Here’s a simple and delightful make-ahead Almond Pinwheel recipe that’s perfect for holiday mornings or any busy breakfast. These use store-bought frozen puff pastry and a quick almond filling, so you can prepare them the night before and bake them fresh the next morning with very little fuss.
Follow the steps below to assemble them ahead of time and enjoy warm, flaky pastries without the morning mess.
This recipe combines thawed puff pastry with a rich almond filling. The filling can be made a day or two in advance and stored in the refrigerator. The evening before serving, unroll the thawed puff pastry and cut each sheet into twelve equal squares. Puff pastry is easiest to handle when it’s thawed but still cold. Cut about one inch in from each corner toward the center, place a tablespoon of almond filling in the center, then fold every other corner into the middle and press to seal. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry. Cover the baking sheets and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Whisk the reserved egg yolk with 1–2 tablespoons of milk to make an egg wash. Brush each pinwheel and sprinkle with chopped almonds for extra crunch and color.
Bake the pinwheels for about 9–11 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden on top. Transfer them to a cooling rack and dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving.
These pinwheels are best eaten the day they are baked, but assembling them the night before makes morning preparation quick and stress-free. They’re light, buttery, flaky, and the almond filling gives a wonderfully nutty, slightly sweet finish. During testing, these were popular at a church breakfast and with neighbors—everyone enjoyed them.
I used an all-butter puff pastry from Trader Joe’s, which produces a rich, flaky result. If you like, pick up an extra package to keep in your freezer for another batch or to experiment with other fillings.
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to hear how your pinwheels turned out. Share a photo on social media with the hashtag #lovelylittlekitchen to show your results.
Make Ahead Almond Pinwheels
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- Author: Julie
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 11 mins
- Total Time: 31 mins
- Yield: 24
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
The perfect make-ahead breakfast idea using frozen puff pastry and a homemade almond filling. These Almond Pinwheels are buttery, flaky, and ideal for holiday mornings.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Filling
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 8 ounces almond paste
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg white (reserve yolk for egg wash)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
For Assembly
- 2 rolls frozen puff pastry
- 1 reserved egg yolk
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 cup chopped almonds
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
For the Filling
- In a mixer bowl, beat butter, almond paste, powdered sugar, and flour with a paddle on medium speed until combined. Add the egg white and chopped almonds, mixing until smooth. Cover and chill until ready to use.
For Assembly
- Thaw puff pastry according to package directions—about 20–30 minutes at room temperature until pliable but still cold. Unroll onto a baking sheet; parchment or a Silpat can help if your sheet sticks.
- Cut each sheet into 12 equal squares and arrange them about an inch apart on the baking sheet.
- Make a one-inch cut from each corner diagonally toward the center using kitchen shears or a paring knife.
- Spoon a tablespoon of filling into the center of each square. Fold every other corner into the center and press to seal. Repeat for the second sheet.
- Cover the assembled pinwheels with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight if desired.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare an egg wash by whisking the reserved yolk with 1–2 tablespoons milk. Brush the tops of the pinwheels and sprinkle with chopped almonds.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove to a cooling rack and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Pinwheel
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 7.1g
- Sodium: 74mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 1.1g
- Protein: 3.2g
- Cholesterol: 13mg