Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

Featured in: Irresistible Tasty Bites

Ham and cheese pinwheels are a simple and delicious appetizer made by rolling out pizza dough, layering it with thin slices of ham and creamy Swiss cheese, and cutting it into spirals. These rolls are baked until fluffy and golden, and brushed with a flavorful Dijon mustard and poppy seed butter. Perfectly soft and savory, these pinwheels are a crowd-pleasing snack for gatherings.

Tags: #cheese

Clare Greco
Updated on Mon, 28 Apr 2025 11:07:50 GMT
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels | recipesbyclare.com
Pin it

Ham and Cheese Pinwheels roll 12 slices shaved deli ham and nine to 12 slices Swiss cheese inside one 14-ounce pizza-dough rectangle. The log is cut into exactly 12 spirals, baked for 15 minutes, brushed with a warm Dijon-Worcestershire butter sauce, and baked 10 minutes more. The recipe serves 12 and records 10 minutes of preparation, 25 minutes of cooking, and 35 minutes total, followed by a five-minute rest. Minced onion and poppy seeds are optional components of the sauce; the pinwheels remain faithful when either is omitted rather than replaced with an unlisted seasoning.

Ham and Cheese Pinwheels Ingredients

Exact measured ingredients for Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Exact measured ingredients for Ham and Cheese Pinwheels | Recipes by Clare
Pin it

Dough: 14-ounce can of regular pizza dough.

Filling: 12 slices of thinly shaved deli ham; 9-12 slices of thinly sliced Swiss cheese.

Sauce: 6 tablespoons of melted butter; 1/2 tablespoon of Dijon mustard; 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon of minced onions (optional); 1 teaspoon of poppy seeds (optional).

How to Make Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

Four chronological preparation stages for Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Four chronological preparation stages for Ham and Cheese Pinwheels | Recipes by Clare
Pin it
  1. Prepare oven and baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish or line with parchment paper.
  2. Roll out dough: Unroll the pizza dough onto a cutting board and press out the edges so it forms an even rectangle.
  3. Add ham and cheese: Place 12 slices of ham evenly on top of the pizza dough, followed by 9-12 slices of Swiss cheese.
  4. Cut into pinwheels: Starting with the short edge, roll up the dough tightly. Cut the log in half, then cut each half into 6 equal pieces to create 12 slices. Place the slices in the prepared baking dish.
  5. Initial bake: Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
  6. Prepare sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, minced onions, and poppy seeds, if using.
  7. Add sauce and finish baking: Remove rolls from the oven and brush the sauce evenly over the top. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden.
  8. Serve: Let the pinwheels rest in the pan for 5 minutes before serving warm.

Why the Order Matters

Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a nine-by-13-inch dish or line it with parchment. Press the 14-ounce pizza dough into an even rectangle. Arrange exactly 12 ham slices evenly, then add nine to 12 thin Swiss slices. Starting at the short edge, roll a tight log. Cut it in half, then cut each half into six equal pieces to make 12 pinwheels and arrange them in the dish. Bake 15 minutes. Whisk six tablespoons melted butter with one-half tablespoon Dijon and two teaspoons Worcestershire, adding one teaspoon minced onions and one teaspoon poppy seeds only if desired. Brush evenly, bake 10 minutes more until golden, and rest five minutes before warm service.

Critical Visual and Timing Cues

An even dough rectangle and edge-to-edge filling keep the spiral centers consistent. Twelve ham slices establish the count; Swiss may range from nine to 12, so distribute the chosen number across the surface rather than stacking it in one area. Roll from the short edge to create a thicker log and compact spiral. Halving first is the reliable route to two groups of six. Place cut faces upward with a little expansion space. After 15 minutes the dough should be partially set before sauce is brushed on. Apply sauce across all 12 rather than saturating a few. The final 10 minutes should create a golden surface and melted cheese without scorching the butter glaze.

Serving and Storage

Rest the finished pan for five minutes, then serve the 12 pinwheels warm, one as each recorded serving. Refrigerate leftovers promptly because they contain deli ham, Swiss cheese, and butter. Reheat until the center is hot while protecting the glazed tops from darkening. The recipe contains wheat, dairy, mustard, and package-specific meat or Worcestershire allergens. Optional onion and poppy seed should remain clearly optional. No egg wash, bacon, turkey, cheddar, herbs, fruit, lettuce, or dipping sauce appears in the verified source. If parchment is used, it replaces buttering the dish rather than requiring both preparation methods.

Practical Kitchen Notes

Keep the two-stage bake intact: 15 minutes before sauce and 10 minutes after it. The summarized 25-minute cooking value matches those stages, while the additional five-minute rest follows baking. Sauce quantities are six tablespoons melted butter, one-half tablespoon Dijon mustard, and two teaspoons Worcestershire sauce. The optional minced onion and poppy seed are each one teaspoon. Use a full 14-ounce can of regular pizza dough. Cut the rolled log with a sharp knife using minimal pressure so the spirals stay round. Count every piece before placing the dish in the oven, and redistribute any thick end portion so the final 12 remain as even as practical.

Details Worth Preserving

Set out the prepared dish before opening the dough. Layer ham and cheese in an even grid, leaving only enough edge to close the seam, then roll with steady tension from the short side. Mark the midpoint and six positions on each half before cutting. Arrange all 12 cut faces upward. During the first bake, whisk the sauce so it is ready when the pan emerges. Brush in two passes to distribute it fairly, finish baking for the exact additional 10 minutes, and keep the five-minute rest intact so hot cheese settles before the pinwheels are lifted.

Recorded Recipe Tips

  • You can use homemade pizza dough or a can of crescent rolls as a substitute for the dough.
  • Make the rolls the night before and refrigerate after step 4. Bake when ready and follow with the sauce.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. These can also be enjoyed cold.
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels | recipesbyclare.com
Pin it

Conclusion

Ham and Cheese Pinwheels makes 12 pinwheels in 35 recorded minutes, plus any separately stated baking, chilling, rising, resting, or cooling time. Preserve every listed quantity and instruction for the intended result.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ How many servings does Ham and Cheese Pinwheels make?

It makes 12 pinwheels and serves 12.

→ How long does Ham and Cheese Pinwheels take?

The recipe records 10 minutes of preparation, 25 minutes of cooking, and 35 minutes total, plus any separately stated baking, chilling, rising, resting, or cooling time.

→ What equipment should be ready?

Prepare 9x13-inch baking dish; Cutting board; Small mixing bowl before starting.

→ Can I change the recorded method?

For the verified result, keep the listed quantities, temperatures, timing, and ordered instructions exactly as written. Use only optional variations explicitly recorded in the source.

4.80 from 150 votes

Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

Preparation Time:
10 Minutes
Cook Time:
25 Minutes
Total Cooking Time:
35 Minutes
Number of Servings:
12
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Print it Send it

Tender pinwheels with ham, Swiss cheese, and a golden buttery glaze.

Ingredients You'll Need

  • Dough

  • Filling

  • Sauce

How to Make It

1.

1. Prepare oven and baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish or line with parchment paper.

2.

2. Roll out dough: Unroll the pizza dough onto a cutting board and press out the edges so it forms an even rectangle.

3.

3. Add ham and cheese: Place 12 slices of ham evenly on top of the pizza dough, followed by 9-12 slices of Swiss cheese.

4.

4. Cut into pinwheels: Starting with the short edge, roll up the dough tightly. Cut the log in half, then cut each half into 6 equal pieces to create 12 slices. Place the slices in the prepared baking dish.

5.

5. Initial bake: Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

6.

6. Prepare sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, minced onions, and poppy seeds, if using.

7.

7. Add sauce and finish baking: Remove rolls from the oven and brush the sauce evenly over the top. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden.

8.

8. Serve: Let the pinwheels rest in the pan for 5 minutes before serving warm.

Extra Information

  1. You can use homemade pizza dough or a can of crescent rolls as a substitute for the dough.
  2. Make the rolls the night before and refrigerate after step 4. Bake when ready and follow with the sauce.
  3. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. These can also be enjoyed cold.

Essential Tools

  • 9x13-inch baking dish
  • Cutting board
  • Small mixing bowl

Allergy Warnings

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Contains dairy ingredients like cheese and butter.
  • Contains gluten from the pizza dough.

Nutrition Details (Per Portion)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 180
  • Total Fat: 9.2 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 15.5 g
  • Protein: 9.5 g