Spicy Sausage Puff Pastry Pinwheels

Perfectly suited to enjoy at a leisurely brunch nuzzled up next to frittatas or scrambled eggs, or easily crafted as a mouthwatering appetizer at a big dinner party or epic game day fest, these swirly-twirly pastries will be an unstoppable force of flavor the next time you serve them at your chosen event.

Once you get the pinwheel rolling, you’re bound to have a good time.

This is the time to splurge and spoil yourself a little on a convenient store-bought product: puff pastry dough.

Go on, give yourself a little break. You’re already frazzled cleaning the entire house, preparing cocktails, and making sure all the other party food is ready to go.

You don’t need to make a complicated pastry dough from scratch, not for this occasion. Save that crazy energy for making your homemade holiday pies.

This heavenly creation, with its crisp, light-as-air texture and buttery layers, serves as the ideal base to encompass a simple and savory filling of crumbled spicy sausage, assorted cheeses, and fresh herbs.

You’ll be able to strategize by completing prep steps ahead of time in order to minimize rushing at the last minute.

You can cook the sausage and shred the cheese up to a day in advance of beginning the rest of your prep, and once you have assembled and rolled the pastry, you can also store it – uncut and covered with plastic wrap – in your refrigerator for up to one day before slicing and baking.

Be the life of the party without the extra anxiety – swirl and twirl your way through this easy recipe so you can enjoy all the festivities!

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Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep

If you haven’t done so already, thaw your puff pastry sheet in the refrigerator if you bought it frozen. It will need about one to two hours in the refrigerator to thaw.

It should be pliable, but should still be very cold and slightly stiff. It shouldn’t be so soft that it’s difficult to handle and won’t keep its shape.

Avoid thawing it at room temperature – puff pastry dough can become soft and temperamental quickly, so it’s best to keep it in the refrigerator.

If the pastry dough becomes too soft to work with, place it back in the refrigerator and let it chill for 30 minutes to one hour.

This recipe uses one 14-ounce puff pastry sheet. If you cannot find this particular size – some brands sell smaller sizes in a set of two pastry sheets – you will need to divide the ingredients between the two sheets.

Set out one pound of bulk spicy Italian sausage. If you bought links of sausage, remove the meat from the casings.

Measure out the olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Freshly cracked is always preferred! Set out a small bowl of all-purpose flour for dusting purposes.

Finely mince two large cloves of garlic, using a sharp knife and sturdy cutting board. You can also use a garlic press.

Using the coarse side of your box grater, grate the parmesan and fontina cheese to yield half a cup of each type of cheese.

Not really sure how much cheese to buy at the store? You will need about two ounces of each cheese, not including the rind. I’ll usually buy a quarter-pound of each (or four ounces) to make sure I have enough.

Coarsely chop the basil or parsley, and set the herbs aside in a covered bowl or container in the refrigerator.

Step 2 – Cook the Sausage and Garlic

You can cook the sausage as you are waiting for the puff pastry to thaw.

Set aside a large plate lined with paper towels.

Pour the olive oil into a large, nonstick skillet. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop.

Place the bulk sausage into the pan. Using a sturdy, heatproof spoon or spatula, stir the sausage occasionally, breaking up larger pieces as it cooks to make smaller crumbles.

Continue cooking and stirring the sausage until the crumbles are browned on the exterior, yet still slightly pink in the center. This will take about five to eight minutes.

Then, add the minced garlic to the pan, stirring constantly to avoid burning it. After about two minutes, the garlic will be lightly browned and aromatic and the sausage will be completely cooked through.

Remove the sausage and garlic mixture from the pan and place it on the prepared plate – the paper towels will help to absorb any excess grease.

Set aside to cool completely.

Step 3 – Unroll and Flatten Dough

Once the puff pastry has thawed to the optimal pliability, lightly dust a clean work surface with flour.

Unfold the puff pastry onto the work surface. The dough should already have a rectangular shape close to the size you need, but it may be a little uneven and misshapen from storage and thawing.

Position the dough so that one wider end is closest to you and the other is furthest away from you, and the shorter ends are positioned to your left and right.

Using a rolling pin that has been lightly dusted with flour, flatten out the dough. You may also need to roll it out slightly to form a rectangle about 13 inches wide and 10 inches long.

If you’re working with two smaller portions of puff pastry, these should measure seven and a half inches by five inches.

Step 4 – Assemble

Gather your cooked sausage, cheeses, herbs, and salt and pepper and place them next to the dough, where they’re easy to reach.

Before you begin, remember to leave about a half-inch border around the perimeter of the dough – this empty space will ensure excess filling doesn’t spill out on either end of the roll, and will help to create the finishing seal.

Scatter the cooked sausage crumbles in an even layer on top of the dough. Then, evenly sprinkle both cheeses on top of the sausage. After that, sprinkle the herbs on top of the cheese. Finally, season with the salt and pepper.

Step 5 – Roll

Have you made a lot of cinnamon rolls before? Maybe a pretty jelly roll or two? The same rolling method applies to this dough!

Use your finger or a pastry brush to very lightly brush water on the top 1/2-inch border of the dough on the wider end furthest away from you. This will help the dough stick to create a seal along the seam.

Starting at the wide end closest to you, gently – yet tightly – roll up the entire width of the dough over the filling. You don’t want to loosely roll it, or else the filling will not stay intact between the dough layers.

Continue rolling the dough over the filling away from you until you create a fully formed log with the seam positioned on the bottom. Gently roll the log back and forth on the counter to seal the seam.

Step 6 – Chill

Transfer the log to a baking sheet or large platter lined with parchment paper. Cover the log with plastic wrap.

Transfer the platter to the refrigerator. Allow the log to chill for about one hour. This will stiffen the puff pastry dough before it bakes, helping it maintain its shape in the hot oven without too much spreading.

You can also store the log like this for up to 24 hours if you prefer to make it in advance.

Step 7 – Cut

When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F. You will need two oven racks for this, positioned in the top and bottom thirds of the oven, or you can bake one pan at a time. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

After chilling, remove the platter from the refrigerator and dispose of the plastic wrap. Place the log on a large cutting board.

Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the log into 16 even pieces that are about 3/4 inches in width.

Divide the pieces between the two prepared baking sheets – eight on each tray with about an inch of space between each piece.

Step 8 – Bake

Transfer the baking sheets to the oven.

Bake the pinwheels for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is a deep, golden-brown color.

Warning: your kitchen is going to smell sooooo gooood!

Step 9 – Cool and Serve

Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Allow the pastries to cool on the sheets for about five minutes before transferring them to cooling racks.

Wait for about 10 minutes before serving them while they are still warm, or you can serve them at room temperature.

No matter what, this style of baked good is best served soon after it comes out of the oven, while the pastry is still super crisp and perfect!

Customize with Tasty Additions

The recipe for these simple and savory pinwheels is flexible enough to suit different taste preferences, and many ingredient combinations.

Follow our Italian-influenced theme by sprinkling in some toasted pine nuts or finely chopped oven-dried tomatoes. Or consider spreading a few tablespoons of pesto or a tapenade made from our roasted garlic and herb olives onto the dough before layering the sausage and cheese on top.

You can also serve these on the side as delightful dipping companions. A freshly made roasted tomato sauce would also be tasty.

And feel free to change up the cheese! Stick with a 50/50 blend of one semi-soft cheese that melts to perfection – like mozzarella, gruyere, or a young gouda – and one hard-aged cheese that packs a punch of salty flavor – like pecorino, sharp cheddar, or an aged asiago.