Puff pastry pinwheels for baby led weaning (dairy and egg free)

Puff pastry pinwheels are a much loved staple of baby led weaning! They are especially handy if you are weaning with allergies, as they are so adaptable to different dietary requirements. Read on to find out how to make them, plus lots of different dairy, egg and soy free filling ideas. 

5 reasons to love puff pastry pinwheels for baby led weaning

1. Once you have got the hang of making pinwheels, they are very quick and easy to make!
2. They are also extremely versatile, and it’s easy to experiment with different fillings. This can be a fantastic way to introduce your baby to different flavours when weaning.
3. Pinwheels are easy to batch cook and freeze well. So, one bit of effort goes a long way!  
4. They are great crowd pleasers. Everyone from babies to grown ups enjoys pinwheels. I very often make them for playdates and parties.
5. If you’re looking for a good snack to take out and about, or a lunchbox filler, these fit the bill perfectly.

Top tips for success when making puff pastry pinwheels

The recipe card below gives you all the info you need to make puff pastry pinwheels. Here are a few extra tips to guarantee success! 

• Always take your pastry out of the fridge 10 minutes before you want to use it. This makes it easier to work with and prevents cracking when you unroll it. 
• Make sure that any fillings you add are cold. For example, if you have made a tomato sauce for pizza pinwheels, let it cool before spreading it onto your pastry. Adding a hot filling will make the pastry melty and impossible to work with. 
• Don’t spread your filling too thick or it will smoosh out of the sides when you cut your slices.
• Keep an eye on your pinwheels when the final cooking time gets close. All ovens are different, and puff pastry is more prone to burning than average. Once you know what works for your own oven, you can do the same each time.

Fillings ideas for baby led weaning pinwheels

There are so many options to fill pinwheels for baby led weaning. The beauty is that they are so versatile. Plus, I find that they are a great way to include veg that my kids wouldn’t otherwise want to eat – see the spinach pinwheels as an example of this! 

Below are three of my favourite filings for inspiration. But feel free to get creative – and let me know if you come up with any good combos!

• Spinach and vegan cream cheese. Puree a handful of spinach, and mix it with 75g plain vegan cream cheese (I tend to use Oatly for this).
• Pizza pinwheels with dairy free cheese. You can use a basic tomato sauce, or add some more nutrition with a mixed veg version like my magic hidden veg sauce. Once cooled, spread the sauce evenly over your puff pastry sheet. Then sprinkle over a grated dairy free cheese. You can leave it at that, or add any of your baby’s favourite ingredients. Favourites for us are tuna or shredded chicken. 
• Chia jam is a healthier twist on a sweet treat.

Fillings inspiration from other allergy parents!

I put out a request on my Instagram page to gather favourite pinwheel fillings from other allergy parents. Here are some of the ideas they shared:

• Mashed sweet potato and grated vegan cheese
• Mashed sweet potato and tinned mackerel
• Chocolate pinwheels using a dairy free spread such as Mr Organic chocolate and hazelnut spread (contains nuts) or Violife Coco Spread
• Italian style roasted tomato sauce and oregano
• Mashed avocado and bacon

Adaptable to different dietary requirements

Helpfully, a lot of ready made puff pastry sheets are dairy, egg and soy free. This means that puff pastry can be a bit of a life saver if you’re weaning dairy free! 

For example, the only highlighted allergen in the standard Jus Rol ready rolled sheets is wheat; and they also make a good gluten free version. Asda and Sainsbury’s own brand puff pastry sheets are also dairy, egg and soy free (although some do have may contain warnings, so always check).  

It’s very easy to adapt the pinwheel fillings to suit your baby’s dietary requirements. Pick and choose the elements and ingredients that work for your child’s allergies. 

To keep it egg free, your choice of plant based milk is used for glazing. I often use almond or oat milk, but most unsweetened types will work for this. You can just adjust based on the dietary requirements you are cooking for. 

How to serve puff pastry pinwheels for baby led weaning

Puff pastry pinwheels make great finger food for baby led weaning. You can try cutting them into slices for younger babies, but personally I found that letting them pick up the whole thing and have a chomp on it worked well. Puff pastry is, by its nature, a bit crumbly – so be prepared for some sweeping up afterwards!

The savoury version works well as part of a picky lunch alongside things such as sticks of pepper, cucumber, or lightly steamed carrot, dairy free cheese, and some protein such as tuna or shredded chicken.  They can also be served by themselves as a standalone snack.

How to freeze puff pastry pinwheels

It’s easy to make a big batch of pinwheels, so I suggest making more than you need and freezing the spares for use at a later date. They can be frozen after they are cooked and cooled. Initially freeze them laid out flat on some grease proof paper. They can then be placed into a freezer bag without sticking together, allowing you to take out only as many as you need. 

I usually defrost at room temperature for a couple of hours, and then reheat for 10 minutes or so in the oven. I suggest covering them with foil to avoid burning.