These are known in my family as “ham and cheese things.” I figured “ham and cheese pinwheels” sounded a bit more legit. Either way, they are super easy, fast and yummy. And you probably have some (if not all) of the ingredients in your fridge already.

My mom used to (and actually still does) make these on weekend mornings. Apparently it is an “ancient” Pillsbury bake-off recipe. They are great for Saturday or Sunday morning because they are brunch-y but don’t take a lot of time or effort. They could also work as an appetizer, but they’re best warm so they would need to be served and eaten quickly.

The ham I got this time was pretty thin. Usually I use normal slices of ham. You may have also noticed the pre-grated cheese, which I generally have an aversion to. It works for this, but if you don’t have any or want to purchase any, you can use thin slices of cheese (like Kraft singles).

If you use slices of cheese, you can put it on top of the ham. But if you put grated cheese over the ham, it will go everywhere when you roll it. So don’t do that.

Also, be sure you grease the cookie sheet before you put these on it to bake. I have tried aluminum foil and wax paper (this time) and they stick to it.

When you’re assembling these, don’t worry too much about the perforations in the dough. If it is really pulling apart, I will sort of smoosh it together. But you don’t need to do that for all of them. It will be fine once they bake.

These are a good thing to make if you are cooking for one or two, or if this is just one of many things you’re serving. If you have more than two people and want this to be a significant portion of the meal, you will definitely need to make two cans of dough worth.

Ham and cheese pinwheels (serves two)
1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls
6-8 slices deli ham
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese or 6 Kraft singles
Yellow mustard (about 2 tablespoons)
Sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Unroll the crescent roll dough lengthwise on a cutting board or other clean, flat surface. Do not stretch too far or it will tear on the perforations. Spread a thin layer of yellow mustard over the dough. Sprinkle cheese (or lay slices) evenly over mustard. Place slices of ham, overlapping slightly, on top of cheese so all dough is covered.

Starting on one side, roll the dough up (jelly-roll style). Roll the dough in sesame seeds, if using. Cut the roll into thin slices (I get about 12). Place slices on their sides on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until pinwheels are golden and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.