Jalapeno Popper Pastry Pinwheels

Just in case you have some last minute party plans pop up unexpectedly, you'll want to keep this recipe handy. I came up with this at the very last minute possible, when I needed to bring an appetizer to a BBQ. These disappeared FAST. This is a very quick & easy recipe, and the finished product is sure to please. Plus, you get to be the one that shows up at the party with "Jalapeno Popper Pastry Pinwheels". That sounds way more exciting than "I brought the green bean casserole", in my humble opinion.

Jalapeno Popper Pastry Pinwheels...with tequila!

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Plus, it has tequila - and I find that always to be a selling point. The tequila adds just enough moisture so that the cream cheese yields and everything mixes together well, but due to the alcohol content, this extra moisture will evaporate pretty quickly in the oven. It will leave behind some tequila flavor, but it won't make your filling so runny that it melts and dribbles out of your beautiful little pastry rolls, and all over your oven. The salt provides all the seasoning you need (simple is good, in this case). If you're concerned about these being too spicey, you could use green chiles instead of jalapenos, or half-and-half.


So, here's how it's done. You'll need:

• a tube of crescent rolls
• a small (4 oz) can of diced jalapenos, drained
• one 8 oz package of cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 tablespoons of tequila
• a sharp knife
• a cookie sheet

Instructions:

(1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

(2) In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a medium bowl, and mix using a hand mixer, whatever) combine the jalapenos, cream cheese, salt, and tequila. Mix well. 

(3) Pop open the tube of crescent rolls, and unroll the dough onto a clean work surface (I used a plastic cutting board with a little olive oil on it to prevent sticking). Seal the perforated edges - you want to utilize a contiguous rectangle. 

(4) Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the dough. 

(5) Turn the rectangle so that you're looking at it in "landscape orientation". Starting with the (long) edge closest to you, start rolling up the edge, like you're making sweet rolls. 

(6) Once you've rolled the dough into a long log, take your sharp knife and slice the log into about 1/3" slices. I found that if I rolled the log about 1/4 turn every couple of slices, it kept its round shape better and didn't get squished. Wiping off the knife on a clean paper towel every couple of slices also helps. 

(7) Lay out the slices on a lightly greased cookie sheet, leaving about an inch or so in between the slices. They'll puff up a bit. 

(8) Bake for 11-15 minutes, until the tops begin to turn golden brown and the filling starts to bubble. 

(9) Let the pinwheels set on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before you transfer them to a cooling rack (they're fragile when they're hot)

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

All packed up and ready to party!

Fresh out of the oven.

Annnd enjoy! Happy Cinco de Mayo! And happy anniversary to my dear parents. Cheers! 

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

~Jacqueline