Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 230 g pie dough, chilled
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 5 g ground cinnamon
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon until intimately mixed.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled pie dough into a rough rectangle approximately 3mm thick.
Brush the surface of the dough generously with the melted butter, leaving a small 1cm border on one long edge.
Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the buttered dough.
Starting from the long edge opposite the clean border, tightly roll the dough into a log. Press the unbuttered edge firmly to seal.
Using a sharp knife, slice the log into 1.5cm thick rounds.
Arrange the pinwheels on the prepared baking sheet with space between them. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the sugar has caramelized.
Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The sugar will harden as it cools.
Chef's Notes
- For a deeper flavor, use brown sugar instead of white; the molasses content adds a rich caramel note.
- If using store-bought round dough, you can simply roll it up as is; the pinwheels will just vary slightly in size.
- Brush the tops with a little extra milk or egg wash before baking for a glossy, professional finish.
- This recipe is the perfect vehicle for clearing out other pantry leftovers—try adding finely chopped nuts or citrus zest to the filling.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container to maintain crispness.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze unbaked log or baked cookies.
Reheating: Warm in a 150°C oven for 3-5 minutes to recrisp.
