These simple Pizza Pinwheels make the perfect appetizer or snack for parties, game day or movie night. They’re made with crescent roll dough, pizza sauce, cheese and your favorite pizza toppings and can be ready in just about 20 minutes flat.
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Easy Pizza Pinwheels with Pepperoni
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 more simple or adaptable. Serve them up with a little marinara sauce or ranch dressing for dipping and wowza!
We kept this example recipe about as Plain Jane and kid-friendly as you can get, but don’t be afraid to jazz them up a little, too. We’ve given you plenty of ideas for different sauces, cheeses, and toppings to alter your Pizza Pinwheels depending on the preferences of who you are serving.
Ingredients in Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels
- 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
- 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.
- Add the toppings. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the entire sheet of dough, then sprinkle with pepperoni and shredded cheese.
- Roll and cut. Starting at the long side, roll the dough up into a long tube, then slice into ¾" 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.
- Bake. Bake for about 13-17 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges.
- 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!
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. We love Pesto Pinwheels too. Here are a few more ideas to get you started:
Sauce
Cheese
- Pepper Jack
- Parmesan
- Cheddar
- Gruyere
- Monterey Jack
Pizza Toppings
- Meats (ground beef, bacon bits, shredded chicken, ham)
- Vegetables (bell peppers, broccoli, jalapenos, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions)
- Seasoning (fresh basil, fresh or dried oregano, chives, red pepper flakes)
Dips
- Homemade Pizza Sauce
- Easy Alfredo Sauce
- Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo
- Ranch Dressing
- Mix half alfredo and half Pesto Sauce
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.
Make-Ahead Pizza Pinwheels
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. Easy peasy!

Pizza Pinwheels Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
- ½ cup Pizza Sauce any brand
- ½ cup Pepperoni chopped into ½" pieces
- 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese or Italian Cheese blend
- 2 tablespoons Parsley fresh, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Unroll the crescent rolls onto a lightly floured surface and gently press the perforations together to create one large sheet of dough.
- Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the entire sheet of dough, then sprinkle with pepperoni and shredded cheese.
- Starting at the long edge, roll the dough up into a long tube, then slice into ¾" slices (you should get between 6-8). Place the pinwheels cut-side down onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for about 13-17 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges.
- 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!
Nutrition
More Pizza Appetizers and Entrees
- 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
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Made with just 4 ingredients, these Pizza Pinwheels really couldn’t be more simple or adaptable. Serve them up with a little marinara sauce or ranch dressing for dipping and wowza!
Allison
My kids helped with these and they loved them. Thanks for sharing!
Diana
My family loved these delicious appetizers!