Crescent Roll Pizza Pinwheels

Pizza pinwheels crescent snack on plate

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 20 servings

These cute little appetizer rolls are quickly prepared with crescent roll dough, pepperoni, and cheese. Ready in no time, the pinwheels have the best of pizza flavors plus the easiness of a finger food that you can prep, serve, and easily clean. They're great for last-minute visitors, afternoon kid snacks, or even a light meal for those weeknights when you're hungry but too tired to invest more time than needed in the kitchen. A meal indeed, these pinwheels are very filling and hearty. If using the pinwheels as a main, serve with a quick salad or present then with some crunchy vegetables for a nice texture contrast. For this recipe you need six ingredients and 35 minutes total. The pinwheels can be assembled ahead and baked when it's almost time to eat. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

As this is meant to be a quick dish, you can make things easier for you in many ways. If you don't have jarred marinara sauce at hand, use basic jarred pasta sauce, which is very flavorful and thick. But in a pinch, any pasta sauce will do. Puttanesca or arrabbiata add a great spicy kick, and if what you have, or prefer, is a creamy three-cheese then use it! We suggested the use of mushrooms or peppers, but you can use both or skip them altogether. Fresh herbs are a nice addition and can complement the pizza profile: fresh basil or oregano, or a sprinkle of Italian seasoning right before baking can add a nice flavor.

These pinwheels are versatile and can be adapted to your needs. Believe it or not, and despite the buttery smells that this dough emits when baked, crescent roll dough doesn't have any dairy. The hydrogenated oils used to make it also extend the shelf life of the product, unlike butter, which might go rancid really fast. So if you need dairy-free pinwheels, simply replace the dairy-full cheese for vegan cheese. By the same token, as the latter version is already dairy-free, make it vegan by using soy-based cold cuts like vegan salami, pepperoni, or ham. If you like meat but pepperoni isn't your favorite, use other types of charcuterie or cold cuts. Thinly sliced smoked ham, turkey, or chicken breast all go well with tomato sauce and fluffy rolls.

Ingredients

  • 1 can (8 ounces) crescent roll dough

  • 2 ounces /1/2 cup pepperoni, finely chopped

  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

  • 2 tablespoons mushrooms, or bell pepper; finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped

  • 1 cup marinara, or pizza sauce; for dipping

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Unroll dough and separate into 4 rectangles. Press perforations together.

  3. Evenly sprinkle pepperoni over the rectangles, then the mushrooms or bell pepper, onion (if using), and shredded cheese.

  4. Roll a rectangle up tightly, starting with the short end.

  5. Slice the roll into 5 to 6 even slices and place on the baking sheet, leaving a few inches between them. Repeat with the remaining rolls.

  6. Bake for about 14 to 18 minutes, until nicely browned.

  7. Serve with warmed marinara or pizza sauce and enjoy!

Quick Homemade Marinara

Quick Marinara Sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute longer. Add one 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of dried leaf basil or 2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh chopped basil. Simmer for 8 minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
78 Calories
5g Fat
6g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 78
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 14mg 5%
Sodium 184mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 36mg 3%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 71mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)