Sausage & Sage Puff Pastry Pinwheels

Name: Sausage & Sage Puff Pastry Pinwheels
Prep time: 90
Cook time: 25
Total time: 115
Yield: 1
Ingredients: olive oil; package Italian Herb chicken sausage, casing removed; cloves garlic, minced; chopped fresh sage; sheet puff pastry, thawed but kept cold; whipped cream cheese, at room temperature; shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided; large egg, whisked in a small bowl; finely chopped parsley or chives (optional for garnish)

Prep Time: 90 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Servings: 1

Appetizers and Snacks

Italian Herb

Snack

Let’s take a moment for puff pastry: the freezer staple that shows up to every holiday party and somehow steals the spotlight. It folds, cups, and crisps its way through countless appetizers, but here, it really gets to have some fun.

These sausage puff pastry pinwheels start with a single sheet of puff pastry layered with Italian Herb Chicken Sausage, pulsed or chopped until finely crumbled, then paired with fresh sage, cream cheese, and plenty of mozzarella. The sage plays beautifully with the basil and Calabrian peppers in the sausage, while the cheeses mellow things out and hold everything together. Roll it up, slice into spirals, and bake until golden and flaky—it’s the kind of appetizer people hover around until the tray is mysteriously empty.

Note: Prep time clocks in around 90 minutes, but most of that is the dish chilling. Do the same: ideally with a glass of wine.

Chef’s tip: You can prep these completely up to slicing, then freeze them for later. After chilling the rolled log, slice the pinwheels and freeze them on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month.

To bake from frozen: Do not thaw. Place frozen pinwheels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and bake at 400°F for 30–35 minutes, until golden brown.

See Recipe

Puff pastry pinwheels filled with cheese, sage, and The Sausage Project Italian Herb Chicken Sausage.

SERVING MULTIPLIER:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 package Italian Herb chicken sausage, casing removed

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but kept cold

6 ounces whipped cream cheese, at room temperature

1 ½ cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided

1 large egg, whisked in a small bowl

finely chopped parsley or chives (optional for garnish)

Instructions

Prep Time: 90 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Servings: 1

Prep the sausage: Add the sausage (casings removed) to a food processor and pulse until finely crumbled.

Cook the filling: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crumbled sausage and cook, stirring often, for 5–7 minutes, until golden brown. Add the garlic and sage and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Transfer the sausage to a plate and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes, until cooled and no longer warm to the touch.

Prep the puff pastry: While the sausage cools, place the thawed (but still cold) puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Gently roll it out into a roughly 10 × 13-inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese evenly over the pastry, leaving a ½-inch border along the top edge (the edge farthest from you). Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella over the cream cheese, then evenly scatter the cooled sausage on top. Finish with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella.

Roll and chill: Lightly brush the exposed ½-inch border with some of the whisked egg (this helps seal the roll). Starting from the bottom edge, roll the pastry up tightly, jelly-roll style. Place the log seam-side down, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for 45 minutes. This step is key for clean slicing.

Slice and bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the chilled log and lightly brush it all over with the remaining egg. Using a serrated knife, cut the log in half, then slice each half into 8 pinwheels (about ¾-inch thick) for a total of 16. Arrange the pinwheels flat on the baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops with egg. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until puffed, golden brown, and flaky.

Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven, sprinkle with parsley or chives if using, and serve warm.