Joulutorttu (Finnish Plum Jam Christmas Pinwheels)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Easy

Joulutorttu (Finnish Plum Jam Christmas Pinwheels)

Joulutorttu are crisp, flaky pinwheels with a glossy dark plum center, a staple of Finnish Christmas tables. We use store-bought puff pastry so they come together in under an hour. Makes 12 pastries in about 50 minutes.

Prep 20 min

Cook 15 min

Cooling 15 min

Total 50 min

Yield 12 pastries

Ingredients

Adjust yield

pastries

1 ¾ cups (400 g)puff pastry, chilled, all-butter, 2 sheets
1 (50 g)egg, beaten with 15 ml water for wash
½ cup (150 g)plum jam, thick, not runny
2 tbsp (15 g)powdered sugar

Fresh ingredient guides

PlumsHow to pick, season & nutrition · 30 kcal per 66 g

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 425 F (220 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
Unfold the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut each sheet into six 10 cm (4 inch) squares, 12 in all.
Make a diagonal cut from each corner toward the center, stopping about 1 cm (1/2 inch) from the middle.
Spoon a heaping teaspoon of jam (about 12 g) into the center of each square.
Fold every other corner into the center to form a pinwheel and press the points lightly into the jam so they hold.
Chill the shaped pastries on the sheets for 15 minutes so they hold their shape in the oven.
Brush with the egg wash and bake 10 to 12 minutes until puffed and deep golden.
Cool 5 minutes on a rack and dust with powdered sugar.

Tips

Use a thick jam; thin jam bubbles over and burns on the pan.
Keep the pastry cold; if it softens, return it to the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Press the center points down firmly so the pinwheels do not unfold.
Good with hot coffee or glogg.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make joulutorttu (finnish plum jam christmas pinwheels)?

Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, plus 15 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 12 pastries.

How should I store joulutorttu (finnish plum jam christmas pinwheels)?

Best the day they are baked. Keep loosely covered at room temperature up to 2 days; re-crisp in a 350 F (175 C) oven for 5 minutes.

Can I make joulutorttu (finnish plum jam christmas pinwheels) ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Serve it with hot coffee or glogg.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

232 Calories / serving

13.1g Fat

25.2g Carbs

3.0g Protein

7.7g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~2784 cal · 157g fat · 302g carbs · 36g protein · 92g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.