Easy Pizza Pinwheels – Made with fluffy crescent rolls, marinara and all your favorite pizza toppings. The perfect snack or appetizer that’s ready in just 20 minutes!
My family absolutely loves these pizza pinwheels. They’re a fun appetizer or snack that’s delicious and both adult and kid-friendly. Some of our other favorite go-to’s are pigs in a blanket, ham and cheese rolls, BBQ meatballs, homemade pretzel bites and taco pop tarts.
Crescent roll pinwheels
When it comes to my kids and when they’re hungry – they want something good and fast. And these pizza pinwheels make the perfect snack!
These little roll ups are made with Pillsbury Crescent Dough (or pizza dough) and can be made with jarred pizza sauce or if you have a little more time, homemade marinara sauce. They take just a few minutes to prepare and they bake in just about 10 minutes.
I love that these pizza pinwheels are super easy to make, can be adapted to be kids or adult friendly and make a great after school snack, or even a light meal. So simple and delicious!
How to make pizza pinwheels
Roll out the dough. To make the pizza pinwheels, you’ll need to flatten out the dough. You can use refrigerated crescents or pizza dough; they both come out to roughly the same size. Be sure to flour the surface first to avoid sticking.
Add sauce and toppings. Spread on the sauce and add some toppings. Each roll makes about a dozen pinwheels, and you can divide the toppings to get more variety (similar to how I split the toppings in the photo below).
If you’re using crescents, you’ll want to make sure you press the seams together.
Roll the pinwheel. The next step is probably the hardest, but the great thing about these roll-ups is that they are very forgiving as they bake even if they look sloppy after you roll them up.
You’ll need to roll them lengthwise; I usually start by folding the edge and then continue the rolling motion, doing just a little bit at a time to keep the filling from falling out.
TIP: One tip that I got from a reader was to freeze the roll for 10-15 minutes before slicing to preserve their shape. I thought that was a great idea if you have the time!
Slice into pieces. Using a sharp knife, slice the roll into 1-inch pieces. I like to rinse off my knife every couple of slices so that the cuts are cleaner.
Add to baking sheet and bake. Place the pizza pinwheels onto a foiled-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake in the oven at 350°F until tops are golden, about 9-11 minutes.
Serve and enjoy! Let cool for a couple of minutes and then serve with favorite dipping sauce such as pizza sauce or ranch.
Pizza pinwheel variations
There are SO many fun variations you can make for these pizza pinwheels! Instead of pepperoni, add some chicken, diced peppers, onions, mushrooms or any other specialty ingredients you like. Below are some yummy ideas:
Sauces:
Toppings:
- Cheese: Mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, pepper jack, monterey, parmesan
- Veggies: Peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, basil, jalapenos
- Meats: Pepperoni, turkey pepperoni, chicken, Canadian bacon, ground beef
Combinations
- Pepperoni: Pizza sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni
- Veggie: Pizza sauce, mozzarella, chopped veggies of choice
- BBQ chicken: BBQ sauce, chicken, mozzarella, red onion
- Alfredo: Alfredo or white pizza sauce, mozzarella, chicken
- Pesto: Pesto sauce, mozzarella, chicken, tomatoes
- Buffalo: Buffalo sauce, mozzarella, chicken, ranch
More pizza recipes:
- Easy French Bread Pizza
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Garlic Ranch Chicken Pizza
- Healthy Pizza
- Spinach Pesto Pizza
- Pizza Chicken Roll Ups
Pizza Pinwheel Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can refrigerated crescents , or pizza dough
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce or marinara , more as needed
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional toppings: pepperoni, bell peppers, olives, onions, mushrooms
For dipping: extra marinara or ranch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking 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 edges. Slice into 1-inch pieces. Place pinwheels on the prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for about 9-11 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
- For larger pinwheels, roll lengthwise (the shortest side). You’ll want to make sure the fillings are the same for the whole pizza if you choose this method.
- For a cleaner cut, freeze the pinwheel roll for about 10-15 minutes before slicing. This helps preserve their shape!
- Pepperoni: Pizza sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni
- Veggie: Pizza sauce, mozzarella, chopped veggies of choice
- BBQ chicken: BBQ sauce, chicken, mozzarella, red onion
- Alfredo: Alfredo or white pizza sauce, mozzarella, chicken
- Pesto: Pesto sauce, mozzarella, chicken, tomatoes
- Buffalo: Buffalo sauce, mozzarella, chicken, ranch
Nutrition
Originally written by Kristin from Yellow Bliss Road.
Have you ever frozen these ahead of time and then just baked them the night you need them?
could these be frozen before baking and then bake right from the freezer?
Thank you!
I haven’t tried, but I think it would work!
Hi there! Recipe looks fabulous! I’m working on my upcoming Halloween party already and I want to be able to prep as much food as I can ahead of time. Do you think I would be able to make these a few days before and freeze them? Perhaps popping them in the oven to toast them up before the party starts? Any suggestions would be most appreciated, thanks!
Hi Arial, yes! You can make these ahead and if it’s only a a day or two ahead, store in the freezer and then pop them in the oven to toast them up.
Your recipes are fun and great. Thank you!
thanks for ur recipe
btw, I really like your “I heart naptime” logo!
That is so awesome! I use crescents for a lot of things but I never though about pizza roll ups. Doing it tonight!
The best trick for slicing anything in a roll (including cinnamon buns, yum!) is to use a piece of dental floss or fine kitchen twine. Slide it under the roll, bring the two sides up, cross them over each other and pull in opposite directions. Zip zoom swoosh. Fast and clean slicing every time without squashing the roll or altering the shape. You should give it a try.
I love that trick, it works perfect every time! :)
No comments?? Well I just have to say that these look Way too yummy and easy. My next shopping trip, I will definitely be buying ingredients for these. Thanks So much for posting
Your recipes look so delicious and easy too.