These savoury palmiers made with crispy puff pastry filled with a sunflower seed and pepper/capsicum pesto are a fun and tasty baby led weaning finger food. They also make a delicious canapé!
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Filled with a simple filling of roasted capsicum/pepper and sunflower seeds together with a little cream cheese, these savoury puff pastry bites are based on the French pastry, palmiers.
Traditionally, palmiers are sweet rather than savoury. They are rolled into a ‘palm’ or elephant-ear shape, but here I pinch the middles slightly to make them into heart shapes for a fun food idea – especially around Valentine’s Day! You can also roll them into pinwheels (for more pinwheel recipes, see below, we do love a pinwheel in this house!)
This is a fun recipe to make with kids and toddlers, and the hearts make a cute canapé too!
Why we love this recipe
- 6 ingredients
- Nut free – making them a great recipe for daycare and school lunchboxes
- Fun recipe to make with kids! Spreading the filling on the puff pastry and rolling are great for the kids to do, then once you cut them, get them to shape them into ‘elephant ears’ or hearts!
Ingredients
- Roasted peppers/capsicum – If you want to roast your own I have given instructions below, however you can also use roasted red peppers from a jar.
- Garlic – Optional. If roasting your own peppers then add the garlic and cook with them to mellow the garlic taste.
- Puff pastry – if using frozen puff pastry sheets, then let defrost at room temperature for half an hour (10 minutes in the heat of summer!)
- Sunflower seeds – You can use pumpkin seeds instead if you prefer.
- Cream cheese – I use full fat cream cheese in this recipe. You can leave it out if you prefer.
- Cheddar cheese – I use Tasty cheese or a mild cheddar when giving to babies and toddlers, but if I’m making these as a canapé then I use vintage cheddar cheese for more flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Preheat the oven to 200˚C/400˚F, quarter the capsicum/pepper, rub with oil, place on baking tray and roast until soft (20-30 minutes). Place in a bowl and cover with clingfilm then peel when cool enough to handle.
Yes. Cool them completely, then open freeze on a baking tray until frozen solid, and transfer to a container or bag. Freeze for up to 6 weeks.
Dairy Free/Vegan pinwheels
Make sure your puff pastry is dairy free/vegan, and leave out the cream cheese and cheddar cheese.
Storage
- Fridge – keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Freezer – freeze the palmiers/hearts on a baking sheet. Once frozen transfer to an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Defrost in the fridge overnight, and cook in a moderate oven (180˚C/375˚F) for 5 minutes, until crisp and heated all the way through.
My Tips for Success
- If the puff pastry gets too soft, cover it with a tea towel or cling film and place in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
- Once rolled, chill the palmiers in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up, this makes cutting them so much easier.
- You can roast the capsicum a day or 2 before you make the pinwheels – I try to remember to do it when I have the oven on for something else.
More Pinwheel Recipes
My family loves pinwheels, whether for picnics, in lunchboxes, or just a fun finger food.
More Baby Led weaning recipes
These easy baby led weaning recipes are some of our favourites, still loved by my now-toddler son:
This post was originally published in February 2019. It has since been updated with new images and wording, but the recipe remains the same.
Savoury Palmiers
Author: Robyn
Ingredients
- ½ red capsicum/bell pepper roasted* (See notes below for how to roast capsicum/pepper)
- 1 clove garlic optional
- 2 sheets puff pastry defrosted if frozen
- 1 dessertspoon sunflower seeds
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese
- 2 tablespoon grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan/ 200˚C/ 356˚F convection / 392˚F
- Line a baking tray with baking parchment/paper.
- To make the filling, place the roasted peeled capsicum, roasted garlic (if using), sunflower seeds and cream cheese in a mini blender and blend until smooth.
- Take one sheet of puff pastry and spread half the capsicum mixture over it, then sprinkle over half the grated cheese, if using.
- To make hearts: tightly roll from one side until you reach halfway, then tightly roll from the other side, meeting in the middle. Chill in fridge 10-15 minutes, then slice into 1cm thick slices and pinch the middle to make a point. Place on lined tray.
- To make pinwheels: tightly roll. Chill in fridge 10-15 minutes, then slice into 1cm thick slices. Place on lined tray.
- Bake for 15 minutes until puffed and lightly golden.
- These savoury pinwheels can be frozen.
Notes
Nutrition
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Or just leave a comment below!
Sylvie says
What a lovely idea, that would be a perfect snack!!
Robyn says
Thankyou! They freeze really well, and defrost quickly, so are a great snack to keep in the freezer!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
This is such a clever idea! Pinwheels are just delicious anyway – I love the idea of the heart shape. How special!
Robyn says
Thank you! Think Mini Jones is a little too young to appreciate the shape (although he enjoyed eating them!) perhaps next year