Make-Ahead Sausage Pinwheels

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. + freezing Bake: 15 min.

Makes

about 6-1/2 dozen

Updated: Jun. 30, 2023
Filled with sausage, sweet pepper and cream cheese, these roll-ups are excellent for unexpected visitors, a cocktail party or a halftime snack. Besides being easy to make, they can be done way ahead and kept in the freezer. All you have to do is pop them into a hot oven! —Cindy Nerat, Menominee, Michigan
Make-Ahead Sausage Pinwheels Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bulk regular or spicy pork sausage
  • 1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
  • 2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes; drain. Add pepper and green onion; cook and stir 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; cool 10 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until blended; cool completely.
  2. Unroll 1 can of crescent dough and separate into 4 rectangles; pinch perforations to seal. Press each rectangle to 6x4-1/2 in.; spread each with 1/3 cup filling to within 1/4 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seam to seal. Roll gently to make logs smooth. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with remaining crescent dough. Freeze, covered, until firm, about 1 hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut each log into 10 slices. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets until golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Serve warm.

Can you freeze Make-Ahead Sausage Pinwheels?

Freeze pinwheels in freezer containers, separating layers with waxed paper. To use, bake frozen pinwheels as directed, increasing time by 3-5 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

1 appetizer: 46 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated fat), 6mg cholesterol, 89mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.