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If you’re looking for an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer, these Pepperoni Pinwheels are it. Flaky puff pastry, melty cheese, and zesty pepperoni rolled up into the perfect handheld bite—you’ll want to make a double batch. Trust me, these disappear fast!
When it comes to appetizers in our house, we don’t mess around—especially when pizza flavors are involved. Whether it’s game night, a potluck, or just a Friday night snack spread, these Pepperoni Pinwheels check all the boxes. They’re crispy, cheesy, and packed with flavor in every bite.
Back when my kids were younger, we always had something going on—youth group meetings, neighborhood hangouts, birthday parties (you name it). I needed go-to recipes that were easy to make but still crowd-pleasers. That’s exactly how these little handheld bites came to life. Over the years, I’ve tweaked the recipe to get just the right balance of gooey cheese, pepperoni, herbs, and that pizza-style tang from the sauce.
With store-bought puff pastry and just a handful of pantry staples, these are a total win for busy weeknights or last-minute entertaining. And they freeze beautifully, which means you can always have some on hand for when the snack attack hits.
Pepperoni Pinwheels Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Preheat and prep
Heat your oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together a large egg and a bit of water. Set this egg wash aside.
Step 2 | Prepare the pastry
Unfold your defrosted puff pastry on a flat surface. Brush the pastry with the egg wash using a pastry brush, but save a little for later.
Step 3 | Add the toppings
Now, spread 1/4 cup of marinara or pizza sauce over the puff pastry, leaving a little room, about a 1/2-inch border.
Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese, lay out pepperoni slices, and season with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
Pepperoni Slicing Tip: Stack half the pepperoni slices on top of each other. Cut each half into 4 pieces.
Step 4 | Roll and slice
Roll the pastry up like a jelly roll. Pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
After chilling, trim the ends and slice the roll into 1-inch pieces with a sharp knife. You should get about 15 slices.
Step 5 | Bake
Then, place the slices on your prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle half of the parmesan cheese on top.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until they’re golden brown.
Step 5 | Finish and serve
Once out of the oven, sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese and some chopped parsley on top. Serve with the extra marinara sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
Pepperoni Pinwheels Variations and Substitutions
Spicy Pizza Pinwheels: Add a kick with a pinch of red pepper flakes or spicy pepperoni slices.
Veggie Pizza Rolls: Skip the pepperoni and stuff the pinwheels with vegetable pizza toppings like mushrooms, broccoli, green peppers, onions, or bell peppers.
Try a Different Dough: You can also use storebought or homemade pizza dough for these pinwheels– try my no-rise pizza dough recipe! Other recipes use crescent roll dough, which is also delicious.
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Swap the Protein: If you’re not a fan of pepperoni, try substituting it with cooked crumbled sausage, mushrooms, bacon, or ham.
Tips
- Thin Layer of Sauce: No matter how much you love pizza sauce, I recommend a thin layer to prevent soggy pepperoni rolls.
- Use a Bread Knife: I like to use a serrated bread knife to slice the rolls. You can also use nonflavored dental floss, which works just as well!
- Defrost the Pastry: The sheets of pastry dough must be defrosted before starting the recipe, so remember to set them in the fridge the night before.
- Keep Pastry Dough Cold: Make sure you remove the puff pastry from the fridge. just before you place the egg wash on top. This keeps the layers nice and flakey.
- Please note that the box of puff pastry comes with 2 sheets. This recipe calls for 1 sheet. You can make a double batch and freeze some for later or use it in another puff pastry recipe. They are difficult to separate before defrosting (why can’t they put a sheet between them I haven’t a clue). I have added a couple of sweet ideas below to use up 1 sheet.
For more tips, see our Variations and Substitutions and Recipe FAQs.
What to Serve with this Pizza Pinwheel Recipe
Pepperoni pinwheels are excellent on their own, but you can add to them to enjoy a more balanced meal. Try a light salad, like this Burrata Caprese Salad Recipe or my Caesar Salad with Homemade Caesar Dressing. It’s also tasty with a fresh fruit salad– My Berry Fruit Salad is a family favorite!
Or enjoy it with these crack chicken pinwheels or any of our other finger foods and appetizers for your game day parties or tailgating!
How to Store Pepperoni Pinwheels
Refrigerate Leftovers: Once cooled, wrap the pinwheels in plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to five days.
Freezing: Completely cool the pinwheels, then wrap each one in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight bag. Press out as much air as possible to avoid freezer burn. They’ll stay good for up to 3 months.
Reheating: To reheat, microwave for 40-45 seconds or bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until hot and crispy.
Make-Ahead Tip: Assemble them up to 24 hours in advance, but don’t wait longer, or they might get soggy. You can also assemble, bake, and freeze them to serve later. Place frozen in a 375°F oven and cook until warmed through.
Pepperoni Pinwheels FAQs
I like to use flaky, buttery pastry dough, but you can use authentic pizza dough, crescent roll dough, or bread dough.
Making pizza sauce is super easy! Just mix a can of tomato sauce with a bit of olive oil, garlic powder, dried oregano, and basil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then give it a good stir. Done!
Use parchment paper or grease the baking sheet to prevent the pinwheels from sticking to it.
To avoid greasy pizza pinwheels, you can microwave the pepperoni and dab off the excess grease.
Easy Sweet Recipes You Can Make with 1 Sheet of Puff Pastry
Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls:
- Roll out the dough to a 10 X 10 square. Take 1 to 2 Tablespoons of softened butter and spread it over the dough. Then, mix 2 Tablespoons of white or brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon together in a bowl and sprinkle on top of the butter. Sprinkle on a few chopped pecans or walnut nuts, if desired.
- Press lightly with the palm of your hands to help the toppings adhere to the dough. Cut puff pastry in two. For each half, beginning at one edge, roll up (not too tightly). Pinch dough along the length to keep it in a roll. Cut the roll horizontally with a sharp knife into 12 equal pieces.
- Place cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 400℉ preheated oven for 15- 18 minutes.
- For a glaze, combine 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar, 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of milk or water, and a dash of vanilla to glaze the top. (If the glaze is too thick, add a few drops of liquid. If it is too thin, add more icing sugar.)
Puff Pastry Hand Pies
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. On a lightly floured surface, lay out one pastry sheet.
- Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the sheet into 6 rectangles. 3 of these rectangles will be the bottom pastry pie crust, and 3 will be the top. Transfer the 3 bottom rectangles to the prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of the bottom rectangles with the egg wash (1 egg beaten together with a splash of water).
- Spoon 2-3 Tablespoons of your favorite pie filling onto each of the 3 bottom rectangles. Place the top rectangles over the filling, lining up the edges as best you can. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal shut. Slice 2-3 slits in the tops for air vents.
- Brush the tops of the pastry pies with egg wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Chill the pies in the refrigerator for at least 25 minutes.
- During the last few minutes of chill time, preheat oven to 375°F. Bake the pastry pies for 30-35 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
More of the Easiest Appetizers!
- Loaded Baked Potato Skins
- Air Fryer Meatballs Recipe (fresh and frozen)
- Tomato Tart with Puff Pastry
- Loaded Chicken Nachos Recipe
- Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
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Pepperoni Pinwheels Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 sheet puff pastry - defrosted in the refrigerator
- 1 cup marinara sauce or pizza sauce - divided
- ¾ cup mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup cut pepperoni chopped - 25 slices
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese - divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, add the egg and water. Mix until combined. Set aside.
- Unfold the defrosted puff pastry onto a flat surface.
- Using a pastry brush, coat the puff pastry with the egg wash. Set aside the remainder of the egg wash.
- Cover the puff pastry with 1/4 cup of marinara sauce or pizza sauce. Leave 1/2 inch on all sides.
- Top the sauce with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
- Roll the puff pastry like a jelly roll. Then, place the roll in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- With a serrated knife, cut off the ends of the roll and discard. Then cut the remainder of the roll into 1-inch slices. You will have approximately 15 slices.
- Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the slices with the egg wash.
- Sprinkle half of the parmesan cheese on top of the slices Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Top with the remainder of the parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve with the remainder of the marinara sauce.
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Oh my goodness! Yum!
Thank you, Dina!