Puff pastry and bacon is a combination we would drop everything for. Add jalapeño and cheese to the mix and we will come a-running. These Bacon Jalapeño Puff Pastry Wheels tick all the appetizer boxes and it’s kinda hard to stop eating them once you start. If you prefer a vegetarian version just leave out the bacon, they’ll be just as good!
Ingredients for 16 wheels:
1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature or warmed in the microwave for 10 seconds
1 cup finely grated cheddar, monterey jack or pepper jack cheese - anything goes!
1 jalapeño, seeds removed and diced
4 strips of bacon, cooked until crispy, crumbled
Start by cooking the bacon until crispy. You can do this in a frying pan, but our preferred low-maintenance method is to bake it at 400F for 15 minutes. Drain on a paper towel and chop it into little crumbles.
Roll out your puff pastry to a rectangle - aim for roughly14x9 inches (35 x 22 cm). Spread the cream cheese over the pastry, getting into all the corners. Sprinkle over the cheese, bacon and jalapeño. Starting at the longer side of the pastry roll it carefully, trying to keep all the lovely bits inside. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Remove the pastry from the fridge and cut it into 3/8 inch (just shy of 1 cm) slices. You don’t need to measure it exactly, what’s important is that they are all the same thickness so that they bake evenly. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes until nicely golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving as they’re piping hot!
