French Dip Pinwheels — flaky crescent roll dough wrapped around roast beef, Provolone cheese, and caramelized onions, baked until golden and served with a savory Au Jus for dipping.
These pinwheels make a simple, crowd-pleasing appetizer or game-day snack. Using crescent roll dough and thinly sliced deli roast beef keeps the preparation quick. While the pinwheels bake, a flavorful Au Jus simmers together from garlic, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and a crumbled beef bouillon cube.
French Dip Pinwheel Recipe Tips
I use one 8-count can and one 4-count can of crescent roll dough to fill a 9×13-inch baking dish. If you prefer fewer pinwheels, use just an 8-count can. For a larger batch, double the fillings and use two 8-count cans.
Provolone is traditional here, but Swiss or American cheese work well as substitutes.
A touch of thyme enhances the flavor; use fresh or dried. If you like, swap in basil or rosemary. Taste the Au Jus before serving and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
For a little heat, stir 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes into the caramelized onions. You can also use puff pastry in place of crescent roll dough for a different texture.
More Amazing Pinwheel Recipes
- BBQ Chicken Crescent Pinwheels — a BBQ chicken pizza wrapped in crescent dough.
- Reuben Pinwheels — the classic sandwich transformed into an easy appetizer.
- Pull-Apart Supreme Pizza Pinwheels — all the pizza flavors in bite-sized rolls.
- Ranch Chicken Roll-Ups — creamy ranch and chicken rolled into flaky dough.
French Dip Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 medium sweet onions, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- salt and pepper
- 1 (8-ounce) can crescent roll dough
- 1 (4-ounce) can crescent roll dough
- 6 slices Provolone cheese
- 1/2 pound thin-sliced deli roast beef
Au Jus
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 beef bouillon cube, crumbled
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
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Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook about 5 minutes to soften. If they brown too quickly, lower the heat.
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Add thyme, salt, and pepper and continue to cook 8–10 minutes until onions are caramelized. Remove from heat.
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Unroll the 8-count crescent dough and separate into four rectangles. Arrange them side by side touching and press the perforations to seal.
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Top the sealed dough with 4 slices of cheese, then a layer of roast beef and the caramelized onions. Roll up from the long side.
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Cut the roll into 4 pieces along the original seams, then cut each piece into thirds to yield 12 slices. Place them in the prepared baking dish.
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Repeat the process with the 4-count can (two rectangles) and cut each into thirds for 6 additional pinwheels. Arrange in the baking dish.
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Bake 20–25 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through and golden.
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While the pinwheels bake, prepare the Au Jus: melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan, add minced garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, crumbled bouillon, and thyme. Simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Serve the pinwheels warm with the Au Jus for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline.
