🍕 Crispy Air-Fried Loaded Pizza Pinwheels 🧀

A spectacularly fun, ultra-crunchy snack that delivers maximum pizza flavor in a compact, bite-sized spiral! Ready-made puff pastry dough is packed with rich marinara sauce, loaded with molten mozzarella cheese, and layered with savory mini-pepperoni. Rolled tightly and sliced into wheels, they are air-fried until the pastry sheets laminate, puff, and crisp into a golden, shatteringly brittle shell. 😋✨

• ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes

• 🍳 Cook Time: 10 minutes

• 🍽️ Servings: 3-4 servings (makes 10-12 pinwheels)

🛒 Ingredients

• 1 sheet pre-rolled refrigerated puff pastry dough (thawed but kept cold) 🥮

• 1/4 cup thick marinara or pizza sauce 🍅

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 🧀

• 1/3 cup mini pepperoni slices (or finely chopped turkey bacon) 🥓

• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning & garlic powder 🧄

• 1 egg (beaten thoroughly, for the egg wash) 🥚

• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (for the ultimate crust crunch) 🧀

👩‍🍳 Detailed Instructions

1. Roll and Spread: 🔪 Lay the cold puff pastry sheet flat on a sheet of parchment paper. Spread the marinara sauce evenly across the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch bare border along the top edge. Do not over-sauce, or the pastry will steam instead of getting crisp.

2. Layer the Insulation: 🧀 Evenly scatter the shredded mozzarella cheese, mini pepperoni slices, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder across the sauced pastry canvas.

3. The Tight Spiral Roll: 📐 Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll the puff pastry up tightly into a dense, uniform log. Pinch the bare top edge firmly against the log to seal the seam completely shut. Place the log in the freezer for 5–10 minutes to firm up—this makes slicing clean wheels incredibly easy.

4. Slice and Wash: 🔪 Slice the log into 3/4-inch thick pinwheel discs using a sharp serrated knife. Arrange them flat-side down in a single layer inside your air fryer basket, leaving plenty of room for expansion. Brush the pastry edges generously with the beaten egg and dust heavily with grated Parmesan cheese.

5. Air Fry to an Intense Crunch: 💨 Preheat your air fryer to 190°C (375°F). Air fry the pinwheels for 9–10 minutes until the puff pastry layers look fully expanded, heavily blistered, golden-brown, and rigidly crisp, while the cheese center is bubbly and molten. Let rest for 2 minutes and dig in!