Loaded Potato Pinwheels

Loaded potato pinwheels have all the goodness of loaded baked potatoes but in a pickupable appetizer shape. 

Crescent roll dough is topped with bacon, potatoes, cheese and chives and rolled up into hearty pinwheels of yumminess.

To make crescent roll pinwheels, start by beating a couple of eggs in a large bowl. Stir in chicken bouillon, water, chives, carrots and milk. 

Heat the mixture in the microwave for two and a half minutes.

Stir in mashed potato flakes, mixing well. 

What kind of mashed potato flakes are best in loaded potato pinwheels?

My personal preference is to use pouches of seasoned mashed potatoes (like Idahoan, etc.) because you’re getting the additional flavor and it does make a difference. However, you can absolutely use plain potato flakes (like Potato Buds, etc.) 

When making the recipe for this post, I used Idahoan Four Cheese Mashed Potatoes but any of the flavor varieties would work. Choose your favorite!

Unroll the crescent roll dough and spread the mashed potato mixture over it. You’ll need to work quickly if the mashed potatoes are still warm. The dough gets sticky quickly. 

Tip: Let the mashed potatoes cool down a bit before spreading it over the crescent roll dough and leave the crescent roll package in the fridge until ready to use.

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bacon pieces. I like using these bacon pieces because they don’t get soft and rubbery in the baking process (like regular bacon sometimes does). 

Starting at the short side, roll the crescent roll dough up.

Slice into eight equal servings.

Place into greased baking dish.

Bake about 30 minutes or until browned and serve warm.

Can I add anything else to the pinwheel appetizers?

The beauty of these easy loaded potato pinwheels is that they can be loaded with any of your favorite things. Just keep in mind that the more you add, the harder it will be to roll up. It’s best to choose potato toppings that are small or can be chopped into small pieces and go with just a few at once.

Here are a few pinwheel topping ideas to get you started:

• Peas
• Corn
• Chopped broccoli
• Sausage
• Herbs (like thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano)
• Chopped green chilis
• Chopped jalapeño
• Garlic
• Green onions
• A dollop of sour cream after baking

What to serve with loaded potato pinwheels

Along with being a great appetizer, mashed potato pinwheels are a great side dish with chicken noodle soup or hearty chili.

How to reheat potato pinwheels in the microwave

Place a damp paper towel over pinwheel on a microwave-safe plate and reheat for 30 seconds. Check to see if it’s at your desired temperature. If not, reheat for another 10 or 15 seconds. 

I reheated two at the same time for about 1 1/4 minutes and they were sufficiently hot. (Reheat times will vary depending on microwave.)

Loaded Potato Pinwheels