Even though fall is one of my favorite baking seasons, I am still not ready for summer to be over so soon. Especially since I can’t seem to get enough of summer fruit and produce.
I’ve already started to see a lot of pumpkin and fall recipes showing up which I totally love too but I thought I would try to sneak in one more summer one while we are still in August.
I had a craving to make a pie a few weeks ago when my mom gave me a couple of rhubarb stalks from her garden. At the time, I was also swimming in cherries from our cherry picking adventures so off I started to make the pie crust.
For some reason that day the pie gods just didn’t want to cooperate with me for the lattice crust that I had in mind which was kind of a bummer.
Refusing to give up in defeat, I gathered up the dough and these pinwheels were born after I spotted these gorgeous ones from Kelly and Amy.
Mine didn’t turn out quite as pretty or puffy as theirs since I used pie dough crust instead of pastry dough like they did – but they sure were fun to make! Plus, they would be awesome to bring to a summer bbq or party.
You can make these even easier with prepared pie crust dough or if you don’t feel like making pinwheels – just scoop the filling up and bake them into mini ramekins with the crust.
My favorite part was definitely the cherry and rhubarb pie filling. And if you’ve still got leftover filling after making the pinwheels, go ahead and eat it by the spoonful. I promise – no judging here 🙂
- Your favorite pie dough recipe, or ready make refrigerated pie crust, or the recipe below
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter chilled and cubed
- 1/3 cup vegetable shortening chilled
- 1/3 cup ice water
- 2 cups fresh cherries pitted
- 1 cup fresh rhubarb chopped into 1" pieces
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- egg wash
- fresh whipped cream
- whole cherry from the filling
- powdered sugar
- In a large bowl, mix flour and salt together.
- Add cold shortening and cold unsalted butter.
- Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut the butter and shortening until the mixture resembled coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK).
- Measure 2/3 cup of water. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure 2/3 cup of water (since the ice has melted a bit). Slowly drizzle in the very cold water, stirring with a large spatula after every Tablespoon of water that you add. Do not add any more water than you need to. Stop adding water when the dough begins to clump.
- Roll out the dough on a floured work surface. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky.
- Form the dough into a ball and flatten each into a disc using your hands.
- Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cherries, rhubarb, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir in almond extract. Cool slightly before using as a topping. Reserve some whole cherries for the garnish if desired.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Remove dough from fridge and use a rolling pin to roll out one half into a square on a lightly floured board; cut into squares measuring 3x3 inches.
- Place 1/2 tablespoon of the filling into the center of each square.
- Using a knife, make a diagonal cut of 3/4 - 1 inch in all the four corners of the square sheet.
- Fold every other tip in toward the center and seal.
- Transfer to baking sheets using a spatula.
- Brush beaten egg wash lightly over pastries using a pastry brush.
- Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes rotating halfway through baking time until crust goldens. Transfer pastries to prepared wire racks to cool completely.
- Dollop with fresh whipped cream and add a whole cherry from the filling.
- Dust with powdered sugar.
Pinwheels Inspiration: Just A Taste and Fearless Homemaker
Pie Dough slightly adapted from: All Recipes
Hungry for more? Follow me here:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Google+ | Instagram | Bloglovin
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods -
I have seen so many pumpkins and Halloween decorations at several stores. I know fall means colder weather, so I’m trying to hold on to summer as long as I can. These pinwheels look delicious! They are perfect summer treat 😀
Kelly -
Me too, I think I started seeing pumpkins and Halloween decorations out last month already – it’s earlier and earlier every year – just crazy! Thanks Cindy – here’s to hanging on to summer for just a bit longer 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy -
I love the new blog design – it looks great!
I love rhubarb. My husband hates it, so I am always looking for new rhubarb recipes for him to try to convince him how good it is.
Kelly -
Thanks Danni 🙂 My husband isn’t usually a rhubarb fan either but in this pie filling along with the sweet cherries – he couldn’t stop munching on these hehe.
Zainab -
I am NOT ready for Fall and all the recipes it brings yet. It was 90 today so yeah…I am holding on to summer a bit longer lol!! I love these pinwheels and just like how simple they are to make!!
Kelly -
Thanks Zainab! I love fall but am going to miss so many things about summer too. Yay for holding on to summer while we can 🙂
Ashley -
These are so fun Kelly!! I love fall too but I’m trying to squeeze out all my favorite summer produce recipes before it all goes away! Love that you used cherries and rhubarb here!
Kelly -
Thanks Ashley! Same here, I love fall but will definitely miss all the sweet summery fruits – oh and especially sweet summer corn 🙂
Eva @ Eva Bakes -
These look so fun, Kelly! My husband loves rhubarb and I bet that Addie would love the cute pinwheel shapes.
Kelly -
Thanks Eva! The pinwheel shapes are so fun for the little ones 🙂