Deliciously savoury Puff Pastry Swirls filled with sun-dried tomato, Parmesan cheese and walnuts. Perfect for parties and nibbles. Recipe with ready-made gluten free puff pastry.
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Savoury Puff Pastry Swirls – perfect for parties and nibbles
I’ve been making Puff Pastry Swirls filled with sun-dried tomato, Parmesan and walnuts for years. They are a given at GFHQ on Christmas morning. But they also make the most perfect nibbles and party pastries. Why? Because they are super-easy to make, deliciously savoury and really tasty… And they are also hand-held, making them ideal for mingling and snacking at the same time.
With the increased availability of commercially-made gluten free puff pastry (both ready-rolled and ready-to-roll), Puff Pastry Swirls are now as easy to make gluten free as they are to make with ‘normal’ pastry. They may not be quite as flaky as the wheat version, but they are definitely as delicious. And in my book, that’s still a win!




What’s the best gluten free puff pastry to use for making Parmesan Pastry Pinwheels?
As someone who lives in the UK, I’m only familiar with UK gluten free puff pastry brands. However, a few on-line searches have told me that there are various versions around the world. Therefore, if you live outside the UK, have a quick ‘Google’ and see what’s available locally.
In the UK, I have tested my Puff Pastry Swirls filled with sun-dried tomato, Parmesan and walnuts using both Jus-Rol Ready-Rolled Gluten Free Puff Pastry Sheet (which is available in many good UK supermarkets) and also with Genius Frozen Puff Pastry block (available in Sainsbury’s and Asda). Neither are as ‘puffy’ as regular wheat pastry, but both still make good pastry pinwheels and are easy to work with.
My own preference both for flavour and convenience is the Jus-Rol version. Although if anything, the Genius pastry puffed up a little more. It’s a case of personal choice, I guess… So why not get a pack of both and see which is best for you?! Either way… their existence is a good thing! Easy Puff Pastry that is safe for people with Coeliac Disease (Celiac Disease) makes life easier.




Puff Pastry Swirls using standard puff pastry…
If you are not gluten free… Grab a pack of standard ready-rolled puff pastry sheets. They are all (as far as I recall from pre gluten free days) much of a muchness!
Can I make Pastry Swirls with homemade Puff Pastry?
Absolutely yes… IF you can be bothered to make it! It’s a faff and means these sundried tomato swirls will be a lengthy recipe rather than an easy nibble. In my view, homemade puff pastry is something to be saved for a really special pastry treat, such as gluten free Homemade Breakfast Pastries.
Nonetheless… If you want to try making your own, I’ve shared a recipe for Puff Pastry that I’ve used in the past (from Aran Goyoaga) in another blog post.




How to make Puff Pastry Swirls with Sun-Dried Tomato, Parmesan and Walnuts
Once your pastry is sourced (or made), making these Puff Pastry Swirls couldn’t be easier. This is what you need to know…
Rolling the gluten free pastry
Whether using a pre-rolled pastry sheet or rolling it yourself, let gluten free pastry come to room temperature first. This will help prevent cracking. Then:
Ready to roll puff pastry block
- Thoroughly dust a large sheet of baking parchment with corn flour (starch) (or standard white gluten free flour blend).
- Lay the puff pastry block on the floured sheet, dusting the pastry top with flour too.
- Carefully roll the pastry into a large rectangle, about 3 mm thick.
- Lift the pastry occasionally as you go to ensure it hasn’t stuck. If it has, ease a large palette knife under, in a gradual sliding motion to release.
- Then follow the instructions below…
Pre-rolled sheet
- Carefully unroll and leave on the parchment that it came with.
Topping and rolling Puff Pastry Swirls
- Lightly brush the pastry with beaten egg or milk.
- Add the toppings (grated cheese first), leaving one long side uncovered by about 2 to 3 cm.
- Carefully roll the pastry from the opposite edge towards the moistened edge. (Snug, but not too tight, to allow room for a little puff).
- Use the moistened edge to stick the pastry onto itself (re-coat if necessary) and turn over so that the join is underneath.
- You now have a large, raw, Puff Pastry Swirl ‘sausage’.




Chill, cut and bake the pinwheels
- Wrap the baking paper round the pastry ‘sausage’. Place the whole thing on a baking sheet and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. This will firm it up, making it WAY easier to cut.
- Once chilled, line a baking tray with baking paper (I use the same tray and the same paper I’ve used already) and using a very sharp knife, cut the pastry sausage into rounds about 2 cm thick (or as you like them).
- Place flat-side down on the lined baking tray and pre-heat the oven to 200 C (400 F/Gas 6).
- While the oven is heating, brush the raw Puff Pastry Swirls with either egg-wash or milk.
- Then pop the tray in the hot oven and bake until golden and puffed.
When the Puff Pastry Swirls come out of the oven, they will probably look like they are sitting in a pool of oil (that has leaked out of the pastry). It’s one of the things I dislike about all the gluten free puff pastry brands I have tried thus far. But…
Have a couple of sheets of kitchen paper towel ready and using tongs, quickly transfer the Swirls from the tray onto the towel to soak up any excess. Definitely the best option for keeping the nibbles crisp and dry.
Can I fill savoury gluten free Puff Pastry Swirls with something different?
For sure! If sun-dried tomato, Parmesan and walnuts don’t do it for you, simply sub with something that does. Just make sure to choose fillings that will distribute easily and can be cut small or grated.
If you want something a little meaty, chopped bacon (raw), chorizo, ham, or a similar alternative, offer a lovely saltiness. And smoked salmon pieces are SO good.
Alternatively, you could use any number of cheeses (dairy or dairy free), tomato/sundried tomato paste, Pesto, etc. Any nuts of choice, or maybe pumpkin and pine nut seeds. Even a little grated carrot, fine-chopped pepper, chopped olives, or other reasonably ‘dry’ veg.
As long as the fillings are good to heat and cook and aren’t going to add too much excess moisture to the Puff Pastry, they are good to swirl.




Got further questions?
That should be all you need to know to make my Puff Pastry Swirls with sun-dried tomato, Parmesan and Walnut. However, if you still have questions, feel free to shout and I’ll do what I can to help. You can leave a comment, send me an email, or contact me through social media – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
Looking for other ideas for Savoury Nibbles? Head over to our dedicated savoury Party, Picnic and Lunchbox Index. For everything else, the Main Gluten Free Recipe Book Index is the blog’s navigational recipe hub.
Enjoy and happy nibbling.




Other Recipes at Gluten Free Alchemist using ready-made gluten free Puff Pastry
Sun-Dried Tomato, Parmesan and Walnut Puff Pastry Swirls (with ready-made gluten free puff pastry)
Key equipment
- Oven
- fridge
- sharp knife
- kitchen paper
- tongs (optional)
Ingredients
- 280 g gluten free puff pastry = 1 packet ready-rolled Jus Rol puff pastry (or use alternative)
- 1 egg – lightly beaten (to brush pastry and glaze) OR use milk
- 100 g parmesan cheese approx (grated)
- 5 large sun-dried tomatoes approx (cut into small pieces)
- 45 g walnuts chopped/crushed
Instructions
- If the pastry has been in the fridge, bring to room temperature before starting.
- If using pastry that needs to be rolled, roll into a large rectangle shape about 3 mm thick. Roll on top of well-floured baking paper, lifting frequently to prevent sticking.
- OR… Unroll the ready-rolled puff pastry sheet. Leave on the baking paper that it was packed with.
- Lightly brush the surface with beaten egg (or milk).
- Leaving an un-topped gap of 2 to 3 cm along one long edge, sprinkle a layer of grated parmesan cheese over the top, followed by an even random sprinkling of sun-dried tomato and chopped walnuts.
- Brush the un-topped edge with egg-wash or milk to re-moisten (as required).
- Roll up the pastry sheet, starting from the topped long-edge. Roll snuggly, but not over-tight to allow room to puff.
- Finish the roll at the dampened long edge, sticking the moistened pastry onto itself. Turn over so that the join is underneath.
- Wrap the pastry 'sausage' in the baking paper and chill for about 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F/Gas 6.
- Once chilled, use a very sharp knife to cut the pastry roll into rounds about 2 cm thick (or as you like them).
- Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, flat side down and brush with beaten egg (or milk).
- Bake for about 20 minutes until puffed and golden.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the pastry swirls onto kitchen roll for a couple of minutes to soak up any excess oil. It's easiest to do this with tongs.
- Enjoy hot and fresh or cold.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Gluten Free Puff Pastry Swirls shared with
- Handmade Monday #252 with Sum of their Stories
- Sundays on Silverado #66 with The House on Silverado
- Full Plate Thursday #562 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- What’s For Dinner #339 with The Lazy Gastronome
- Traffic Jam Weekend #301 with Life as LEO Wife
- Fiesta Friday #406 with Angie and Of Goats and Greens
Previously shared with: Cook Blog Share with Easy Peasy Foodie
Love sun dried tomatoes! Great recipe!
Thanks Michele. Me too xx
These savoury swirls are right up my street, love this idea.
Thanks lovely. SO easy too! xx
Used this pastry for the first time today and it's yummy! I made a salmon, spinach, leek, courgette and parmesan tart! any ideas for a good sweet recipe with chocolate? X
Thanks Emma. Your tart sounds amazing!For a seriously decadent chocolate tart, you could check out this one https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/chocolate-mousse-tart-gluten-free-pastry/ The photos aren't great (earlier blogging days) but the flavour of the chocolate filling is amazing xx
What a fab way to use the new gluten-free pastry. That combination of flavours is amazing! Thanks for entering into Treat Petite
Thanks Stuart. You're welcome. The flavour combo worked perfectly in here x
I just saw these over on #Bakeoftheweek and they looo delicious, amazing flavour combinations. I think I may have to make some this weekend for Sunday tea 🙂 Yummy!
Thank you Chonnie. The flavours worked so well together. Perfectly matched! x
That gluten free puff pastry must be making a huge number of people very happy now! It certainly would be one of those treats I would miss if I was in the position of having to avoid gluten. And yes, you're right, regular plastry (puff or otherwise) still comes as an oblong if it's ready rolled. . Strange they package it as a cirle (which yes would be useful if your lining a pie plate but of course it depends what size pie plate)
Great bake, they look v scrummy 🙂
An
Absolutely Angela. The option of ready-rolled puff pastry is very exciting….. although I have to admit, I would prefer a rectangular butter version! But I guess we can't have everything can we? xx
It is only last week that I saw it in my local tesco that they have this! Not use it before but I do think it is harder to raise because it is gf free. Have fun! #bakeoftheweek
Thanks Eileen. I think the evolution of GF puff marks a definite evolution in GF retailing. It's one of those things that has been a long time coming! x
i am so happy for all GF people that there is now a GF ready made puff pastry at last! That must be so amazing and will allow so many more food options for people with this food intolerance. So much time saved too! The flavours you have used sound delicious . thank you for linking up to #BakeoftheWeek x
Thanks Jenny. It's a bonus for us for sure. Just want them to make a butter version now!!! x
Wow ready-made GF puff pastry. That's wonderful!! Though I am amazed that it's taken this long for a company to come up with it. I do really love puff pastry and I really love what you have done with it – such great flavours! And I've just spotted your profile pic – so lovely to finally know what you look like! It's a gorgeous pic too – makes me wonder why you've been hiding for so long 😉 Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare 🙂 Eb x
Thanks Eb….. I was really quite excited to see ready-rolled GF puff for the first time…. I will certainly be making more of these swirls for Christmas.
As for the picture….. not sure why I decided to add it. My anonymity gave me quite a secure feeling. I sort of hoped the photo might go unnoticed……. I really don't like pics of me!!!!! Oh well…. it's out there now x
Oh, that looks amazing!! I adore puff pastry, but I did not know it even existed in gf version. Good to know. Thank you for sending your recipe to our Inheritance Recipes.
Thanks Margot. You're welcome x
I love making things like this at Christmas. Good to see Jus Roll now have a GF range #Bakeoftheweek
Me too Louise. These will be ready to share for sure this Christmas x
I love ready rolled pastry, it makes life so much simpler. Like you I cannot understand why it isn't rectangular? The ingredients you used sound so tasty x
Thanks Cathy….. I was a bit flummoxed when I found the pastry was circular….. All I could think was 'why????' But a ready-rolled option definitely opens up possibilities….. x
I didnt know you could get gluten free puff pastry – I shall be letting my sister who is celiac now for sure . These look really good and the filling sound delicious.
Yeah….. I've not seen it before either! The filling is perfect for it xx
Oh my they look good! Not seen this yet. I only have little local stores near me so unlikely to find it. Will keep an eye out for it over christmas when visiting family. I'm seeing cinnamon swirls and mincemeat puff tarts in the future 🙂
Thanks Katie. Good luck with finding it. It didn't work quite as well when I made salmon pie, but hey….. it's so much easier than making puff from scratch! x
I love these type of swirls and they are also a regular in our house if I need to make some nibbles for a party or something for a picnic. I love the sound of the sundried tomato and walnut filling – I bet they're delicious and it's great that you can introduce Miss GF to puff pastry as well now. Thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice
Thank you Corina. These are a party 'must' for sure! x
Wow this is exciting to hear for you – I don't use puff pastry often but I need it for my sausage rolls! And I always love the sound of these sort of scrolls. Our puff pastry is rolled square and we buy it from the freezer which is great – I often have quite a time lag between opening a packet and using the remainder. If I had the ingredients in your scrolls I might be tempted to make them right now! They sound great.
Thanks Johanna. These scrolls are definitely to be tried…… Miss GF can't get enough of them!