These hot ham and cheese pinwheels are rolls loaded with plenty of meat and swiss, then topped with a butter poppy seed sauce and baked to golden brown perfection. I serve ham and cheese roll ups at every party and there are never any leftovers!
Crispy brown rolls filled with smoky ham and melted cheese, then doused in butter. How could you possibly go wrong with that? These ham and cheese rolls are one of the best things I’ve ever eaten! Serve them alongside other appetizer recipes such as chicken parmesan sliders, green bean fries, sausage balls and spinach artichoke dip.
If you’re looking for a savory party appetizer that will keep your guests full and happy, you MUST try these ham and cheese pinwheels. This is not the cold version of pinwheels made with flour tortillas, instead you have plenty of melty cheese. These little rolls are absolutely delicious and are perfect for almost any occasion, like birthday parties, game day, or even as a main course. Best of all, they’re super easy to make with just a handful of ingredients.
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Ham And Cheese Pinwheels Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need pizza dough, ham, Swiss cheese, melted butter, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds and fresh parsley.
How Do You Make Ham And Cheese Pinwheels?
Preheat the oven, and coat a baking dish with with cooking spray. Unroll your tube of pizza dough onto a non-stick surface, and roll it into a large rectangle. Layer the deli ham and cheese on top of the dough. Tightly roll up the dough, jelly roll style, and pinch the ends to seal. Cut the loaf of dough crosswise into slices, then arrange the ham and cheese dough slices in the baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, Dijon mustard and poppy seeds. Pour the butter mixture evenly over the rolls of dough. Bake until golden brown, then sprinkle the wraps with parsley and serve.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
- This recipe works best with a tube of pizza dough, because it’s already in a rectangle shape and easier to roll out. You could also use two 8-ounce cans of crescent roll dough sheets.
- You can prepare the rolls up to 24 hours in advance. Simply store the rolls unbaked in a covered dish in the refrigerator, then uncover and bake when you’re ready to eat.
- Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can serve the pinwheels as-is, or offer a dipping sauce such as honey mustard sauce or homemade ranch dressing.
- Use a serrated knife to make it easier to slice the pinwheels.
Quick Tip
Choose thin slices of ham and Swiss so that you end up with the perfect ratio of bread, meat and cheese.
Recipe FAQs
To roll a perfect pinwheel, you’ll want to make sure you have a tight seal as you go. Start by folding one edge of the dough over, then squeeze to make sure everything is sticking together before you continue the process. If you stop to squeeze everything together a few times before you reach the end, your fillings will not fall out when you slice the pinwheels. I also recommend using a serrated knife for slicing.
I typically plan to serve two pinwheels per person as a light meal or hearty appetizer. If you’re having a gathering where you will have a lot of other appetizer options, you can plan on one pinwheel per person.
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Flavor Variations
While this recipe is delicious as-is, you can very easily change up the ingredients to suit your tastes.
- Meat: Instead of ham, use thinly sliced turkey, bacon, roast beef or even salami.
- Cheese: Swap out the Swiss cheese for slices of cheddar cheese, mozzarella, havarti, mozzarella or gouda. You can also add some cream cheese for added flavor and texture.
- Toppings: Add some other flavors to your melted butter such as Worcestershire sauce, sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, Cajun seasoning, minced dried onion or fresh chives.
You simply can’t go wrong with ham and cheese rolls for a unique and hearty snack offering!
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels Video
Love This Recipe?
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Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
- 3/4 lb ham very thinly sliced
- 8 ounces swiss cheese very thinly sliced
- 8 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9″x13″ pan with cooking spray.
- Unroll the pizza dough onto a non-stick surface and roll it into a large rectangle, roughly 13″x8″ in size.
- Layer the ham on top of the pizza dough to cover it completely, then layer the cheese in the same fashion.
- Starting at one of the long ends, tightly roll up the dough, jelly roll style, pinching the end to seal.
- Cut the loaf crosswise into 12 equal sized pieces, then arrange in the prepared pan.
- Whisk together the butter, brown sugar, Dijon mustard and poppy seeds, then pour evenly over the rolls.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with parsley if desired, then serve.
Notes
- You can also make this recipe with crescent roll sheets instead of pizza dough, use 2 of the 8 ounce cans.
- The rolls can be stored unbaked for up to 24 hours in the fridge, simply cover with foil and then bake them when you’re ready.
These were actually easy to make and delicious!
Could these be frozen ahead of time?
Can they be served at room temperature?
I’d roll the pinwheels, freeze, then thaw and add butter before baking. You can serve them warm or at room temp but I think they’re best warm!
My family loved these! I made them with sesame seeds as I forgot to buy poppy seeds
These were awesome! I made them for Christmas Eve and everyone loved them.
Do you think you could sub pie crust for pizza crust? I have some pie crust, ham, and cheese left over and am not sure what to do with it!
Yes I think that would work, but the pie crust won’t puff up and expand the same way pizza dough would, so just keep that in mind when you’re spacing them out in the pan!
Can you make the day before and heat the next day?
I would wrap up the ham and cheese in the dough, then cover and refrigerate. Pour the sauce over the top right before you bake the next day!
If leaving in fridge to bake in morning, do you pour sauce over then cover and put in fridge or pour sauce over just before baking in morning?
I would pour the sauce over just before you bake them, since the sauce is butter based it will congeal in the fridge!
Those ham and cheese pinwheels look so delicious! I will save this recipe and make some with whatever ham there is left over from Christmas!
Now that the kids are older, they’re branching out and eating new foods. It’s been so fun sharing recipes with them and this looks like one they’ll love!
I ended up without a whole lot to have to bring for family holiday dinners this year. I’ll make these sandwiches and surprise everyone! Love the flaky crust!
This dish looks super delicious! I am definitely going to make this!
This looks really delicious! I would love to try this!
These look so good! I love ham and Swiss cheese together, so these pinwheels would be really good.
I think this is an awesome recipe because it can be eaten at any time of the day! It’s perfect for parties and game days as well. It’s definitely a keeper!
These look incredible! I am definitely making these over the holiday. I just had bacon wrapped chestnuts, and I think those are my favorite appetizer now!
I am going to a potluck on the weekend and this sounds like something all the guests will love. I love the combination of ham and swiss cheese.
Oh what a treat! I can practically taste those flavors already. These look absolutely delicious.
We love to have brunch for Christmas. By the time the kids have done played with their toys, it’s around brunch time. These will be perfect!
Delicious. This is something I could serve and I’m sure the whole family would enjoy.
Those look so good! They’d be perfect for appetizers or a tasty, fun breakfast. I can’t wait to make these.
These will be great for Christmas breakfast or brunch. So simple to make, and they look tasty.