About the Recipe
These old-school sausage pinwheels are as much a classic for a reason: They feature crescent dough with bits of sausage and red pepper layered within a creamy garlic cheese spread. Bell pepper + cream cheese + cheddar cheese make for a pimento-inspired bite. Read on for some helpful hints on how to make them.
Ingredients
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz. ground Italian sausage (mild, hot, or fennel and garlic)
1/2 c. finely chopped red bell pepper
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 oz. sharp white cheddar, grated
3 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 (8-oz.) cans crescent roll dough
Preparation
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Cook sausage, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon or a fork, until crumbly and no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring, until just softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix cream cheese, cheddar, garlic, and salt until combined.
On a work surface, roll dough to a 13" x 5" rectangle. Pinch seams together on both sides. Using an offset spatula, spread cream cheese mixture over dough, leaving about a 1/4" border on all sides. Sprinkle sausage mixture over, lightly pressing into cream cheese to keep any pieces from falling out when rolling.
With a long side facing you, tightly roll dough away from you into a log. Arrange seam side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze 20 minutes.
Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 375°. Cut log into 1/2" rounds. Arrange rounds cut side down on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 1/2" to 2" apart.
Bake pinwheels, rotating sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until dough is golden brown and puffy on top, about 20 minutes.