Description
These savory smoked sausage pinwheels feature a flaky crescent dough crust filled with cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and spicy sausage, served with a cooling yet kicky spicy ranch dip. Perfect for tailgating, parties, or game day.
Ingredients
- 2 cans (approx. 16 oz total) refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 pound (450g) pre-cooked smoked sausage (Andouille or kielbasa), casings removed and crumbled
- 8 ounces (225g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (100g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream
- ½ cup (120g) mayonnaise
- 1 packet (1 ounce) dry ranch dressing mix
- 1–2 fresh jalapeños, finely minced
- 1–2 teaspoons hot sauce (e.g., Frank’s RedHot or Tabasco)
- 2–3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Crumble the smoked sausage into small pieces (size of rice grains or small peas). Let cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, mix softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, garlic powder, and black pepper until smooth. Fold in the crumbled sausage.
- Unroll crescent dough onto a clean surface. Press perforated seams together firmly to seal.
- Spread the sausage-cream cheese mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a half-inch border on all sides.
- Starting from a long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam to seal.
- Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the log into 1-inch thick rounds. Place seam-side down on baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
- Optional: Chill pinwheels in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to help them hold shape.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown and puffed. Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
- While pinwheels bake, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix, hot sauce, and minced jalapeño until smooth. Stir in half of the green onions.
- Let pinwheels cool for 5 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature with the spicy ranch dip.
Notes
Chill the pinwheels before baking to prevent the filling from leaking. Do not overfill the dough, or it will ooze out and burn. You can freeze the raw, sliced pinwheels on a baking sheet, then transfer to a bag for later baking straight from frozen (add 2-3 minutes to bake time). For a vegetarian option, substitute sausage with roasted red peppers, spinach, and feta.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pinwheel
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Protein: 6
Keywords: tailgate recipes, smoked sausage pinwheels, party appetizers, game day food, spicy ranch dip, crescent roll recipes, football snacks, make-ahead appetizers