Description
Halloween Icky Intestines are a fun and spooky appetizer made by stuffing crescent roll dough with a savory sausage and cheese mixture, shaped to resemble creepy intestines and baked to golden perfection. Perfect for Halloween parties, these stuffed crescent rolls combine flavorful ground meat, melted mozzarella, and marinara sauce to create a deliciously eerie treat that’s as tasty as it is festive.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 cans (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent roll dough
Filling
- 1 pound ground sausage or ground beef
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup marinara or pizza sauce (plus more for brushing and serving)
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Red food coloring (optional, for added effect)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Cook the Meat Mixture: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground sausage or beef along with the finely chopped onion and minced garlic until the meat is browned and fully cooked through. Drain any excess fat. Stir in the Italian seasoning and marinara sauce to combine the flavors. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly to prevent melting the cheese unexpectedly.
- Mix in Cheese: Once the meat mixture is just warm, fold in the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly to distribute gooey, melty cheese throughout the filling.
- Prepare the Dough: Unroll the crescent roll dough and pinch the seams together to create two large rectangles. Cut each rectangle into long strips about 2 to 3 inches wide to serve as the wrapping for the filling.
- Assemble the Intestines: Spoon a line of the meat and cheese filling down the center of each dough strip. Fold the dough over the filling to encase it completely and pinch the edges firmly to seal the stuffed rolls, preventing the filling from leaking out during baking.
- Shape the Intestines: Gently coil and twist each stuffed strip onto the prepared baking sheet to form loose, swirling “intestine” shapes. Feel free to loop and bend the shapes for an extra creepy Halloween effect.
- Apply Egg Wash and Sauce: Brush the tops of the shaped intestines with the beaten egg wash to achieve a golden, glossy finish when baked. For an added gory touch, lightly brush with a mixture of marinara sauce and red food coloring to simulate blood.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and cooked through, and the filling is hot and bubbly.
- Serve: Let the intestines cool slightly before serving. Offer warm marinara sauce on the side for dipping, enhancing the spooky “bleeding” effect and delicious flavor.
Notes
- Get creative with the filling by trying different ingredients like pepperoni, ricotta cheese, or assorted vegetables for varied flavors and textures.
- This recipe is kid-friendly and fun for children to help shape, making it a great interactive Halloween activity.
