These Hamburger Pinwheels take everything you love about a classic bacon cheeseburger and turn it into an easy, bite-sized party food. Made with pizza dough, ground beef, bacon, and melty cheese, they're rolled up, sliced, and baked in a muffin tin for crispy edges and a cheesy, savory center. They're simple, delicious, and guaranteed to disappear fast.
Hamburger Pinwheels at a Glance
- 🧄 Flavor & Texture: Savory, cheesy cheeseburger flavor with a soft, golden-brown crust.
- 🛒 Main Ingredients: Ground meat, pizza dough, shredded cheese, onion, ketchup, mustard, and optional bacon.
- ⏱️ Total Time: 50 minutes from start to finish.
- 🍴 Servings: Makes about 12 hamburger pinwheels.
- 🥗 Dietary Info: A meat-based recipe containing dairy and gluten.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Fries, a simple salad, veggies, or your favorite dipping sauce.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: The filling can be prepared and cooled before assembling the pinwheels.
- ❤️ Why You Will Love It: All the cheesy, savory flavors of a cheeseburger rolled into an easy handheld bite.
Summarize and Save This Content On
There's something about these flavors that takes me straight back to cafeteria lunches, where this kind of meal was often served with savory brown gravy on the side.
I gave that nostalgic favorite my own spin with kid-friendly ingredients and tested it with refrigerated pizza dough for a quicker, easier appetizer. It's become one of my go-to recipes when I want something homemade without a lot of fuss.
Some more pinwheel recipes for you to try are my buffalo chicken pinwheels and pizza pinwheels.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review
"I just made these and they were phenomenal. I skipped the onion because I have a very picky eater, but even with that omission these made my day. I did not have store bought pizza dough, so I made a batch and used the leftover to make a small batch of cinnamon rolls.
Great dinner. Thanks for the recipe!"
-Jessi
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Made with simple pantry ingredients: These pinwheels use common pantry staples, keeping costs low.
- Freezer-friendly: You can freeze the leftovers (or unbaked) for meal prep or dinner for a different night of the week to save time.
- Muffin tin holds it together: You don't have to worry about the burger pinwheels unraveling because the muffin tin holds them together.
What I Tested With These Ground Beef Pinwheels
Here are some methods I've tried with these easy hamburger pinwheels to help you get even better results!
Muffin Tin vs. Sheet Pan
- Muffin tin: The individual cups help keep the pinwheels tall and tightly rolled, while keeping the cheese and juices from leaking out or the spirals unraveling. With no reader complaints about soggy bottoms, leaking, or unraveling, this method has proven especially reliable.
- Sheet pan: I also tested these on a sheet pan, which gives the pinwheels crispier bottoms and edges with wider, flatter spirals. They can spread a little, and the end pieces may unravel a bit. It's best to bake them seam-side down, about 2 inches apart, for 15-18 minutes.
Where the Bacon and Cheese Go
- Mix the cheese with the meat instead of layering it under it. I mix the cheese directly into the beef rather than layering it underneath for better flavor distribution and more evenly cooked dough.
- Crumble the bacon with the meat instead of layering strips. Crumbled bacon distributes more evenly throughout the filling, while strips can make the pinwheels messy and harder to eat.
Ingredients
Below you'll find the most important ingredients for this hamburger pinwheel recipe, which are all easily found at any local grocery store.
- Ground beef: I like to use 80%lean ground beef in this recipe, but you can use ground turkey or chicken if you prefer.
- Pizza dough: Any refrigerated pizza dough (or homemade if you prefer) will work great. It must be rolled into a 20x20 square, which will be roughly half the original thickness.
- Cheese: My favorite for these pinwheels is a cheddar and mozzarella blend. Monterey Jack and Colby Jack work, too.
- Bacon: You can use any variety of bacon you want. If you have leftover bacon from another recipe or just extra toaster oven bacon, use that instead of making it fresh.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Sausage and cheese: Instead of beef and cheese, use ground sausage in place of the beef and serve with a fried egg for a breakfast twist.
- Ham and cheese: Try this recipe with diced ham in place of the ground beef.
- All Parmesan cheese: Only use Parmesan cheese in these hamburger pinwheels for an extra-sharp version.
- Taco version: Use taco seasoning, then serve with sour cream and this salsa pesto recipe!
- Vegetarian: If you wanna go vegetarian, I've made it with soy crumble instead of beef before, and it's delicious!
How to Make Hamburger Pinwheels with Bacon
Preheat your oven to 425°F and generously spray your muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray before you start preparing these old-fashioned hamburger pinwheels.
Step 1: Cook the beef and onions. Start by adding the ground beef, salt, and pepper to a skillet over medium-high heat and allow the meat to brown. Then, add the diced onions and continue to cook until they become tender.
Step 2: Add the remaining filling ingredients. Stir in the condiments, cheese, and bacon.
Step 3: Roll out the dough and spread the mixture on top. Roll the pizza dough out into a 20x20-inch rectangle. Then, spread the burger mixture evenly on top.
Step 4: Roll into a log and slice it. Start at the longer sides and roll the dough into a log. Then, you can slice 1-inch-thick pinwheels.
Step 5: Place the slices in the muffin tin. Place one slice into each cavity of the greased muffin pan.
Step 6: Bake and serve. Place the pan into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle more cheese on top if you like, and then enjoy them warm, dipped in honey mustard mayo sauce.
Expert Tips
- Drain the beef well: After browning the ground beef, drain the excess fat to keep the pizza dough from becoming greasy.
- Leave a border to pinch it closed: Ensure that you leave a ¾ inch border so you can easily pinch the seam closed.
- Double the recipe: Are you cooking for a crowd or a party? You can easily double the recipe!
- Storage directions: Place any extra pinwheels into an airtight container and refrigerate them for 3-4 days.
- Reheating the leftovers: These are best reheated in a 350F oven or air fryer for about 5-8 minutes to crisp them up again. You may use the microwave, but they will be much softer.
These bacon cheeseburger egg rolls are another twist on a classic bacon cheeseburger!
Serving Suggestions
- Dipping sauces: From ketchup to spicy jalapeño mustard, almost any of your favorite dipping sauces would go perfectly with this recipe!
- More hot appetizers: If you're serving these for a gathering, another hot appetizer like air fryer pigs in a blanket would go great on the same table.
- Dinner side dishes: These pinwheels would be an awesome weeknight dinner option! Keep it simple with some frozen sweet potatoes in the air fryer on the side.
Hamburger Pinwheels Recipe FAQs
Yes, but freeze them unbaked for the best results. Assemble and slice the pinwheels, place them in the muffin tin or on a parchment-lined sheet, and freeze until firm, about an hour. Then, transfer the pinwheels to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Bake them straight from frozen at the same temperature, adding 5 to 8 minutes to the cooking time. You can freeze them after baking too, but I don't love the texture as the dough softens on reheating. If you do, cool them completely first and reheat at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or in the air fryer, to bring the crust back.
Sure! Prepare the ingredients for the filling up to 24 hours ahead and keep them in the refrigerator. Then, prepare the pinwheels and bake just before you're ready to serve.
Almost always one of two things: warm filling, or beef that wasn't drained well enough. Let the meat mixture cool before you spread it as warm filling steams the dough from the inside and it never recovers. And drain the beef thoroughly, even lean beef, since the ketchup and Worcestershire add moisture of their own. If you're baking on a sheet pan instead of a muffin tin, preheat the pan and use parchment rather than foil. A cold pan lets the bottoms sit and sweat before they start to set.
My secret is to roll tight, seal the seam, and bake them in a muffin tin. When preparing, leave a ¾-inch bare border along the far long edge, roll from the long side like a carpet, keeping tension the whole way, then pinch that seam closed against the log. If it feels soft, chill the log 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and cut with a serrated knife using a sawing motion rather than pressing down. The muffin tin does the rest since the cup holds each pinwheel's shape while it bakes. If using a sheet pan instead, put the cut side down and the seam facing in.
More Delicious Ground Beef Recipes
Do you like ground beef recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Hamburger Pinwheels
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive or another vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon or yellow mustard
- 1 pound ground meat, any variety
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheese, your favorite variety additional 1 cup of cheese, if desired
- 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
- ½ - 1 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled, if desired
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a muffin pan with either 6 or 12 holes. Coat with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large skillet, over medium to medium high heat, place oil and wait for it to shimmer or until a drop of water flicked in it dances. Add beef, salt and pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the meat as you go into small pieces. Continue until brown, around 7 minutes.
- Add onion and cook for a minute or two until tender.
- Remove skillet from heat and add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Set aside until cooled down, about 10 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of your shredded cheddar. Stir until incorporated. You have the option to add bacon and some more cheese if you want to or think it is needed. Taste the mixture to see if you prefer more ketchup or mustard as well.
- Open your tube of dough according to package directions. Unroll dough and grab your rolling pin. Roll out into a large rectangle.
- Spread hamburger mixture evenly over top of the dough, leaving a ¾ inch border.
- Roll, starting at the longer sides, into a tight log. Just like rolling up a carpet!
- Slice into 6 or 10-12 pinwheels (does your muffin pan have 6 or 12 holes?) The number of pinwheels will depend on your log size, or how thick you slice the pinwheels. Ideally your pinwheels should be around 1 inch thick.
- Place each in one into a hole in your prepared muffin pan. Bake until they are a nice golden brown color, around 20 minutes, sometimes less, sometimes more.
- On occasion, I add a pinch of shredded cheese on top of each pinwheel once they are cooked. I allow the cheese to melt while the pinwheels are resting in the muffin pan. Regardless, allow pinwheels to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Drain the excess grease after browning the ground beef to keep the pizza dough from becoming greasy.
- Leave a ¾-inch border around the dough so you have enough room to pinch the seam closed after rolling.
Captain Sue says
I have been looking for a recipe for beef pinwheels. I think this one will be perfect. I have fond memories of these being served at least once a week for lunch at our nursing dorm during nursing school at my college in the ’60’s. They would put gravy over them and we loved them. I can’t wait to try this recipe to bring back those good youthful memories!!!
Karin and Ken says
I can’t wait to hear what you think of these. We love them around here. I’m glad you found this recipe. All the best. Karin
Jessi says
I just made these and they were phenomenal. I skipped the onion because I have a very picky eater, but even with that omission these made my day. I did not have store bought pizza dough, so I made a batch and used the leftover to make a small batch of cinnamon rolls.
Great dinner. Thanks for the recipe!
Karin and Ken says
As always you’re most welcome. I try my best. We make these regularly and I’m so glad to hear you enjoy it too! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. You made my day. All the best. Karin
Karin and Ken says
Thanks for noticing! They're definitely delicious. All the best. Karin
Tonya says
I don't know why but these just taste so darn good. I love them with all the variations and without. They are easy and just work. Thank you for this great pinwheel recipe. My husband wolf's them down like he is one of the kids. Haha it's funny!
Karin and Ken says
I’m so glad you both enjoy this easy recipe! Thanks for letting me know! You made my day. Take care and all the best. Karin
Sandra W Wood says
Fabulous recipe. I've made it several times with variations of meat, etc.
Sausage & Cheese or Ham & cheese are fabulous.
Karin and Ken says
I can't thank you enough for taking the time to comment! You made my day! I can't get enough of this recipe myself and you're right about how versatile it is. Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much! All the best to you. Karin
Nancy Massie says
Believe it or not, when I was in elementary school in the 50's we had a school cook who made these for us, with beef gravy. I've loved them since then but this is the first time I've tried to make them. So delicious. It will definately not be the last!
Karin and Ken says
You just made my day! I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to share your memory! My grandmother made a version too. I’m so glad you enjoyed them. I can’t get enough of them myself! Take care and be well. Karin
Sue says
Hi,
Sorry if this is obvious but do you freeze them before cooking or after?
Karin and Ken says
Freeze them after they’re baked. Enjoy every bite! Karin
Laura Lee Reaney says
Can these delicious dinner treats be frozen?
Karin and Ken says
You bet they can! Won’t taste as good as fresh but I’ve done it myself with no complaints but then my husband and son could live off these! Glad you enjoyed them too! Take care and enjoy your day! Karin
Nancy says
These look delicious! I’m going to try them with ground turkey or chicken for those who don’t eat beef.
Karin and Ken says
I use ground turkey all the time and these turn out great! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! I can’t wait to hear what you think of them! All the best. Karin
Barbara H says
Can these be frozen?
Karin and Ken says
Depending on the dough you use you can freeze these Pinwheels. Frozen pizza dough freezes well. Unfortunately if you use refrigerated dough I have found they don’t hold up well once frozen. I wish I had better news! Hopefully I have helped. They are so good I hope you will still give them a try. Take care and all the best. Karin
Anonymous says
Delicious ,made for dinner
Karin and Ken says
So happy to hear that you enjoyed these Pinwheels! I just love them! Can’t thank you enough for taking the time to let me know! Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much! All the best. Karin
Anonymous says
What size rectangle do you roll out?
Karin and Ken says
I apologize for not getting back to you sooner! You want the rectangle to be about 12 inches by 20. Just roll out the tube of dough and flatten it out a little. You want to reduce the thickness of the dough by about half. Hope that makes sense. Please let me know how it goes if you give this recipe a try! It is definitely delicious! All the best. Karin
Judy Arnold says
The ingredients call for 2 cups shredded cheese but the instructions only use one cup?
Karin and Ken says
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I have clarified the instructions to hopefully avoid any future confusion. The second cup is optional to add a little more to the meat mixture if you think it needs it or a pinch of cheese on top of the pinwheels when they come out of the oven. Some people believe you can never have enough cheese! The extra cheese is definitely not necessary but to some will make these Easy Hamburger Pinwheels taste even better! Again I am grateful for you taking the time to comment and let me know so I have the opportunity to clarify the instructions. Take care and enjoy the rest of your day. Karin
Anonymous says
the instructions do not match the video. rectangle but the instructions state triangle. please advise.
Karin and Ken says
I am so grateful for you taking the time to let me know there is an error in the recipe! Rectangle is what it should have read and now does! Again I cannot thank you enough. Take care and all the best. Karin
Dee says
I wonder if taco seasoning would be good? Add the sauce before rolling. Then add lettuce, tomato, more cheese and sour cream when you eat them
Karin and Ken says
I think adding taco seasoning to the ground meat is a brilliant idea! I can’t thank you enough. I’m going to try that myself. Please let me know what you think if you try it yourself. We can compare notes! Thank you again for taking the time to comment. Enjoy the rest of your day. Karin
Suz says
Made these tonight......they are fantastic!!!
Karin and Ken says
You made my day! So glad you enjoyed them! I love this recipe! So easy and so tasty! I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to let me know! I am so grateful! Hopefully you find some other recipes on our site that you enjoy just as much! Take care and all the best. Karin
Melissa L Johnson says
These are SO DELICIOUS!! I just made them and posted the pic on FB then I shared your recipe as well. No one will be disappointed if they give them a shot!! Thank you!!
Karin and Ken says
You made my day! I love sharing recipes that we enjoy and hearing that others enjoy them too! I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to let me know! Those pinwheels are always a hit around here and disappear lightening fast! Hopefully you find some other recipes on our site that you enjoy just as much! Take care and all the best. Karin
Kim says
These are so easy to make and delicious! We used 2 cups parmesan cheese. Will definitely make again.
Karin and Ken says
First I must apologize for my late response. My son was in a car accident. He is ok. The car is not. Thank goodness. That being said I love the use of 2 cups of parmesan cheese! I bet they were tasty! Thank you for letting us all know what you did differently. It is so nice to have options. So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! It is a favorite around here. Glad to hear you will be making these again. Take care and all the best. Karin
Pat says
Do you roll the dough in a triangle or rectangle?
Karin and Ken says
A rectangle! Have a look at our video to see the hamburger rolled. It may help you. These are delicious! I hope you enjoy them! Take care and all the best. Karin
Tom says
Been making these since grade school, We enjoy them covered with beef gravy. Yum. Never seem to make enough of them. Enjoy!!
Karin and Ken says
With gravy they are definitely delicious! You are so lucky to be enjoying these for so long! Take care and all the best. Karin
Susan says
These are delicious. I will be making them again. Thank you for sharing.
Karin and Ken says
Thank you for taking the time to let me know that you enjoyed the Pinwheels! They are a favorite around here! Take care and all the best. Karin