Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F). Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the thawed puff pastry into a rectangle about 30x20 cm (12x8 inches), roughly 0.3 cm (1/8 inch) thick.
Spread the softened cream cheese evenly over the entire surface of the pastry, leaving about a 1 cm (0.4 inch) border along one long edge.
Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese and chopped herbs evenly over the cream cheese layer, distributing them across the entire surface.
Starting from the long edge with the filling, carefully roll the pastry tightly into a log, like a jelly roll, pressing gently to seal the edge.
Use a sharp knife to cut the rolled dough into 1.5 cm (⅝ inch) thick slices, creating small pinwheels with visible layers.
Arrange the slices cut side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them slightly apart to allow for puffing.
Brush the tops of each pinwheel with the beaten egg to give a shiny, golden finish, and sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds on top if desired.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes, or until the pinwheels are puffed, golden, and crispy, with bubbling cheese at the edges.
Remove from the oven and let the pinwheels cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes; this helps set the cheese and keeps the pastry crisp.
Transfer to a serving platter and enjoy these crispy, cheesy flower-shaped pinwheels warm or at room temperature, perfect for sharing and delighting your guests.
