Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels
A pan of pepperoni pizza pinwheels tends to disappear before anybody even finds a seat, so you might want to make a double batch. Refrigerated pizza dough gets rolled up around marinara and gooey mozzarella with pepperoni and a little bacon tucked inside, then sliced into spirals and baked until the edges turn golden and the cheese bubbles out the sides. You’ll have 12 of them in about 30 minutes, which is faster than waiting on a delivery driver.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
- Serves: 12 rolls
- Main Ingredients: flour, refrigerated pizza crust, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, cub mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, cub precooked bacon, cub green pepper
I use precooked bacon here because it stays soft and rolls up neatly with the other fillings, and a little Italian seasoning over the sauce makes them taste like a slice from your favorite pizza place. Keep extra marinara warm on the side for dipping, or stir up a batch of my quick pizza sauce from scratch.
Why These Pizza Pinwheels Hold Together
Leaving about an inch of bare dough along both long edges gives the sauce somewhere to go when you roll, so it doesn’t squeeze out the ends, and that clean edge seals the log shut. Chopping the toppings small matters too. Big pepperoni slices and chunky peppers tear the dough and make the pinwheels fall apart when you slice them, so I cut the pepperoni into quarters and dice the pepper fine.
Baking at 425°F gets the outside golden in 10 to 15 minutes while the cheese inside melts, and spacing them 2 inches apart lets the edges brown instead of steaming.
Ingredients for Pizza Pinwheels
- Refrigerated pizza crust: One tube rolls out to the 12 by 16-inch rectangle you need. A little flour on the counter keeps it from sticking.
- Precooked bacon: It’s soft and rolls best. If you’d rather have crispy bacon, cook your own and crumble it into fine pieces, or use real bacon bits.
- Mozzarella: Freshly shredded melts smoother than bagged, but either one works.
- Pepperoni: Cut the slices into quarters so the log rolls tight.
You’ll find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.
Helpful Tips Before You Start
- Lay a sheet of parchment paper on the counter before you flour it, and cleanup is just folding up the paper.
- For even slices, cut the log in half first, cut each half in half, then cut each of those sections into thirds. That gives you 12 matching pinwheels.
- A pizza cutter or serrated knife works for slicing, and a loop of kitchen string or unflavored dental floss pulled across the log gives you a clean cut without squashing it.
- Swap in any pizza toppings your family likes. Just chop them small enough to roll.
How to Make Pizza Pinwheels
1Prep the Pan
Preheat the oven to 425°F and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2Roll Out the Dough
Lightly flour your counter, unroll the pizza crust and roll it into a 12 by 16-inch rectangle.
3Add the Sauce
Spread the marinara evenly over the dough, leaving about an inch bare along both long edges.
4Season It
Sprinkle the Italian seasoning evenly over the sauce.
5Add the Cheese
Scatter the mozzarella over the sauce.
6Add the Toppings
Top with the pepperoni, bacon, green pepper and parsley.
7Roll It Up
Starting at one long edge, roll the dough up tightly into a log, keeping the toppings tucked in as you go.
8Slice
Cut the log into 12 one-inch pinwheels with a pizza cutter or serrated knife.
9Arrange on the Pan
Set the pinwheels on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
10Bake
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Let them cool for 2 to 3 minutes before moving them.
What to Serve with Pizza Pinwheels
For a game day spread, set these out next to a batch of Rotel cream cheese sausage balls and a big bowl of layered Tex Mex dip, or make them part of a full table from my 40+ game day recipes. A pan of easy cheeseburger sliders rounds out the menu for a hungry crowd.
On a cold night, they’re a fun dipper next to a bowl of meaty and cheesy pizza soup. Leftovers keep in the fridge for a few days and crisp back up in a 350°F oven or the air fryer.
Pizza Pinwheels FAQs
Can I make pizza pinwheels ahead?
Roll and slice the pinwheels, set them on the baking sheet, cover tightly and refrigerate for a few hours. Bake them straight from the fridge, adding a minute or two if the centers need it.
Why did my pinwheels unroll in the oven?
Usually the log wasn’t rolled tightly or the seam didn’t seal. Leave that inch of bare dough along the edge, roll snug and pinch the seam closed before you slice.
Can I use crescent dough instead of pizza crust?
A sheet of crescent dough works and makes a softer, flakier pinwheel. Press the seams together well and start checking them a few minutes early.
Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1 pkg refrigerated pizza crust
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce plus more for dipping
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
- 1/2 cup pepperoni cut into quarters
- 1/2 cup precooked bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup green pepper diced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Lightly flour your counter and unroll the pizza crust. Roll it into a 12 by 16-inch rectangle.
- Spread the marinara evenly over the dough, leaving about 1 inch bare along both long edges.
- Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the sauce. Top with the mozzarella, pepperoni, bacon, green pepper and parsley.
- Starting at one long edge, roll the dough up tightly into a log, keeping the toppings tucked in. Cut the log into 12 one-inch pinwheels with a pizza cutter or serrated knife.
- Set the pinwheels 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Let cool 2 to 3 minutes before moving them, and serve with warm marinara for dipping.