Description
Delicious Sausage Pinwheels featuring seasoned pork sausage, creamy cheese, and flaky crescent roll dough, perfect as a savory appetizer or party snack. These pinwheels combine rich cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and browned sausage rolled into buttery crescent dough, baked to golden perfection in under 30 minutes after prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage Mixture
- 1 pound bulk pork sausage
Dough and Filling
- 2 (8-ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: Add the sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Drain any excess grease and set the cooked sausage aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the Dough Base: Lay out a sheet of wax paper and spray it with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Unroll one package of crescent rolls onto the wax paper, then pinch the perforations together carefully to form a single seamless sheet of dough.
- Assemble the Filling: Spread half of the softened cream cheese evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all edges. Sprinkle half of the cooked sausage evenly over the cream cheese, followed by half of the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Roll the Log: Using the wax paper to help, roll the dough lengthwise tightly into a log, encasing the filling. Wrap this log securely in plastic wrap to hold its shape.
- Repeat Assembly: Repeat the dough rolling and filling process with the remaining crescent rolls and filling ingredients to form a second log wrapped in plastic.
- Chill to Set: Refrigerate the wrapped logs for at least one hour, or until they are firm enough to slice without losing shape.
- Slice the Pinwheels: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the chilled logs from the refrigerator and unwrap them. Using a sharp knife, cut each log into 1/2-inch-thick slices, arranging them flat on a baking sheet with some space in between.
- Bake: Bake the pinwheels in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the crescent dough is golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the pinwheels from the oven and allow them to cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving warm as a delicious appetizer or snack.
Notes
- Ensure the cream cheese is fully softened for easy spreading.
- Pinching the crescent roll perforations together tightly prevents filling leakage during baking.
- Wrap the logs tightly in plastic wrap to maintain shape during chilling.
- Can be prepared ahead and refrigerated before baking.
- For added flavor, consider adding herbs or spices to the sausage while cooking.
- Serve warm for best texture and flavor.
- Leftovers can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
