Spiced Blood Orange Puff Pastry Pinwheels

Winter Spring is Coming!

And with it, the final season of Game of Thrones!

At our house, we cannot be more excited! Each night after we tuck our girls into bed, we have been rewatching all the previous seasons  to get ready. And secretly planning a ridiculously geeky Game of Thrones watching meal for the upcoming premiere!

Blood oranges are famous because their juice is such a bright and vibrant red color. It does kind of remind you of blood. And there’s no bloodier show than Game of Thrones.

And puff pastry pinwheels kind of remind me of the sun.. sooo.. a puff pastry pin wheel made with blood oranges spiked with a little hidden heats makes me think of House Martell and the Sand Snakes! Pretend you follow my train of thought here, ok?

These puff pastry pinwheels (or suns) are so easy to make, so there is no excuse not to have them ready for your next viewing party. Flakey and buttery puff pastry is twirled around orange sugar spiced with cinnamon and a tiny bit of heat – because sweet with a little bit of heat is the name of the game here.

Want to make other fun Game of Thrones inspired recipes? Try these:

• House Stark – Lemon Cakes for Sansa Stark
• House Frey – Meat Pie
• House Arryn – Vale Mule Cocktail 

How to Make Blood Orange Danish Puff Pastry Swirls

This recipe is very simple to make! Here is a brief overview of the recipe to give you an idea of how it works. For the full set of directions and measurements, please make sure you scroll down to the recipe card below!

These Blood Orange Puff Pastry Pinwheels are so quick and simple to make! They do make a fair amount of sugary mess, so I recommend doing this over a piece of parchment paper or on a baking sheet.

Make the filling

1. Make the orange sugar by rubbing orange zest into the sugar with your fingers. This really releases the oils in the blood orange and helps infuse the sugar with all that great orange flavor!
2. Stir the cinnamon and optional cayenne pepper into the orange sugar.

Assemble the pinwheels

1. Roll out your puff pastry into a rectangle.
2. Sprinkle the orange sugar over the puff pastry and use the rolling pin to press it into the puff pastry.
3. Use a pizza wheel or a sharp knife to slice the pastry into 7 thick slices vertically.
4. Slice each of the strips in half, and layer the two thinner strips on top of each other, with the orange sugar facing inwards.
5. Press the ends of the two twists together and then twist the strips together.
6. Roll the twisted strips of puff pastry into a spiral, like a snail shell. Tuck the loose end under.
7. Place the swirls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a sit-pat and allow to chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
8. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 14-18minutes, or until starting to turn golden brown.

Storage Information

These orange pinwheels are best the day they are made.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.

How Your Kids Can Help You Bake

These Orange Puff Pastries are perfect for kids to help you make! Warning – They ARE messy, but they are messy even without kids, so just go for it! Remember, its about the memories, not the perfection! Here are some great age appropriate ways to get your kids in the kitchen with you:

• Kids aged 1 to 3 can help you measure everything, sprinkle the orange sugar on the puff pastry.
• Kids aged 4 to 6 can help do everything above, and help roll out the puff pastry, zest the orange, and create the orange sugar.
• Kids aged 7 to 10+ can help do everything above, plus twist the puff pastry spirals.

*Please note that these recommendations are generalized, and to please use your personal discretion with your child’s skill level. And always, always supervise! Read more about how to have your children help you in the kitchen.