Sausage Pinwheels for a Fanfare Breakfast

You know what my mother-in-law’s most requested food is from my kids? These sausage pinwheels.

For the longest time when my kids would request I make them, I just told them they’d have to wait until we go to Grandma’s to have them and that was OK for a while.  But as the kids have gotten older and busier and we don’t go to Grandma and Grandpa’s nearly as much, how could I deprive them of such happiness.  So I broke down and started making them myself.

Now, anytime they ask “What’s for breakfast?” on Sunday morning and I say, “Sausage Pinwheels,” they act like they just hit the jackpot.  There are smiles and high fives and “Mom, you’re the greatest” and a band plays all through the house.  Well, that may be stretching it but it certainly turns a frown upside down and there are smiles galore.  No one is late to the table for this meal.

The first couple of times I made these I rolled my Pillsbury crescent rolls too thin.  The key is to just roll them out and try to make sure the seams are pressed together.  I have tried store brand crescent rolls before but for some reason, the Pillsbury just seems to roll out better and has a nicer texture to it.

Add your Italian sausage and cheddar cheese and roll up.  When it’s ready for slicing, I use a serrated knife – it works best for me.  I can get 12 pinwheels out of this one batch. Start in the middle and cut in half.  Then cut the halves in half and those into thirds.  If you are utterly confused right now, I’ve succeeded.

I have no idea where my mother-in-law first saw this recipe, probably in one of her many, many, many, many Taste of Home cookbooks.  But wherever she found it, I’m glad she did.  They are one of our family favorites!

***** Since I published this, I’ve had a few questions about the sausage if it would get done in the amount of time I have stated or if they should cook it before hand. All ovens are different and mine may run a little hot but the sausage has always been done in the 15 – 17 minutes, but use your best judgment.  If you cook them too long, the crescents will get too dark and hard but you do want to make sure the sausage is cooked through.  So if you are hesitant, put one in the oven as your test piece and see how long it takes for your pinwheel to get done, then you can put the others in and know how your oven works.

Print Recipe

Sausage Pinwheels

We LOVE these for breakfast with scrambled eggs and a side of fruit. Plan for 2 - 3 per person because they are that good!

All ovens are different so you may need more time than I have stated here. Make a test pinwheel, bake it and time it and see how long it takes. Then stick the rest of the batch in and you'll know how long it will take.

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Total Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

1 – 8 ounce package of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
¾ pound of Italian sausage
½ - 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Roll out crescent rolls onto a nonstick surface, making sure seams are pressed together.
Place pieces of sausage on top of the crescent rolls making a nice even layer.
Place shredded cheese on top of sausage – using the amount that you like.
Roll up rolls the long way. Start at one end and carefully roll it up until it is done.
Using a sharp or serrated knife, cut the rolled up roll in half. From there, cut the 2 halves in half. Then take each of those halves and cut into thirds for a total of 12 pinwheels.
Place pinwheels on a baking sheet. I like to use a nonstick mat to make clean up easier.
Put baking sheet in oven and bake for 15 – 17 minutes, depending on your oven. If it needs more time, cook them longer.
When done, take out and serve.