Sweet, savory, and fun to eat, these puff pastry twists are made with just 3 ingredients and take less than 30 minutes to prepare. Deliciously addicting, they’re perfect for snacking or adding to your appetizer platters.
Why you’ll love this savory puff pastry appetizer recipe
I wasn’t much of a snacker until I made these twists with puff pastry. Then, everything changed. There’s just something about the sweet, savory flavors and crisp, flakey texture that’s impossible to resist!
- Simple ingredients – All you need are four easy-to-find ingredients, and you’re ready to get baking!
- Easy steps – With no need to prep or roll out pastry dough, these twists come together with minimal prep time and a total time of just 25 minutes. The only hard part is waiting for them to bake!
- Large batch – This recipe yields 22 crisps, which is plenty to feed a crowd for hosting.
Enjoy these puff pastry twists on their own. Or, add them to a platter along with other crowd-pleasing appetizers like 3-ingredient bacon jalapeño poppers, bacon wrapped cheesy crackers, and havarti cheese puffs.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Puff pastry – Find this in the frozen dessert section in most grocery stores. Make sure to thaw the sheets before you begin.
- Jam – I love using my homemade apricot jam in this recipe. Fig jam also works great. You want to choose strong jam to stand out in this appetizer recipe. Hot pepper jam is a great option if you’re into spicy stuff! Anything mild will make these twists somewhat bland.
- Prosciutto – A type of uncooked, dry-cured ham, this adds a deliciously savory, salty, slightly smokey taste that pairs fabulously with the sweet jam. I typically find it next to the specialty cheeses at my local grocery store.
- Fresh parmesan cheese adds nutty, rich flavor!
How to make these savory puff pastry twists
Before you begin, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Then, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and set it aside.
- Roll the thawed puff pastry into an 11-inch square.
- Spread the jam evenly all over.
- Layer the prosciutto slices over the jam.
- Then sprinkle parmesan cheese.
- Cut the puff pastry into 1-inch strips. I like to use a pizza cutter for this!
- Twist each strip, being careful not to break the dough, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
2 ways to twist
You can twist the strips two ways: prosciutto side on the inside or outside. See the images above for comparison.
- Bake until the twists are puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Be careful not to burn!
Puff Pastry Twist Variations
One of the best parts about this recipe is that you can fill your puff pastry with just about anything! Feel free to get creative with different options.
However, if you’re looking for inspiration, some of my favorite ways to switch it up include:
- Swapping the prosciutto with ham, pancetta, or capicola.
- Adding cheese like parmesan, shredded cheddar cheese, Swiss, or gruyère.
- Adding spices, like paprika, smoked chili, etc.
- Making sweet twists with Nutella, chocolate, or peanut butter and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Make-Ahead Tips
This recipe comes together quickly as is. However, there are a few ways you can speed up the process.
- Thaw the puff pastry in the refrigerator at least a day in advance.
- Prepare a batch of apricot jam, and store it in the fridge for up to a month. That way you can use it on English scones in the morning and have plenty left over for puff pastry twists, too!
- Prepare the twists a day in advance. Or, freeze them for up to 3 months. Then, thaw in the fridge, and bake as normal when you’re ready to serve.
Storing Tips
These twists are best served right away while they’re still warm. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
To serve, reheat them in the oven for just a few minutes until warmed through. Be careful not to burn!
FAQs:
No, the two are both layered doughs. However, crescent roll dough is softer and less flakey than puff pastry dough. This is because puff pastry dough has more butter and no yeast, which creates more pronounced layers and a flakier, crispier texture.
Puff pastry is a type of dough made with laminated or alternating layers of butter and dough. The only ingredients used for the dough are butter, salt, water, and flour. The slack of leavening agents creates a flakey, crispy texture that sets it apart from other types of pastry dough.
I love to serve these twists on their own with extra jam for dipping! However, they’re also great to serve at parties or family gatherings with other snacks and appetizers like smoked salmon crostini and shrimp cocktail. Or, you can add them to a baked brie board, a charcuterie and cheese board, or a summer cheese board!
More Savory Appetizers
Savory Puff Pastry Twists
Ingredients
- 2 sheets (490 g) frozen puff pastry thawed
- ½ cup (160 g) apricot jam Note 1
- 6 oz (170 g) prosciutto
- 1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Roll the puff pastry into 11-inch square and spread the jam all over.
- Layer prosciutto over the jam and sprinkle parmesan cheese.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut the puff pastry into 1-inch strips.
- Twist the puff pastry strips and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Bake the twists for 15-20 minutes or until the twists are puffed and golden brown.
- Cool slightly and serve warm. Best when served fresh and warm.
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Tips & Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on August 22, 2017.
Messy to make and not very tasty. Waste of kind of expensive ingredients.
Thanks for your honest feedback, Cheri. Sorry it didn’t meet your expectations.