Snacks & Appetizers
Garlic Parmesan Puff Pastry Twists
Crisp puff pastry twists layered with garlic butter, Parmesan, and fresh thyme, with flaky spirals from end to end.
By PedroPublished August 24, 2026 · Updated September 14, 2026i
Estimated total time. This covers the full recipe from start to finish, including preparation and any resting, chilling, baking, or cooling. Some of that time is hands-off.
For a snack to put out before dinner, I don’t always want to make dough from scratch. A sheet of puff pastry gives these twists their thin, flaky layers, with garlic, Parmesan, and thyme tucked between them. They’re something you can set on a board and let people help themselves to.
The golden ridges are my favorite part to look at, especially where the layers have opened around the filling. I like these warm, after a short rest, when the pastry breaks into flakes as you bite it. A few crumbs on the plate are part of eating puff pastry; I’d rather have that than a twist with a soft, pale middle.
Ingredients for Garlic Parmesan Puff Pastry Twists
I use one sheet of puff pastry with a filling of unsalted butter, finely chopped garlic, grated Parmesan, and fresh thyme. Puff pastry sheets vary in size, so the sheet itself determines how many 1.5 cm strips the batch produces.
- 40 g unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 40 g Parmesan cheesegrated
- fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 sheet puff pastry
From my kitchen
Watch me make Garlic Parmesan Puff Pastry Twists
See the recipe come together, then follow the written steps below.
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How to Make Garlic Parmesan Puff Pastry Twists
Heat a convection oven to 180°C and line a baking sheet before the butter goes on the heat. Once the pastry is unrolled, the remaining preparation moves quickly.
Prepare the oven
Heat a convection oven to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the garlic butter
Melt the unsalted butter gently in a small saucepan. Remove it from the heat, add the finely chopped garlic, grated Parmesan, and a few fresh thyme leaves, then stir until combined.
Fill the pastry
Unroll the puff pastry on its parchment paper and set it on the work surface. Spread the butter, garlic, and Parmesan mixture evenly over one half, leaving a small border around the edges.
Fold and press
Fold the plain half of the pastry over the filled half. Press lightly with your hands, then roll gently over the surface with a rolling pin so the two layers adhere.
Cut the strips
Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the folded pastry into strips about 1.5 cm wide.
Shape the twists
Hold each strip at both ends and twist it several times into a spiral. Arrange the twists on the prepared baking sheet with space between them.
Bake until golden
Bake for about 15 minutes, until the puff pastry is well risen and the twists are golden and crisp.
Rest before serving
Leave the twists on the baking sheet for a few minutes before serving.
Tips that make a difference
- Remove the melted butter from the heat before adding the garlic, Parmesan, and thyme.
- Leave a small clean border around the filling so the folded pastry is easier to press together.
- Roll over the folded sheet gently because the goal is to help the layers adhere, not flatten the pastry.
- Space the twists apart on the tray so the puff pastry has room to rise.
I like seeing the layers open as these twists bake. The shaping is simple, but the spirals give the garlic, Parmesan, and thyme a place in every crisp strip of pastry.
What the Baked Twists Should Look Like
I take the tray out when the pastry has risen and the ridges are golden from end to end. The twists need only a few minutes on the tray before serving. That short rest lets the layers settle while the spirals keep the garlic, Parmesan, and thyme visible along each strip.
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Garlic Parmesan Puff Pastry Twists
Crisp puff pastry twists layered with garlic butter, Parmesan, and fresh thyme, with flaky spirals from end to end.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Prepare the oven
Heat a convection oven to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2Mix the garlic butter
Melt the unsalted butter gently in a small saucepan. Remove it from the heat, add the finely chopped garlic, grated Parmesan, and a few fresh thyme leaves, then stir until combined.
- 3Fill the pastry
Unroll the puff pastry on its parchment paper and set it on the work surface. Spread the butter, garlic, and Parmesan mixture evenly over one half, leaving a small border around the edges.
- 4Fold and press
Fold the plain half of the pastry over the filled half. Press lightly with your hands, then roll gently over the surface with a rolling pin so the two layers adhere.
- 5Cut the strips
Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the folded pastry into strips about 1.5 cm wide.
- 6Shape the twists
Hold each strip at both ends and twist it several times into a spiral. Arrange the twists on the prepared baking sheet with space between them.
- 7Bake until golden
Bake for about 15 minutes, until the puff pastry is well risen and the twists are golden and crisp.
- 8Rest before serving
Leave the twists on the baking sheet for a few minutes before serving.
