These easy Mozzarella and Pepperoni Pinwheels are my new best friend. I love how versatile the recipe is! There are so many fun and different combinations you can try to fit the needs of your family. If a recipe is complicated, has a lot of different ingredients, or takes more than 45 minutes, I typically don’t make it.
With my busy life and ever-hungry kids, I need something that isn’t time-consuming but fills them up and is delicious. Not only do my kids love these pepperoni pinwheels, but they double as a great appetizer or finger food. Look how easy these are:
How to Make Easy Mozzarella and Pepperoni Pinwheels
Making easy mozzarella and pepperoni pinwheels starts with simple ingredients and just a few steps. Let’s get the pan and dough ready so you can build these tasty snacks in no time!
Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Dough
Start with a 9-inch round cake pan that is well coated in cooking spray. You’ll see here that I am making two batches of these easy mozzarella and pepperoni pinwheels because one is never enough. If you are going to serve these at a party, you may even want to make three!
You’ll need one container of prepared crescent roll dough. Can I just say that I HATE opening these things? I am always scared to death to pop one of these open. I usually give it to my husband, plug my ears, and turn my back. They’re like a bad jack-in-the-box. If I’m alone, I tear a small bit of the paper off and then bang it on the counter with all my might. At least then, I know when it’ll pop! Do you have a special way of opening these things?
Step 2: Roll Out the Dough
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and then use a rolling pin to roll out the creases in the dough. It is important to do this step because it ensures that each of these easy mozzarella and pepperoni pinwheels has a good amount of dough wrapped around it. If you don’t do it, the perforated edges may cause the dough to sluff off and all the filling to fall out.
Step 3: Add Your Filling
Place the pepperoni on the dough so that it covers the entire surface. You’ll need about 40-50 pieces.
Sprinkle on a bag of frozen broccoli chunks that have been thawed and patted dry with a paper towel. Then layer the broccoli with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of garlic salt.
Step 4: Roll the Dough into a Log
Carefully roll the dough into a tight log shape. Start from the left and roll it to the right so that the log is short and thick. In other words, don’t roll it the long way, or you won’t have as many layers in the easy mozzarella and pepperoni pinwheels.
In this picture, I rolled it in the width direction and then turned it to cut the slices.
Step 5: Cut and Arrange
Cut 8 1-inch pieces and place them into the greased cake pan.
Step 6: Bake to Perfection
Bake the pepperoni pinwheels at 400 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Enjoying Your Easy Mozzarella and Pepperoni Pinwheels
You’ll know the easy mozzarella and pepperoni pinwheels are done when your kids start coming into the kitchen asking what smells so good. Their little hands are always grabbing for the pinwheels before they have even cooled! This is why I always make at least 2 batches: one for pre-dinner and one for dinner! (Why can they never wait the last 5 minutes it takes to get dinner on the table?!)
Easy mozzarella and pepperoni pinwheels also make a wonderful appetizer or finger food for a party. I took them to a Christmas party a couple of weeks ago, and several people asked for the recipe. I’m thinking of making them again for New Year’s Eve.
Perfect for Kids and Leftovers
As fun as they are to serve at a party, mozzarella and pepperoni pinwheels are one of my kid’s favorite dinners. Since I can make them in less than 30 minutes, I don’t mind making them often. They also make great leftovers for the kids’ lunches the next day. Shhhhhh, don’t tell them there’s broccoli in there!
For more easy and quick dinners the family will love, check out my 30-minute dinners and my Crockpot meals on my recipe index. Happy cooking, y’all!
