Easy & Delicious Pizza Pinwheel Recipe
Looking for a quick, crowd-pleasing snack that’s perfect for parties, game nights, or even lunchboxes? Pizza pinwheels are the answer! These bite-sized treats combine all the flavors of pizza—gooey cheese, tangy sauce, and tasty toppings—wrapped in a delicious dough or puff pastry. Easy to make, you can whip these together in no time for a fabulous party snack!
Pinwheels are the perfect food choice when you’re looking to impress but you’re short on time or you can’t be bothered for a complicated dish. These pizza pinwheels tick all the boxes for impressive, delicious and easy-to-make!
The first time I made these pizza pinwheels, they got devoured so quickly that I didn’t have time to take pictures! I had to make another batch to get some snaps, much to the delight of my family! My kids were obsessed. But, I’m not going to lie, I did take the hard road. Instead of using puff pastry or crescent roll, I thought why not give myself more work and make the dough, it only takes a few minutes longer. (Ye, right!)
The dough was actually really simple and easy to make, and it tasted delicious. But, if you’re looking for quick pizza pinwheels, use puff pastry/crescent roll or bought pizza dough.
Back to giving myself more work, instead of using store-bought tomato sauce, I made my own. In my defence, it’s a lot healthier and I regularly have it on hand. It’s really easy to make, I’ll post the recipe at some point because it’s so worth it! But that being said, again, if you’re looking for quick and easy pizza pinwheels and you don’t have homemade tomato sauce at hand, use store-bought! I also served the pizza balls with some sauce on the side for dipping, and it was a HIT!
Ok, these are the details…
The Ingredients:
- 1 sheet of puff pastry thawed/crescent roll/pizza dough
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup toppings: mushrooms, bell peppers, olives, etc.
- 1 egg, beaten
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Step 1: Prep the dough
Start by rolling your dough. Whether you’re using your own dough, puff pastry or crescent roll it needs rolling and thinning. Lightly flour the surface to keep the dough from sticking. Aim for the dough to be about 10 x 12 inches in size.
Spread tomato sauce, cheese and any toppings that you fancy. We went with no toppings because my kids are probably some of the pickiest eaters on the planet!
Step 2: Roll it up
Rolling the dough can be a bit tricky. If you’re using puff pastry, use it defrosted while still cold. If it’s cold it will be easier to roll and won’t become too sticky. Otherwise, roll it carefully with plenty of flour to help you along the way. As you can see, I used more than enough flour. Once rolled, gently press the seam to seal it. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect, once it’s cut and baked it will look delicious!
Step 3: Cut into pinwheels
Using a sharp knife, cut the log into approximately 1-inch thick slices. You should get about 15 pinwheels. Place the pinwheels on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart to allow for expansion. Bear in mind that pizza dough doesn’t expand as much as puff pastry.
I had a cute little helper who was eager to try the pinwheels raw, luckily I managed to convince her to wait until they were cooked!
Step 4: Egg & Bake
Brush the pinwheels with beaten egg so that they are golden and glossy as they bake. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Step 5: Garnish & Serve
Remove the pinwheels from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or basil for an extra pop of color and flavor. Serve warm with some sauce on the side and watch them disappear!
Tips for Perfect Pizza Pinwheels
- Customizable: Add your favorite pizza toppings like cooked sausage, spinach, or even pineapple! Just be careful not to overload the dough.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the pinwheels ahead of time, freeze them, and under bake by a few minutes so that when you reheat them they taste fresh!
- Serve with a Dip: Pair these pinwheels with marinara sauce, garlic butter, or ranch dressing for an extra treat.
Why You’ll Love Pizza Pinwheels
These pizza pinwheels are quick, easy, and bursting with flavor. They’re the perfect party appetizer, a fun addition to lunchboxes, an easy dinner and a creative twist for pizza night. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a delicious snack that everyone will love.
Pizza Pinwheels
Ingredients
- Pizza Dough/Puff Pastry/Crescent Roll
- 1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce
- 1 1/2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Toppings Of Your Choice: mushrooms, bell peppers, olives, etc
- 1 Egg beaten
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F and prepare a baking tray with baking paper
- Roll the dough to roughly the size of 10 x 12 inches. Use flour to help you roll if your dough is sticky
- Spread tomato sauce evenly over the dough
- Sprinkle the cheese over the sauce
- Optional: Add toppings
- Carefully roll the dough
- Slice in to roughly 1-inch thick slices and lay them flat on the baking tray
- Brush the pinwheels with beaten egg.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
- Remove the pinwheels from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or basil for extra flavor.
- Optional: Serve with some sauce on the side.
Notes
UP NEXT: Turkey & Cream Cheese Pinwheel Recipe for Easy Entertaining
Sarah xx
