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Cooking With Anadi
12K subscribers · mashed potatoes rolled in crescent pastry, crispy and golden
Are you a mashed potato lover? I know I am, and when I’m making mashed potatoes, especially for a special occasion, I totally have the urge to make a ton of it! Now, what happens if you’ve got too much of it though? Well, don’t worry about it! These Air Fryer Mashed Potato Pinwheels are the perfect solution to turn your holiday extras into a fun and tasty snack! It’s an extra bonus because sometimes appetizers can be a tricky component of a dinner party to manage, but you can hit 2 birds with one stone by preparing these super simple pinwheels with crescent rolls! Believe it or not, these mashed potato pinwheels can be cooked in a flash if you’ve got the help of an air fryer, as I’ll be demoing here!
As I outline in my 5 top tips to explore your potential and make cooking an enjoyable experience for any occasion, Making Cooking Fun, smart planning and using what you have on hand are excellent strategies to be creative when you’re short on ideas! I suggest you try out these Crescent Roll Pinwheels with Mashed Potatoes as a way to put your heart on a plate as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! To get these free guides to motivate you in the kitchen, sign up for my email newsletter!
Be sure to watch the video to follow along with how quick and easy it is to transform your holiday leftovers! If you’re not already, I’d appreciate it if you subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the bell button so you receive all of the notifications when a new video recipe goes live to help you on the way to success! Let’s get cooking!
What’s an air fryer?▼
An air fryer is a medium-sized countertop appliance that cooks food by circulating hot air around it, and this results in a similar crispy exterior, comparable to what you’d get to deep frying with much less oil. I’ve done tested recipes using both the air fryer and my convection oven (as you’ll see here!), and the air fryer certainly does work similarly to a convection oven, but the bonus is that it’s so much faster to use an air fryer! If you’d like to get more details on the differences between a convection oven and an air fryer, then check out this video!
What air fryer are you using?▼
I’m using the Cosori TurboBlaze 6QT 9-in-1 air fryer. I’ve had this air fryer for just about 6 months now and it hasn’t failed me yet! I use it multiple times a day for many purposes, and it really does the job well! If you want more information about the different settings this air fryer has to offer, then check out my 3-month review here. For these pinwheels, I’ll be using the “bake” setting.
What temperature do you air fry These crescent roll Pinwheels?▼
For perfectly golden and crispy pinwheels, set your air fryer to 350°F if using air-fry mode, or 360°F if using the bake mode. This ensures the dough cooks evenly while the mashed potato filling stays creamy.
Time to Air Fry Crescent Roll Potato Pinwheels
These pinwheels cook really quickly, so keep an eye on them! In total, they take about 6–8 minutes in the air fryer. Brush with garlic oil halfway through for extra flavor and golden color.
Tools Needed
- Rolling pin
- Spatula
- Plastic wrap
- Air fryer
- Air fryer liners
- Basting brush
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cutting board
- Paring knife or pizza cutter
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
If you want to see all ingredients and their instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD or click the “Jump to Recipe” button. You’ll be able to save the recipe and scale the recipe based on how many cans of crescent rolls you have and/or how much leftover mashed potatoes you’re working with!
- Crescent rolls: These are the original crescent rolls that will make two-bite pinwheels. If you’d like larger and fluffier pinwheels, then you can use the Grands! crescent rolls and add more potato filling inside.
- Mashed potatoes: Whatever mashed potatoes you have on hand in the fridge! I’ll be using the mashed potatoes from my Ultimate Creamy Mashed Potatoes recipe.
- Oil: To brush on top midway through cooking to help achieve a nice golden brown color. I’m using my Low Fodmap Garlic-Infused Oil, but feel free to use regular olive oil or any type of oil of your choice!
- Bacon bits: These are no ordinary bacon bits! I tried making candied bacon for the very first time and it was a success, so I used those experiment results for garnish here! Be sure to leave a comment if you want a detailed recipe for candied bacon! Of course, this is definitely optional if you prefer a vegetarian version of this pinwheel recipe.
- Green onions: Freshly chopped for garnish.
How to Make Air Fryer Mashed Potato Pinwheels with Crescent Rolls
Unroll the crescent dough. Pinch the perforated seams to seal, then lightly roll with a rolling pin to create an even sheet.
Spread 4–5 Tbsp of mashed potatoes evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around all edges. Roll up tightly, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Unwrap and slice into 10–12 pinwheels.
Preheat to 350°F (air-fry mode) or 360°F (bake mode). Arrange the pinwheels on a basket liner. Cook for 5–6 minutes, brush with garlic oil, then cook for 2–3 minutes more.
Plate the cooked pinwheels and garnish with chopped green onions and bacon bits or candied bacon.
I Don’t Have An Air Fryer! How do I make These Crescent Roll Pinwheels in the oven?▼
No air fryer? No problem — these mashed potato crescent roll pinwheels bake beautifully in a regular oven.
Preheat your oven to 360°F. Arrange the sliced pinwheels on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 15–20 minutes, brush with garlic-infused oil, then bake for another 10–15 minutes until the edges are golden and the centers are cooked through.
Tips & Tricks for the Perfect Leftover Potato Mash Pinwheels
- Chill the rolled dough before slicing. That quick 15-minute chill helps the dough firm up so you get cleaner cuts and neater pinwheels.
- Make sure to pinch and seal the crescent roll seams well. A light roll with the rolling pin helps create an even sheet that won’t split while rolling.
- Don’t overfill with mashed potatoes. Stick to about 4–5 tablespoons so the roll stays tight and doesn’t squish out the sides.
- Use cold mashed potatoes. Warm or freshly made mash will soften the dough and make it harder to roll.
- Roll the dough tightly but gently. You want a snug spiral without stretching or tearing the dough.
- Brush with garlic-infused oil during cooking for extra flavor and better browning.
- Both the air fryer and oven work well. The air fryer gets you crispier edges, while the oven gives you a more even bake—use whichever you prefer.
- Add toppings like green onions or bacon bits after cooking so they stay fresh and crisp.
- You can prep the roll ahead of time. Wrap and refrigerate the log a day in advance, then slice and cook when you’re ready.
Variations
Mashed Potatoes
Fillings
- Peas
- Corn
- Chopped peppers, jalapeños or chilies
- Sausage: Some options include my Pork & Bacon Breakfast Sausage, Mild Italian Turkey Sausage, or Spicy Italian Calabrian Chili Sausage.
- Shredded cheese or cream cheese
Toppings
- Chives
- Thyme
- Rosemary
Dipping Sauces for These Pinwheels
These would definitely be delicious on their own, but if you’re like me and love to dip your appetizers, then here’s a list of dips and sauces that would be excellent to pair with your air fryer crescent roll pinwheels with mashed potatoes!
- Classic Marinara Sauce
- Jalapeño Dijon Mustard
- Avocado Lime Crema
- Salsa Roja
- Ranch
- Spicy Momos Chutney
- BBQ sauce
- Ketchup
- Regular Dijon mustard (or any flavored one!)
- Spicy Mayo
- Garlic truffle aioli
- Chili garlic sauce
- Sriracha
Serving Suggestions
These pinwheels are designed as a snack or appetizer, so I suggest you pair these with a main dish and some vegetable side dishes for a complete meal! Here are some options to help you mix and match to create your perfect holiday dinner:
- Butter & Garlic Sautéed Baby Potatoes
- Coconut Green Beans
- Sautéed Broccoli
- Oven Pot Roast
- Chipotle-Glazed Mini Meatloaves
- Beef Bourguignon
- No-Fail Roast Chicken
Can you make These Crescent Roll Pinwheels in advance?▼
You absolutely can make these pinwheels in advance. When I tested this recipe, I made a batch over the weekend and happily snacked on them all week—they reheat beautifully and taste just as good as fresh. If you’re making these for a holiday spread or a big gathering, I actually recommend prepping them ahead of time. It’s an easy way to check an appetizer off your list so you can focus on the dishes that really need to be made and served the day of your event.
How to Store Crescent Roll Pinwheels Stuffed With mashed potatoes▼
Store any leftover crescent roll pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge. How long they keep will depend on how fresh your mashed potatoes were to begin with, but in general they stay good for about 3–4 days. They hold up really well and reheat nicely, so they’re great for snacking throughout the week.
How to reheat Mashed Potato Pinwheels▼
To reheat mashed potato pinwheels that were stored in the fridge, place them in the air fryer basket and heat at 350°F for about 3–4 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp again.
If you’ve frozen the raw pinwheels, there’s no need to thaw them first. Just take out as many as you want and cook them in the air fryer using the same method as before. You may need to add a couple of extra minutes to ensure the centers are fully cooked and the edges are golden.
More Air Fryer Appetizers!
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!
Recipe by Anadi Misra
Crispy, golden Air Fryer Mashed Potato Pinwheels wrapped in flaky crescent rolls make the perfect quick side or party starter. Easy to make and impossible to resist!
Air fryer
Rate this recipe ✦
10 min
Prep
35 min
Cook
15 min
Rest
1 hr
Total
10
pinwheels
easy
Level
Ingredients
Ingredients
Tap any quantity to scale
- Pillsbury Crescent Rolls Pack(s)
- mashed potatoes (using Ultimate Mashed Potatoes recipe) · make your own
- oil of choice (using Low Fodmap Garlic-Infused Oil) · make your ownShop →
- bacon bits or candied bacon(for garnish)
- green onions(for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Unroll the crescent dough. Pinch the perforated seams to seal, then lightly roll with a rolling pin to create an even sheet.
Unroll the crescent dough. Pinch the perforated seams to seal, then lightly roll with a rolling pin to create an even sheet.
- 2
Spread ¼–⅓ cup of mashed potatoes evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around all edges. Roll up tightly, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Spread ¼–⅓ cup of mashed potatoes evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around all edges. Roll up tightly, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- 3
Unwrap and slice into 10–12 pinwheels.
Unwrap and slice into 10–12 pinwheels.
- 4
For the air fryer: Preheat to 350°F (air-fry mode) or 360°F (bake mode). Arrange the pinwheels on a basket liner. Cook for 5–6 minutes, brush with garlic oil, then cook for 2–3 minutes more.
For the air fryer: Preheat to 350°F (177°C) (air-fry mode) or 360°F (182°C) (bake mode). Arrange the pinwheels on a basket liner. Cook for 5–6 minutes, brush with garlic oil, then cook for 2–3 minutes more.
- 5
For the oven: Preheat to 360°F. Arrange the pinwheels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15–20 minutes, brush with garlic oil, then bake for 10–15 minutes more.
For the oven: Preheat to 360°F (182°C). Arrange the pinwheels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15–20 minutes, brush with garlic oil, then bake for 10–15 minutes more.
- 6
Plate the cooked pinwheels and garnish with chopped green onions and bacon bits or candied bacon.
Plate the cooked pinwheels and garnish with chopped green onions and bacon bits or candied bacon.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @cooking.with.anadi on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingwithanadi
Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen
Recipe history
- April 16, 2026 — Reworked and refreshed for the 2026 relaunch — new photography, restructured and standardized ingredients & instructions.
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