Description
These Rotel Spiced Sausage & Cream Cheese Bites are a perfect appetizer for your next gathering. They are savory, spicy, and packed with flavor, making them a crowd-pleasing favorite. The combination of sausage, Rotel tomatoes, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese wrapped in a flaky crescent roll dough creates a delicious bite-sized snack that will disappear fast!
Ingredients
Scale
For the sausage mixture:
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 1 can (10 oz) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional for extra heat)
For the crescent roll dough:
- 2 packages refrigerated crescent roll dough
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cook the sausage: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned and fully cooked, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess fat.
- Add Rotel: Add the drained Rotel and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Combine ingredients: Reduce heat to low, then stir in the cream cheese until melted and fully combined. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly, then stir in cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Prepare the dough: Unroll the crescent roll dough and cut each triangle in half to create smaller pieces. Place about 1 tablespoon of the sausage mixture in the center of each piece, then fold and pinch the edges to seal into a bite-sized pocket.
- Bake: Arrange on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving warm.
Notes
- These bites can be assembled ahead of time and frozen unbaked; just bake straight from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the cook time.
- For a crispier crust, brush the tops with an egg wash before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bite
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
