Pizza Pinwheels

These simple Pizza Pinwheels, made with crescent roll dough, are the perfect appetizer or snack for parties, game day, or movie night. They’re rolled up with pizza sauce, cheese, and your favorite pizza toppings, and can be ready in just about 20 minutes flat.

Looking for more recipes that use crescent rolls? You can also try our Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza, Pizza Roll Ups, or these Pesto Pinwheels.

Pizza Pinwheels

When you want an appetizer that is homemade but low maintenance, these pizza pinwheels really hit the spot. Made with just 4 ingredients, they couldn’t be easier.  Serve them up with a little marinara sauce or ranch dressing for dipping and wowza!

I kept this recipe about as Plain Jane and kid-friendly as you can get, but don’t be afraid to jazz them up a little, too.  Below, you will find plenty of ideas for different sauces, cheeses, and toppings to alter your Pizza Pinwheels depending on the preferences of who you are serving.

Key Ingredients

• Refrigerated Crescent Rolls – this is by far the simplest option. You could also make these with homemade pizza dough if you wanted.
• Pepperoni – for these tiny appetizers, you will want to chop the pepperoni.
• Pizza Sauce – use your favorite pizza or marinara sauce, or even make your own.
• Cheese – this recipe calls for mozzarella, but we will also often use an Italian cheese blend.
• Parsley – chopped fresh parsley is a nice, but optional, garnish to add to the baked pinwheels.

How to Make Pizza Pinwheels

1. Prepare the dough.  Unroll the crescent rolls onto a lightly floured surface and gently press the perforations together to create one large sheet of dough.
2. Add the toppings.  Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the entire sheet of dough, then sprinkle with pepperoni and shredded cheese.
3. Roll and cut.  Starting at the long side, roll the dough up into a long tube, then slice into 3/4″ slices (you should get between 6-8).  Place the pinwheels cut-side down onto a baking sheet that has been spray with nonstick spray or lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake.  Bake for about 13-17 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges.
5. Serve.  Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes, then sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.  Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

There are unlimited different sauces, cheeses and toppings that you could add to your Pizza Pinwheels.  Pretty much anything you would put on a pizza, you can put into these. I’m partial to our Pesto Pinwheels, but you can also give these other ideas a try:

• Buffalo Chicken: Toss shredded cooked chicken in buffalo sauce and spread it over the dough. Add blue cheese crumbles and diced celery before rolling.
• Spinach and Artichoke: Mix chopped cooked spinach and artichoke hearts with cream cheese or ricotta. Spread the mixture on the dough and roll.
• Taco: Seasoned ground beef, salsa, shredded cheese, and diced tomatoes make a delicious taco-inspired filling for pinwheels.
• Breakfast: Fill the pinwheels with scrambled eggs, cooked breakfast sausage, and cheddar cheese for a tasty morning treat.
• Veggie: Top with your favorite veggies like peppers, broccoli, and onions.

Tips and Tricks

• After you roll the dough, try freezing the roll for about 20 minutes before slicing.  It will help the Pizza Pinwheels keep their shape.
• If you want to make these bigger, you can roll from the short side instead. You will just need to adjust the bake time slightly.
• The raw pinwheels freeze great so if you plan on making them ahead of time, you might as well double (or even triple!) the recipe.

Storing and Make Ahead Instructions

• Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• To reheat: reheat in the microwave or in a preheated 350 degree oven.
• Make-ahead: If you want to get a head start, you can easily make these ahead of time. Just make, shape, and cut your pinwheels, then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, toss them into a freezer bag and store for up to 1 month. To bake, let them thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as directed.

More Homemade Pizza Recipes

• Pizza Monkey Bread
• Homemade Taco Pizza
• French Bread Pizza Recipe
• Cheese Stuffed Crust Pizza
• Combination Pizza Recipe
• Fruit Pizza
• Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza
• More Appetizer Ideas
• More Quick Dinner Ideas

Made with just 4 ingredients, this Pizza Pinwheels recipe really couldn’t be more simple or adaptable.  Serve them up with a little marinara sauce or ranch dressing for dipping and wowza!