Description
Easy Christmas Sausage Rolls featuring flaky, golden puff pastry wrapped around savory turkey or chicken sausage seasoned with festive herbs. These holiday favorites are ready in 45 minutes and perfect for parties, potlucks, or Christmas morning breakfast. Make ahead and freeze for stress-free entertaining!
Ingredients
1 pound turkey or chicken sausage, casings removed
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
1 small onion, very finely minced or grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
2 tablespoons sesame seeds or poppy seeds for topping (optional)
Optional: ½ cup dried cranberries chopped, ¼ cup fresh parsley, ½ cup grated cheddar
Instructions
1. Remove puff pastry from freezer and thaw according to package directions (typically 40 minutes at room temperature).
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Remove sausage from casings by slicing lengthwise and peeling away casing. Discard casings.
4. In a large bowl, combine sausage with minced onion, garlic, sage, thyme, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
5. Mix thoroughly with hands until seasonings are evenly distributed. Let rest 15-20 minutes at room temperature.
6. Beat one egg in a small bowl and set aside for brushing.
7. Lightly flour work surface. Unfold one pastry sheet and roll gently to smooth creases, creating 10×12 inch rectangle.
8. Cut pastry lengthwise into three equal strips. Divide seasoned sausage into three equal portions.
9. Shape one portion of meat into a thin log (¾ inch diameter) running down center of one pastry strip.
10. Brush one long edge of pastry with egg wash. Fold pastry over meat log, pressing egg-washed edge to opposite edge to seal.
11. Place seam-side down. Repeat with remaining two strips. Repeat entire process with second pastry sheet.
12. Using sharp knife, cut each long tube on slight diagonal into 1.5-2 inch pieces.
13. Arrange pieces seam-side down on prepared baking sheets with 1 inch space between each.
14. Brush top of each roll generously with egg wash. Sprinkle with seeds if desired.
15. Cut 2-3 small slits in top of each roll with sharp knife to allow steam vents.
16. Bake 20-25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until deep golden brown and meat reaches 165°F internal temperature.
17. Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
18. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. Arrange on festive platter with dipping sauces.
Notes
Thaw puff pastry completely but keep cool—warm pastry becomes sticky and difficult to work.
Use lean turkey or chicken sausage (85% lean or higher) to prevent soggy pastry.
Don’t overfill with meat—thin logs bake more evenly and create better pastry ratio.
Always place seam-side down so weight of filling seals pastry naturally.
Cut steam vents to prevent pastry from bursting during baking.
Internal temperature must reach 165°F for food safety—use instant-read thermometer.
For make-ahead: Freeze unbaked assembled rolls up to 3 months, bake from frozen adding 5-7 minutes.
Store baked rolls refrigerated up to 3 days. Reheat in 350°F oven 8-10 minutes—never microwave.
Mini version: Cut narrower strips, use less filling, bake 15-18 minutes.
Vegetarian option: Use plant-based sausage or seasoned lentil-mushroom mixture.
Add dried cranberries or apple for sweet-savory British-style rolls.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Appetizer, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 rolls
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 425mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: christmas sausage rolls, holiday appetizer, puff pastry rolls, turkey sausage rolls, party food, make ahead appetizer