Cheesy Breakfast Sausage Rolls
45 min
|
easy
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Flaky crescent dough wrapped around juicy breakfast sausage and melty cheddar, seasoned right with garlic, pepper, and a pinch of salt; think pigs in a blanket for breakfast, but cheesier and way more satisfying.
Perfect for lazy weekend brunch, game day mornings, or grab-and-go meal prep, these bake up golden and buttery with a savory, peppery bite, and trust me, there will not be leftovers unless you hide a few.
Ingredients (12 servings)
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Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh breakfast sausage fresh breakfast sausage 1 lb
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter unsalted butter 0.5 oz
- 1 can crescent dough sheets crescent dough sheets 1 can
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese shredded cheddar cheese 5 oz
- ½ tsp garlic powder garlic powder 0.05 oz
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper black peppercorns (for freshly ground black pepper)
- ¼ tsp salt salt
How to Make Cheesy Breakfast Sausage Rolls
-
Heat the oven and prep the pan
Preheat the oven to 375 F and line a sheet pan with parchment for easy release and crisp bottoms.
-
Cook and season the sausage
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the sausage, and cook while crumbling until no pink remains and the edges are lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the garlic powder, black pepper, and salt, then drain excess fat and let the sausage cool to room temp so it does not sog out the dough.
-
Prepare the dough
Unroll the crescent dough sheet on a lightly floured board and gently roll it to an even rectangle about 12 by 8 inches if needed.
If there are perforations, pinch them closed so the filling stays put.
-
Fill and roll
Scatter the cooled sausage evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 inch border along one long edge, then top with the shredded cheddar.
Roll up tightly from the opposite long edge toward the clean border and pinch the seam to seal, placing the log seam side down.
-
Chill for clean cuts
Refrigerate the filled log for 10 minutes to firm it up so the slices stay round and neat.
-
Slice and arrange
Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 12 equal pieces about 1 inch thick and space them on the prepared pan.
-
Bake to golden and bubbly
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the rolls are deep golden and the cheese is bubbling, rotating the pan halfway for even color.
If you want extra shine and flavor, brush the tops with a little melted butter in the last 2 minutes.
-
Rest and serve
Let the rolls rest 5 minutes so the cheese settles, then serve warm while they are irresistible.
Substitutions
- Crescent dough sheet -> Puff pastry
- Swap in one sheet of thawed puff pastry for extra shatter and buttery layers while keeping the same roll-and-slice method.
- Cheddar -> Pepper jack or smoked gouda
- Pepper jack brings a gentle kick and creaminess, while smoked gouda adds a silky melt with a toasty, bacon-like aroma that plays beautifully with sausage.
- Breakfast sausage -> Chorizo or hot Italian turkey sausage
- Both deliver bold spice and savory depth with a leaner bite from turkey if desired, and the paprika in chorizo gives a gorgeous color and smoky finish.
Tips
- Cool the filling or the dough will fight you
- Hot sausage melts the fat in the dough and causes tearing and leaks, so give it a few minutes to lose steam before rolling.
- Drain like you mean it
- Excess grease leads to soggy bottoms, so blot the cooked sausage on paper towels and let it sit in a fine mesh strainer for a minute.
- Chill to slice clean
- A quick 10 minute chill firms the fat in the dough and cheese so you can get even 1 inch pinwheels without squashing.
- Floss beats knives for clean cuts
- Slide unflavored dental floss under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull tight for perfect rounds that do not smear the filling.
- Season with intention
- Taste a tiny crumble of cooked sausage and adjust salt and pepper before filling, and if your sausage is mild, a pinch of smoked paprika is a power move.
- Pan management for crisp bottoms
- Use a light colored sheet pan with parchment and avoid overcrowding so heat can circulate and the rolls brown evenly.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 299 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 17 | g |
| Total Fat | 24 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 3 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My rolls unwrapped in the oven, what went wrong?
- Your filling was probably warm or the seam was not sealed, so cool the sausage, leave a clean border, pinch the seam well, and place the log seam side down before slicing.
- The bottoms were soggy, how do I keep them crisp?
- Drain the sausage thoroughly, cool it, bake on parchment, and make sure the oven is fully preheated, and give the pan a 180 degree rotation halfway through.
- Can I make these ahead?
- Assemble and chill the log up to 24 hours, then slice and bake straight from the fridge, or freeze the sliced rolls on a sheet pan and bake from frozen adding 3 to 5 minutes.
- What if my cheese leaks out?
- Leave a 1 inch border, do not overfill, chill the log before slicing, and press each slice gently to re-shape into a round before baking.
- How do I reheat leftovers without drying them out?
- Warm in a 325 F oven or air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes until hot and crisp again, and avoid the microwave which softens the dough.
Serving Suggestions
Hot honey or a drizzle of real maple with a pinch of smoked paprika turns these into a sweet-salty situation that disappears fast.
Serve with soft-scrambled eggs and a quick scallion salad, or go full New Yorker and hit the tops with everything bagel seasoning before baking for extra crunch.
More pairings:
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