Sausage Pinwheels with Apple, Sage, and Gruyère

These beautiful sausage pinwheels are the perfect fall appetizer with flavors of apple, sage, and Gruyère. They’re irresistible!

Say hello to the prettiest new little fall appetizer on the block! She’s classy, fun, and the star of every party. 

I have to be honest with you guys though…this recipe was born from some leftover Gruyère. 

Because if I know anything in life, I know we do not waste Gruyère cheese. 

Or bacon (that’s a Gurk family motto). But we’re talking about cheese at this moment. 

We had some Gruyère leftover from another recipe we had tested the previous week (that one is coming soon!) and I started dreaming up this pretty Thanksgiving appetizer. Or Christmas appetizer. Or random Saturday night appetizer. It fits all categories.

However, we snuck in flavors of sage and apple to really make this appetizer scream fall. It’s cheesy, flaky, flavorful, and I may or may not occasionally eat these for breakfast.

About these Sausage Pinwheels

Like I mentioned, they boast the flavors of fall, all tied together with flaky puff pastry and flavorful sausage. I used pork sausage in this recipe, but you could also use turkey sausage. 

These are a great party appetizer because they taste wonderful directly out of the oven, but they’re also yummy as they cool to room temperature. If they last that long! But I can assure you, you won’t have to worry about keeping these warm. As soon as you take them out of the oven, they’ll begin to disappear! 

How to make sausage pinwheels

To make these easy puff pastry pinwheels, you’ll first need to thaw your puff pastry. There’s directions for that on the box, but it usually takes about an hour.

Tip: Once your puff pastry starts to thaw enough to move it without cracking it, carefully unfold it so it thaws evenly.

Once the puff pastry is pliable and easy to work with, you’ll roll it out just a little thinner. I do this right on parchment paper to keep it from sticking. 

While the pastry was thawing, you’ll have made the filling. It’s easy to make and you’ll begin by browning sausage and onion. This makes your kitchen smell amazing! Once it is cooked, you’ll add the apple and continue to cook until it is softened slightly. Stir in sage and the aromas of fall will fill your kitchen! 

You’ll let this cool slightly until the puff pastry is ready for action. When it’s ready, spread the sausage filling evenly over the two sheets of puff pastry, leaving a small border at one end. Sprinkle with all that amazing Gruyère! 

Next, you’ll carefully roll it up and seal the open edge. This is easier than it seems…just take your time! 

Once it’s rolled up, you’ll want to pop it into the freezer for 1-2 hours (not longer). This will allow you to make clean slices without smushing the roll. Don’t skip this step or you’ll end up with smooshed sausage ovals instead of cute little pinwheels.

A little brush of egg wash will make these shiny and golden brown once they’re baked. Into the oven they go!

PS: Don’t be alarmed if the bottom of these brown a little bit. It’s because of the sausage and cheese, but there is SO much flavor in that color. Don’t let it scare you away. 

More tasty holiday appetizers:

• Bacon Wrapped Dates
• Baked Brie with Cranberries and Bourbon Candied Pecans
• 7 Layer Dip (the BEST 7 layer dip!)
• Spinach Balls
• Whipped Feta with Lemon and Dill

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Sausage Pinwheels with Apple, Sage, and Gruyère

Yield: 24

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

These beautiful sausage pinwheels are the perfect fall appetizer with flavors of apple, sage, and Gruyère. They're irresistible!

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Ingredients

• 1 (17.5 oz) package puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed according to package directions
• 1 pound ground pork sausage
• 1 small onion, diced small (about 1 cup diced onion)
• 1 medium apple, peeled and diced very small ¼ inch, or shredded (about 1 cup diced apple)
• 4 fresh sage leaves, minced (about ½ tablespoon)
• 4 ounces gruyere, shredded
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon milk or cream

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add sausage and onion. Cook, breaking up the sausage into small pieces, until sausage is cooked through and onions are translucent. 
2. Add apple and continue to cook until apple is softened. Sprinkle in sage and stir to combine. 
3. Roll out each puff pastry sheet with a rolling pin to make 10 inch squares. Spread sausage mixture evenly over each piece, leaving a 1/2 border on one end. Sprinkle cheese evenly over sausage mixture. Wet fingers and run them along the edge that you left open.
4. Roll from opposite end (not the wet end) tightly and seal along moistened end. Wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap.
5. Place roll in freezer for at least 1 hour. 
6. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
7. In a small bowl, lightly whisk egg and milk or cream. 
8. Remove roll from freezer and cut into 1/2-inch slices; place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Brush pinwheels with egg mixture.
9. Bake 30 minutes or until until golden brown.

Notes

• Do not freeze more than 2 hours before baking. We tested them this way and they do not hold together when baked.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 100Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 194mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 5g

RachelCooks.com sometimes provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietitian. Please consult a medical professional for any specific nutrition, diet, or allergy advice.

Verdict: These are addicting little buggers! Every time I make them, I can’t stop eating them!
Husband’s take: Ben loves these too! We usually just reheat leftovers in the toaster oven (but be careful, they have a tendency to burn quickly).
Changes I would make: None at all!
Difficulty:  Easier than they look!