Spinach Feta Pinwheels Recipe – Easy Low Carb Appetizers

5 from 3 votes
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Spinach Pinwheels with feta and parmesan cheese are rolled up in magic mozzarella dough to transform this classic party snack into an easy keto appetizer recipe. As pretty as they are packed with delicious flavors, you’ll be sure to impress family and friends. And these gluten free appetizers even use a version of fat head dough made with coconut flour instead of almond meal, making them nut-free too.

Low Carb Spinach Pinwheels Recipe Image with Title

Easy Keto Appetizers

I admit it, I am a little lazy when it comes to “specialty” baking. I can’t have gluten, so while I will sometimes make a gluten free cake from scratch, I tend to stick with flourless desserts.

That’s why I am always so impressed with my friend Carolyn, the mad scientist behind the low carb blog All Day I Dream About Food. I may have a degree in chemical engineering, but between the two of us, she is the true scientist.

Now she is sharing all of her knowledge and expertise with the world in The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking. The book starts with some of the science behind the baking, plus tips, checklists, and all of her favorite ingredients and products.

And that is all before she gives you over 150 sweet and savory recipes for every kind of dessert, dinner, and snack that you can pop into your oven.  So you can definitely learn a ton from her and make some epically impressive treats. 

Or you can start simple with tasty little Spinach Pinwheels as a keto appetizer. You just need dough. Magic mozzarella dough, to be exact…

Low Carb Spinach Feta Pinwheels Recipe from The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking cookbookFat Head Dough Spinach Pinwheels Recipe from The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking cookbook

What is fat head dough?

Fathead dough, also referred to as magic mozzarella dough, is a high-fat, high-protein, low carb and gluten free dough made from mozzarella cheese. It typically also contains cream cheese and almond flour. There are variations that contain baking powder, egg, protein powder, or other ingredients to aid in making it pliable, chewy, and puffy.

It makes a great keto substitute for pizza crust, bagel dough, and more.

Can you make nut-free fat head dough?

Carolyn, from the keto website All Day I Dream About Food, has her own version of Magic Mozzarella Dough that uses a blend of almond flour and coconut flour. However, in her cookbook The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking, she makes a version that uses only coconut flour, making it nut free.

Besides this recipe for Spinach Feta Pinwheels, she has recipes in the cookbook for bagels, pizzas, and calzones that use this dough. And she even adds powdered erythritol sweetener to make a sweet dough for a galette or turnovers.

What is in Magic Mozzarella Dough (aka Fat Head Dough)?

  • Coconut flour
  • Baking powder
  • Xanthan gum – if you are going to do any low carb or gluten free baking, this is one “non-standard” ingredient I do recommend keeping on hand
  • Mozzarella cheese – Carolyn recommends pre-shredded, part-skim mozzarella, as the lower fat content and bit of starch used as filler helps the dough hold together better. You can use an organic pre-shredded cheese, if you prefer to stay away from the artificial fillers.
  • Eggs

Can you make nut-free fathead dough?

You’ll get the full directions and amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here is a brief overview:

  1. Whisk together the dry ingredients.
  2. Microwave the cheese until almost liquid.
  3. Stir in the dry ingredients and eggs using a rubber spatula.
  4. Knead on a silicone baking mat or parchment paper until smooth and pliable.
  5. Use as directed for your specific recipe.
Small silver plate with Spinach Feta Pinwheels make with mozzarella fathead dough

Keto Spinach Feta Pinwheels Recipe

Now let’s use that mozzarella fat head dough to give classic pinwheel appetizers a low carb makeover. It’s so simple to make these easy keto appetizers.

Spinach rollups with feta and parmesan cheese are easy, cheesy, and so tasty. The perfect finger food to share with family and friends at a party or celebration. Add them to a platter with some Tzatziki Dip for dunking. You can even serve them as a side dish for low carb soups, salads, and more.

What is in Low Carb Spinach Pinwheels?

  • One batch of nut-free Magic Mozzarella Dough
  • Frozen chopped spinach – thawed and drained, with as much liquid squeezed out as possible
  • Feta cheese
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Garlic
  • Dried marjoram – you can substitute dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper
  • Unsalted butter
  • Coarse sea salt

What equipment do you need to make them?

How to make Feta and Spinach Pinwheels

All of the details and quantities are in the printable recipe below, but here is a brief overview so you can see that low carb baking can be really easy.

  1. Prepare the dough and preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Stir together the spinach, feta, parmesan, garlic, marjoram (or oregano), salt, and pepper.
  3. On a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, press the dough into a rectangle, cover with another mat or piece of parchment, and roll into a 16-inch square.
  4. Spread the filling to within 1/2-inch of the edge.
  5. Roll up tightly and pinch the seam to seal.
  6. Cut into 1-inch slices and place on a lined baking sheet.
  7. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
  8. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until golden and firm.
  9. Remove and cool completely on the pan.

Make it a meal

Serve these as a side dish with…

Low Carb Spinach Feta Pinwheels on a silver platter

What are the best low carb cookbooks?

If you need keto recipes for every meal of the day, Carolyn has you covered:

Platter with Low Carb Spinach Feta Pinwheel Appetizer Recipe

More low carb appetizers

A woman mixing food in a bowl and the cover of a cookbook called "One Dish, Four Ways".
Platter with Low Carb Spinach Feta Pinwheel Appetizer Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Low Carb Spinach Feta Pinwheels

Low Carb Spinach Pinwheels with feta and parmesan turn the classic party food into an easy keto appetizer using magic mozzarella fat head dough.
Prep: 35 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Servings: 16 rolls

Ingredients

For the Nut-Free Magic Mozzarella Dough:

  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 12 ounces preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 2 large eggs

For the pinwheels:

  • 8 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
  • 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 ounce)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram (or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

For the Nut-Free Magic Mozzarella Dough:

  • Cover a work surface with a silicone baking mat or a large piece of parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Set aside.
  • In a large, microwave-safe bowl, heat the cheese on high in 30-second increments until almost liquid. Stir in the flour mixture and eggs and knead in the bowl using a rubber spatula.
  • Turn the dough out onto the prepared work surface and continue to knead until cohesive. Set dough aside while preparing the filling.

For the pinwheels:

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
  • Squeeze out as much moisture from the spinach as possible and place the spinach in a medium bowl. Stir in the feta, Parmesan, garlic, marjoram, salt, and pepper until well combined.
  • Lightly grease another baking mat or large piece of parchment paper and transfer the prepared dough onto it. Pat into a rough square and top with another piece of parchment or waxed paper.
  • Roll out the dough to a 16-inch square. Spread the filling on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Roll up the dough tightly and pinch the seam to seal.
  • Use a very sharp knife to cut the dough into 1-inch slices and place the pinwheels cut side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with the butter and sprinkle with a little coarse salt.
  • Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the pinwheels are golden brown and just firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the pan.
Nutrition Facts
Low Carb Spinach Feta Pinwheels
Amount Per Serving (1 roll)
Calories 114 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 43mg14%
Sodium 339mg14%
Potassium 129mg4%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 1858IU37%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 263mg26%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Enjoy!

3 Comments
  1. Paola

    Hi! I’m alergic to xantham (psillium husk as well) every time I eat the slightest amount I feel sick with my stomach. Is there any low carb susbtitute here? maybe potato starch?

  2. Carolyn

    5 stars
    Hey Brianne, how did I not know you’d done a review? Or did you tell me and I let it slip my mind? Things were so crazy back in December. Thank you so much, I am pinning and sharing on Facebook!

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