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This easy Pizza Pinwheels recipe is so simple to make with refrigerated crescent rolls, pizza sauce, cheese and your favorite pizza toppings. Just roll, bake, and serve for an easy snack or appetizer that’s ready in about 20 minutes.

These little bite-sized pizza pinwheels are great as an after-school snack, or as finger food appetizer for any get-together. With just a few ingredients, they come together in minutes! My whole family loves pizza bites and they are always a hit at parties.

For more easy appetizers and snacks, try Sausage Rolls, Pizza Bagels, Easy Ham and Cheese Sliders, and Game Day Jalapeno Poppers.

Why We Love This Recipe

When my kids are hungry, they don’t want to wait around for a snack. They want something NOW. These mini pizza pinwheels are not only ready in 20 minutes, but you can freeze them and pop them in the microwave – so much better than pre-packaged pizza snacks!

Of course, they’re not just kid-friendly, they’re a perfect appetizer for grown-ups too. Instead of pepperoni, add some shredded chicken, bbq sauce, and red onions for some yummy BBQ Chicken Pizza Bites, or customize the veggies by adding diced peppers, onions, mushrooms, or any other specialty ingredients you like.

Ingredients For Pizza Pinwheels

The ingredients are super simple and easy to find.

  • Pillsbury Crescent Roll DoughYou could swap for refrigerated pizza dough or even make a batch of your own and just roll it out nice and thin.
  • Sauce – Pizza sauce is basically the same as marinara or spaghetti sauce, but it’s always pretty smooth.
  • Cheese – Shredded Mozzarella is the most common choice for pizza, along with Parmesan cheese. Whatever cheese you use, make sure to shred it off the block. The pre-shredded variety has a coating that prevents proper melting.
  • Pizza toppings of your choice

How to Make Pizza Pinwheels

See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions

  • Roll out the dough. To make them, you’ll need to first flatten out the crescent roll or pizza dough. I use refrigerated crescents and roll them out on a lightly floured surface, pinching the seams together as I go.
  • Add toppings. Spread pizza sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and add toppings like pepperoni, bell pepper, or onions.
  • Roll up the dough. Roll it up lengthwise (start with the short side) for larger pinwheels, or start from the longer side for smaller, more bite-sized pinwheels. Using a sharp knife, slice them into approximately one-inch pieces and arrange them out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for about 12 minutes until the tops are beautifully golden and the dough is baked through.
  • Serve them with yummy dips like Marinara Sauce or Ranch Dressing, or eat them on their own. They’re good either way!
Rolled crescent dough with pizza sauce.
Pizza dough Rolled Out with sauce, pepperoni, cheese and. bell peppers.
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Rolled up crescent dough on a cutting board.
Pizza roll ups, sliced and placed on a baking sheet.
Pizza Pinwheels arranged on a white platte.

Hot Tip

To help preserve the shape of the pinwheels, wrap the unbaked roll in plastic wrap and freeze for 10-15 minutes. This will help keep them sold enough that they won’t get squished when you cut them.

FAQ

How long do pizza pinwheels last in the fridge?

They will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Any type of bread product will dry out a little in the fridge, so the texture does change after a day of two.

Can I freeze pizza pinwheels?

Yes! They are great for freezing. Once baked and cooled, you can freeze them for about 2-3 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven or air fryer.

Can you roll out Pillsbury pizza dough?

Sure – if you opt for the pizza dough instead of the crescent rolls, lay the dough out on a floured surface and roll lightly with a rolling pin.

Pizza Toppings

With this type of recipe, the customizations are practically endless! You can use any toppings you like.

Sauce: Besides pizza sauce, try Alfredo Sauce, Spaghetti Sauce, Homemade BBQ Sauce, white sauce, Nut Free Pesto, salsa, or buffalo sauce.

Cheese: Depending on the sauce and toppings, you could use sharp cheddar, jack cheese, provolone, Havarti, or pepper Jack.

Meat Toppings: Pepperoni, sausage, shredded chicken, ham, ground beef, or bacon.

Veggie Toppings: Bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, onions, olives, jalapenos, diced tomatoes, pineapple.

Pizza Combinations

Tons of pizza toppings ideas but not sure how to put them all together? Here are a few suggestions:

Hand holding a Pizza Pinwheel dipped in Marinara.

How To Serve

Depending on how you slice them, these would be large enough to have as a quick lunch or dinner. Send them in lunch boxes or make them as an after-school snack.

Dipping sauces like marinara, alfredo sauce or ranch dressing are great choices.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerating: Store leftover pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Freezing: Place leftovers in a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag for up to 2 months.

Reheating: I recommend reheating in a 350℉ or air fryer just until warm. Microwaving is fine, too. Keep in mind that the crescent rolls become dry after a day or two.

Pizza Pinwheels arrange on a white platter

More Pizza Recipes

Recipe

Easy Pizza Pinwheels

4.72 from 7 votes
Pizza Pinwheels are made with soft crescent rolls, pizza sauce, and your favorite toppings. An easy snack or appetizer ready in 20 minutes.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 sevings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can Refrigerated Crescents or Pizza Dough
  • 1/4 cup pizza sauce or marinara
  • 3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • Pizza toppings of your choice
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Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
  • Lightly flour a large wooden cutting board. Roll out dough onto the floured surface, pressing seems together as you go.
  • Spread pizza sauce evenly over the dough, to the edges.
  • Top with shredded Mozzarella and your choice of pizza toppings.
  • Roll pizza width-wise (the longest side) and seal the and slice into 1 inch pieces.
  • Place pinwheels on the prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
  • Allow to cool for a couple of minutes then serve with marinara or ranch for dipping.

Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and includes only the first 3 ingredients.
Refrigerating: Store leftover pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freezing: Place leftovers in a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag.
Reheating: I recommend reheating in a 350℉ or air fryer just until warm. Microwaving is fine, too. Keep in mind that the crescent rolls become dry after a day or two.
Keyword homemade pizza sauce, pizza pinwheels

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 5gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 432mgPotassium: 41mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 139IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

For all appetizers go HERE and for all recipes go HERE.

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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Comments

  1. Rachel says:

    Just wondering how long do these keep after cooking? Are they good cold? And do you have to defrost these before cooking if you freeze them uncooked? Thanks

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      Hi Rachel, I’ll be honest, they aren’t great cold because the bread gets a little chewy. If you have leftovers, reheat them in the oven or air fryer. I also wouldn’t freeze them uncooked.

  2. Jaymie Wood says:

    Stop sending ads when I’m trying to look at a receipe !!!! N

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      Stop complaining about the ads on a FREE recipe. The internet isn’t free dude.

  3. Jennifer Stone says:

    Made two batches, one on a cookie sheet (as suggested) and one using muffin tins. Highly recommend using the muffin tins as the rolls kept their shape and look much nicer. Need to really roll the dough out as well. I think my first batch was a bit thick. I think these will be a hit at my DS’s bday party!

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thanks for stopping by Jennifer.

  4. Casey says:

    I thought this would be a great finger food, but unfortunately an epic fail making them by this recipe…. the first time around. Crescent rolls becane really soft, really fast while making and were baked the 350 for the 10-12 min and wasn’t long enough for that temperature. I ended up having to turn the heat up and bake 5 more minutes. 375 is the suggested baking on the packaging. So, I tried again. The second time around, the baked a little better but still flimsy. The freezer thing is a good idea if there is time. Tried a 3rd time with pizza dough and it was easier to work with, not as sloppy when cutting.

  5. Tracy says:

    I’d suggest doing it with the pizza dough. As I was rolling (which is very difficult) the seams were coming apart. Also, cutting them isn’t easy.

  6. Christina says:

    Hi im looking at doing this for my wedding since its at 2, and we are just doing finger foods. Well my question is could it be made the day before, without needing to be reheated? Do you know if its still as good the next day and not soggy?

    1. Kristin says:

      I honestly don’t think they’d taste very good cold. They are definitely a hot appetizer.

  7. Sara Warren says:

    Another way to cut them and keep their shape is to use unflavored floss. Lay the floss under the roll along where you want to slice, pick up the ends, and cross them, then pull until they slice and are out, repeat. Works for cinnamon rolls, too.

  8. Hedwig says:

    Hi! Just tried this! Mine don’t look as good, but I live in the NL so probably different dough 😉 do you freeze then before or after baking them?

  9. Sarah says:

    if you freeze these ahead of time, do you thaw completely before baking?

    1. Kristin says:

      I haven’t tried freezing them before baking them, but if you do let us know how it turns out!

  10. Joni says:

    The idea is a good one but I prefer a pizza dough, maybe Pillsbury pizza dough if I don’t have any homemade. The dough was just to soft, Well like it suppose to be for crescent, just not pizza. The idea was 5 star.

  11. Mary says:

    Does the floured surface have to be a wooden cutting board? I don’t have one

    1. Kristin says:

      Any clean, flat surface in your kitchen should work, like a countertop or other type of cutting board.