Spicy Sausage Pinwheels

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Every party needs a few yummy appetizers. From crescent roll recipes to finger foods, you can never go wrong with a plate of spicy sausage pinwheels when planning your party or game day menu. 

This recipe came about after a friend brought over something similar for a party that was in casserole form. I wanted to try and make it utensil free so it would be perfect for parties, potlucks and tailgates. Bonus: you only need 4 ingredients.

Ingredients for Spicy Sausage Pinwheels

• Spicy Ground Italian Sausage – You can substitute half hot and half regular to reduce the spice level. If you want to eliminate the spiciness, simply use all regular.
• Cream Cheese – You’ll want it softened so be sure to take it out of the fridge early enough.
• Pizza Crust
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese – You could substitute mozzarella or another shredded cheese that melts well.

How to Make Sausage Pinwheel Appetizers

The full recipe can be found below in the printable recipe card but here is a brief overview along with some tips.

1. Cook the sausage. Because you are mixing the sausage with cream cheese, be sure to drain the fat from it very well after cooking. {Hint: I press a paper towel over the sausage after it is done draining to get the excess oil off}.

2. Stir in the cream cheese. I use fat free cream cheese to make mine but pick your favorite brand and type. It does work best if you soften it to room temperature before adding to the pan but you can skip the softening if you are short on time.

3. Roll out the pizza crust and spread the sausage mixture on top.

4. Roll up the pizza dough and slice. Tip: Once I have rolled up the dough, I wrap my log in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes to make it easier to slice. At this point, if you are making it ahead of time, you can refrigerate or freeze it for future use.

5. Slice and bake. Cut the log into slices and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake until golden brown.

Sausage appetizer recipes are always crazy popular at our events so I try to make sure and include these spicy sausage pinwheels and at least one other option like sausage stuffed peppers.

If you want to create the original casserole style of this recipe, it is super simple! Place crescent dough in the bottom of a square casserole dish, place sausage mixture on top and then top with another roll of crescent dough before baking. 

More Great Sausage Appetizer Recipes

• Sausage Stuffed Mini Peppers
• Cheesy Sausage Crescent Ring
• Alfredo Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
• Cheesy Sausage Wonton Appetizers
• Cream Cheese Sausage Balls