Last updated on March 31st, 2023

Easy Garlic Mushroom Pinwheels

Do you have an upcoming potluck or party and need some low-carb inspiration on what to make? This recipe for Garlic Mushroom Pinwheels is your solution! 

Garlic Mushroom Pinwheels will check all the boxes even if you are hungry for something garlicky, buttery, light, and airy (like pastry) to snack on.

Garlicky, check!

Buttery, check!

Low carb, big CHECK!

This recipe uses low-carb pastry dough, a variation of Fathead dough commonly used to make keto pizza, and it requires patience (if you have it) to make these perfect-looking pinwheels. Okay, they don’t need to be round or the same size if you are going to eat them by yourself but let’s say for a potluck or having guests over, presentation matters.

Why you will like Garlic Mushroom Pinwheels

• Everyone will enjoy these garlicky pinwheels, even your non-low-carb family and friends.
• They are fun to make, just like regular baked pinwheels, but with keto and gluten-free ingredients.
• These pinwheels are easy finger food and convenient to transport.
• The low-carb pastry is eggless and does not have an ‘eggy’ taste, typically in low-carb baking. This recipe does not use Almond flour either!
• Serve these delicious mushroom bites for breakfast, lunch or as an accompaniment to soup.

Are Mushrooms Low Carb?

Mushrooms are inherently low in carbs and considered to have a low glycemic index (GI), so they will not spike your blood sugar levels. Half a cup of raw mushrooms contains about 1.5 grams of carbs, making it easy to enjoy them regularly on a low-carb or keto lifestyle.

What is Fathead Dough?

Fathead dough is a simple, high-fat dough used as a substitute for pizza crust in the low-carb and keto communities.

If you are craving pizza whilst on keto, you will want to learn how to make fathead dough immediately because you can use it to make pizza crust and satisfy that pizza craving. It’s one of the first things I did when I started doing low-carb.

To make a basic fathead dough, mozzarella cheese and cream cheese are melted in a double boiler or microwave. Once the cheeses have melted and become gooey in texture, an egg and almond flour are added to the cheeses to bring everything together into a warm dough that is easy to roll out.

Pizza made with fathead dough tastes delicious but is high in fat and calories, so I limit it to the occasional treat when I’m craving pizza badly. Alternatively, I’ll make my low-carb Brocolli Pizza Crust, which is just as satisfying.

Ingredients to Make Garlic Mushroom Pinwheels

Garlic Mushroom filling

Cremini Mushrooms. Any mushroom variety will work with this recipe. I use cremini mushrooms because I can find them packed in the exact amount for this recipe. I like to use whole mushrooms because you can dry them with a paper towel. Sliced mushrooms speed up the prep work, but you must wash them and dry them out before cooking.

Butter. A good quality salted butter helps to flavour the pinwheels.

Garlic. Crushed garlic mixed with melted butter is a match made in heaven. 

Rosemary Sprig. Rosemary sprigs make the pinwheels fragrant and enhance the garlic butter flavour. 

Salt & Pepper. I’m not a big fan of salt and always add less, but taste testing as you go along will help you decide how much to add to your preference. You may need to add more salt to enhance the garlic flavour if you use unsalted butter.

Low-Carb Pastry Ingredients

Mozzarella Cheese. A good quality brick-style mozzarella cheese works well in this recipe and helps bind the dough together and maintain its elasticity. Keep extra cheese aside to sprinkle over the pastry if you don’t have Gruyere cheese.

Gruyere cheese. This is optional, but it’s less salty, and I prefer to sprinkle it over the pastry to help the mushroom stick to it, and if you like this cheese, you might like to try my Buttery Gruyere Spaghetti Squash.

Cream cheese. Soften the texture of the pastry with cream cheese, which balances out the flavour.

Coconut flour. Add some fibre and keep the pastry dough together with coconut flour.

Baking powder. The pastry rises and expands a little, making it airy with a bit of baking powder.

Garlic powder. Enhance the garlicky flavour of the pinwheels with more garlic flavouring. 

Ground Pepper. Adds a little kick to compliment the salty flavours of all the cheeses in the recipe.

How to make Easy Garlic Mushroom Pinwheels

STEP 1: Make the Garlic Mushroom Filling

Wipe and chop the mushrooms

I like to use whole mushrooms because you can easily wipe them off with a paper towel. Chop the mushrooms roughly into small pieces. I slice them first and then roughly chop them into small pieces.

Saute the Mushrooms

Melt the butter in a skillet on medium heat. Add the garlic and a sprig of rosemary.

Add the mushrooms and sauté on medium heat until they become soft. Don’t stir too much; let them cook naturally in the pan. Season with salt and pepper, then cook until all the water has evaporated.

Set Mushrooms aside to cool

Remove the pan from the heat and let the mushroom filling cool while making the dough. You might be tempted to taste a few spoonfuls as soon as the garlic and rosemary aroma hits your nose.

STEP 2: Make the low-carb Pastry Dough

Prepare the baking tray and work surface

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep two more large sheets aside to roll out the dough.

Melt the cheeses

In a microwaveable bowl, melt the cheeses in 30-second increments until they have become soft and gooey. Stir the cheeses together in between each increment to ensure a smooth consistency.

Combine the dry ingredients and spices with the cheese mixture

Stir in the coconut flour, baking powder and spices to the cheese and combine evenly to form a dough texture.

Roll out the dough

Form the dough into a rectangle, then roll the dough between the two sheets of parchment paper.

If it goes wonky, fold in the edges to bring it back to a rectangle shape. Roll the dough until it is roughly the shape of a 7″ x 12″ rectangle.

STEP 3: Assemble the Pinwheels

Top the dough with cheese and mushroom filling

Spread the extra Mozzarella cheese (or Gruyere) over the rolled-out dough, then add the cooled mushroom filling to cover the entire dough surface.

Roll the dough and filling together

Using the edge of the parchment paper, roll the longest edge of the dough over into a log. Wrap it in parchment paper and let it sit in the fridge for 5-10 mins. 

PRO TIP: Cut the dough using dental floss. 

This is the fun part! But take your time with this step. Remove the log from the fridge, and unwrap the parchment paper on your counter.

The best way to ensure perfect round pinwheels is to use DENTAL FLOSS instead of a sharp knife. Even the sharpest of my knives doesn’t keep the pastry intact, but dental floss does the trick, and you will be pleased with the results.

Slide a long piece of dental floss underneath the log, pull up both ends, cross them over and pull the floss gently as if you are tying a knot; let the floss wire do most of the work without force, and it will easily cut through the pastry without disturbing the shape of the pinwheel.

Transfer the pinwheels to the baking tray

Carefully lift each pinwheel with a spatula and lay it flat onto the baking tray. I usually begin to cut from the middle and work my way out to make about 15 pinwheels about ½ inch thick.

If you try using a sharp knife, it will not keep the shapes in place. 

Bake the Pinwheels

Bake the pinwheels in a preheated oven at 425 degrees F for 15-20 mins. After 5 mins, the dough will begin to melt, and that’s the best time to take the baking tray out and push in the edges of the pinwheels with a spatula, to retain their shape. Then return the tray to the oven to resume baking.

Remove the tray from the oven once the edges of the pinwheels are lightly browned.

Cool

Remove the baking tray from the oven and let the pinwheels cool in the tray. Transfer them to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any moisture and grease.  

Storage, Freezing and Reheating Tips

Storage: These pinwheels can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. They taste best when cooled right after baking and have become slightly firm, just suitable for finger food fare.

Freezing: I’ve never needed to freeze these as I make enough to share or consume within five days. If you wanted to freeze them, you could make them ahead of the filling to freeze. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and make the dough when you want to bake them. 

Reheating: Warm these pinwheels in the microwave for about 10-20 seconds, then let them cool slightly to firm up.

Did you make this recipe?

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