Description
Sausage Pinwheels are a savory and delicious appetizer made with seasoned ground breakfast sausage and cream cheese spread over crescent roll dough, rolled up with cheddar cheese and green onions, then baked until golden and flaky. Perfect for parties or a tasty snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage Mixture
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground breakfast sausage
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Dough and Toppings
- 1 can crescent roll dough, seamless sheet, not precut
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 Tablespoons green onion, minced
Instructions
- Cook Garlic: In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until hot and shimmering. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to develop color and releases its aroma.
- Brown Sausage: Add the ground breakfast sausage to the pan and sauté until it is browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain excess oil and transfer the sausage to a mixing bowl.
- Mix Cream Cheese and Season: Stir the cream cheese into the cooked sausage until fully combined. Season with kosher salt and black pepper as needed, adjusting for the spiciness of the sausage. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes until it cools to room temperature.
- Prepare Dough: Lay a large rectangle of plastic wrap on the counter or cutting board. Unroll the crescent roll dough onto the center of the plastic wrap.
- Spread Sausage Mixture: Evenly spread the sausage and cream cheese mixture over the dough surface, leaving a ½-inch strip along one long edge clear to seal the dough later.
- Add Cheese and Green Onions: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese and minced green onions evenly over the sausage layer.
- Roll Dough: Using the plastic wrap to guide you, roll the dough up along the long edge into a log. Moisten the bare edge of dough with water and pinch tightly along the seam to seal completely.
- Chill the Log: Wrap the roll tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm up for clean slicing.
- Preheat Oven: While the roll chills, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Slice and Arrange: Remove the roll from the freezer and slice it into 8 equal pinwheels. Arrange the slices on a parchment-lined sheet pan with space between each for expansion.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes until the pinwheels are puffed up and golden brown.
Notes
- Adjust seasoning based on the saltiness and spice of your breakfast sausage.
- Do not skip chilling the roll as it helps slice the pinwheels neatly.
- Serve warm for best flavor and texture.
- Can be made ahead and reheated in the oven.
- Optional: add herbs or spices to the sausage mixture for extra flavor.
