These walnut puff pastry swirls are the easiest rolls you could possibly make. They are sweet, flaky, delicious, and ready to serve in about 30 minutes.
Today's walnut puff pastry swirls are made with only a few ingredients and ready in about half an hour - can it get any better? Either for breakfast or a quick dessert, they're perfect when you have guests coming or just to make your kids happy! Not to mention that a whole batch costs about as much as one cinnamon walnut swirl bought in a bakery!
I have a thing for cinnamon rolls and a thing for puff pastry. Combining the two is always a great idea! Have a look at these French Palmiers or these Apple Puff Pastry Rolls, for instance. Or try the Swedish Kanelbullar or the Sweet Rolls with Cinnamon Sugar. I love them all!
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Recipe ingredients
Puff pastry: I always use already-rolled pastry from the refrigerator section of the supermarket. It costs almost nothing, is delicious, and is so easy to work with. Check out these Easy Cherry Turnovers or the Croissants with Jam, too.
- Frozen puff pastry is a very good substitute, of course. But you will have to defrost it according to the package instructions and roll it, if necessary.
Other ingredients: butter, brown sugar (but regular sugar is fine if you don't have it), a small handful of walnuts (or pecan nuts), and cinnamon.
For the icing, you will need some powdered sugar, water or milk, and a little vanilla extract.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make walnut swirls with puff pastry?
If using frozen pastry, thaw according to the package instructions and roll, if needed, for a sheet about 10 inches/ 25 cm long. The exact size isn’t critical. I leave the pastry on its parchment paper and use it to line the baking dish, as long as the paper is oven-safe.
Step #1: Unroll the pastry sheet and spread it with soft butter.
Step #2: Mix 2 tablespoons sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle on the dough. Top with walnuts.
Step #3: Roll tightly into a cylinder, being careful not to tear the dough with the walnuts. If it tears slightly, pinch the dough to seal it.
Step #4: Sprinkle 2 more tablespoons of sugar on the working surface. Gently roll the puff pastry cylinder through the sugar to coat it.
Step #5: Cut the cylinder into 6 cinnamon walnut swirls.
Step #6: Place them into a small baking dish lined with parchment paper.
Step #7: Bake the walnut puff pastry in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and puffed.
Step #8: Let cool for about 10 minutes before drizzling with the icing.
How to serve?
Enjoy immediately, or let them cool.
Foods made with puff pastry are always at their best on the day they are baked. However, leftovers are delicious the next day, although they will lose some of the crispiness and flakiness. Make these Marzipan Pastries next.
The leftovers will be fine for 3-4 days. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze puff pastry swirls?
If using refrigerated pastry, prepare everything, cut the cylinder into rolls, and freeze them on a tray, ensuring they don't touch. Once frozen, transfer to a smaller container.
Don't freeze swirls made with defrosted pastry, as refreezing isn't recommended.
Also, avoid freezing baked pastries - they don’t taste as good once thawed, so it's not worth it.
Walnut Puff Pastry Swirls
Equipment
- Baking dish about 10x6 inches/ 26x15 cm
Ingredients
- 1 ready-rolled sheet puff pastry about 275 g/ 10 oz, Notes 1 and 2
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter soft
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar divided (white sugar is ok)
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup powdered sugar Note 3
- ½ to 1 tablespoon milk or water as needed
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a small baking dish with parchment paper.
- Unroll the pastry. If using unrolled pastry, roll a rectangle of about 10 inches/ 25 cm long; a little more or less is OK.1 ready-rolled sheet puff pastry
- Add butter: Spread the pastry with the soft butter.1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, mix cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Sprinkle over the pastry and top with the walnuts.1 teaspoon cinnamon + 2 tablespoon brown sugar + ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- Roll the dough up tightly into a cylinder.
- Coat the pastry roll: Sprinkle 2 more tablespoons of sugar on the working surface. Carefully roll the cylinder in the sugar.2 tablespoon brown sugar
- Cut into 8 swirls. Place them into the baking dish and bake for about 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Let cool for 10 minutes before icing.
- To make the icing, mix the icing sugar, water or milk, and vanilla extract. Use enough liquid to get a thick yet pourable sugar paste. Drizzle over the hot cinnamon rolls. ¼ cup powdered sugar + ½ to 1 tablespoon milk or water # ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
- You can easily double the recipe.
- Frozen puff pastry can be used instead, thaw according to the package instructions, and roll, if not already rolled.
- Icing: This makes a small amount of icing; I find that enough. However, if you like a thicker icing, just double the ingredients.
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