky and the cheese melty. What you can do is sautee the leeks up to 1-2 days ahead of time (step 1) and store them covered in the refrigerator.
If you want to use your own homemade pumpkin pie puree instead of using store-bought, I would also recommend you make that up to 2-3 days ahead of time and store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Storing Instructions: These best eaten fresh when the puff pastry is still crispy and flaky and the cheese melty but you can still store leftovers, if needed. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheating Instructions: Reheat in the oven at 325F (160C) for 5-10 minutes or until hot or in a skillet over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes or until hot, or in a hot panini press for a few minutes (this is what my mother always uses!).
HAPPY BAKING!! I hope you'll love these Savory Pumpkin Pinwheels as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love:
- Pumpkin Bagels
- Autumn Corn Chowder with Roasted Pumpkin
- Grandma Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
- Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Savory Pumpkin Twists With Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil (or unsalted butter)
- 1 leek (cleaned and chopped)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup (240 g) pumpkin puree (if using store-bought, make sure it's *just* pumpkin puree with no extra ingredients. Do NOT use pumpkin pie filling as it contains sugar. This is just pumpkin that has been steamed, cooked, or roasted and mashed into a puree so you can also make it at home)
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 sheets puff pastry (frozen and thawed)
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded Fontina cheese (if you own a kitchen scale, this would be 3.5 oz Fontina cheese so if you have a block of Fontina just weight it and cut it into small cubes)
- 1/4 cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese (this would be a little less than 1 oz)
Instructions
- Sauté the leeks. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the chopped leek and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sautee for 5-7 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool down while you follow the next steps.
- Season the pumpkin puree. Meanwhile, add the smoked paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper to your pumpkin puree. Mix and taste, adjust seasonings if desired.
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Prepare the puff-pastry. Unroll the two layers of puff-pastry onto a lightly-floured surface. Use a rolling pin dusted with flour to roll out each puff-pastry layer (separately) into 1/8-inch thick (3 mm).
- Add the filling. Using a spatula, spread an even layer of pumpkin puree over the top of the first layer of puff-pastry. Sprinkle with sauteed leeks, Fontina cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Top with the second puff pastry sheet.
- Shape. Using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut the rectangle into 1-inch strips (2.5 cm). Grab each strip and twist the ends, then roll it up into a donut-like shape tucking the end underneath it (use the step-by-step pictures provided in the blog post if you need help). Place the prepared twist on your baking sheet and repeat with the other strips. This process is a bit messy, it's okay if some of the leek or cheese falls out when you're twisting, just pop it back into the twist once you're done shaping it.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and flaky! Do not allow the twists to turn brown! Serve immediately.
Leave a Reply