This ground beef crescent roll recipe turns seasoned ground beef, sharp cheddar, pickles, and crescent dough into a tasty cheeseburger crescent ring that’s ready in about 30 minutes. It bakes up golden brown and sliceable - perfect for game day, parties, or a fun weeknight dinner, with an everything bagel seasoning twist.
JUMP TO RECIPEThis Cheeseburger Crescent Ring is an easy and flavor-packed appetizer or family dinner that’s made to share! Easy to prep and assemble, this recipe only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish, and can be made-ahead and baked right from the fridge!
I tested several versions of this crescent ring over time, experimenting with different cheeses and seasonings, and this combination consistently gave me the best flavor, texture, and appearance.
Pro tip: serve it alongside my easy 6 Ingredient Burger Sauce!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Ground Beef Crescent Roll Recipe
- Ingredient Notes for This Ground Beef Crescent Roll Recipe
- Tools Needed
- How to Make This Ground Beef Crescent Roll Recipe
- Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Cues
- Variations and Tips
- How to Store and Reheat This Ground Beef Crescent Roll Recipe
- Serving suggestions
- FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- More Great Appetizers
Why You’ll Love This Ground Beef Crescent Roll Recipe
The ultimate crowd pleaser. Who can say no to a snack-sized cheeseburger?! This simple and delicious Cheeseburger Crescent Roll Ring is a great slice-and-serve treat that's perfect for a game day snack!
Easy to make ahead. Planning to bring this to a party, or set out at your own get-together? You can prep everything ahead, assemble, and store in the refrigerator, then bake right before serving to save time!
Simple Ingredients, transformed. Unlike more basic versions, this Ground Beef Crescent Roll Ring gets extra cheeseburger flavor from sliced pickles, burger-style seasoning, and an everything bagel finish.
Ingredient Notes for This Ground Beef Crescent Roll Recipe
These ingredients keep this recipe simple and easy to assemble, but each one helps make a cheeseburger-style crescent ring with a perfect balance of flavor, structure, and texture.
Crescent rolls. Canned crescent rolls such as Pillsbury will serve as the "bun" for this Cheeseburger Crescent ring. You'll open them up, and arrange the triangles around a serving bowl to create a circular star shape, then layer the filling into the thickest part (center), and wrap the edges around to seal.
Ground beef. Lean ground beef is best for this recipe, as you'll need it to be drained well before adding it to the crescent rolls to help it bake up nicely and retain it's shape and be easily handled when sliced. If you use a higher fat content beef, be sure to drain it very well before adding the seasonings so there is no excess grease. You can drain it over the side of the pan, or use paper towels to gently blot up any excess grease from the pan.
Cheddar Cheese. I love the bold and tangy flavor of sharp cheddar for this Cheeseburger Crescent ring, since the rich and complex cheese plays well with the tender seasoned beef and everything bagel seasoning. My favorite sharp cheddar is Cabot New York Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
Pickles. For that true loaded burger taste, as well as an impressive presentation, I like to tuck pickle slices into the top layer of the crescent rolls before finishing and baking. These lend extra flavor to the Burger Ring, and make for a super pretty presentation! You can use any of your favorite pickles.
Everything bagel seasoning. I love the extra flavor and decorative touch everything bagel seasoning adds to the Burger Ring. To help it stick when baking, you'll brush the Crescent Ring with egg wash before sprinkling it on top.
Tools Needed
- A pizza pan, pizza stone, or sheet pan. I love to work with something round, like a pizza pan or pizza stone, since it makes it easier to assemble, but you can also scale down the circle a bit and work right on a standard size sheet pan.
- Silicone brush, for brushing with egg wash. You'll whisk the egg up well, then brush it liberally all over the crescent rolls before baking to give the Crescent Ring a gorgeous brown finish, and help the everything bagel seasoning stick on top.
- Parchment paper or parchment paper sheets, for easy cleanup. I can't say enough about my love for parchment paper. It is a total game changer for baking recipes like these ground beef crescent rolls, and makes cleanup a total breeze. It also helps make transferring the finished Crescent Burger Ring to a platter super easy!
How to Make This Ground Beef Crescent Roll Recipe
Below is a step-by-step visual guide with cues for helping you get the perfect Cheeseburger Crescent Ring, every time!
Start by cooking the onion and browning the ground beef, then drain well so the crescent dough stays crisp when you assemble.
Arrange the crescent triangles in a tight ring shape with the wide ends overlapping at the center, layer the beef and cheese around the inner portion, then fold the pointed ends up and over the filling and seal to create the ring shape. Finish by tucking in the pickles, giving it a quick egg wash, and sprinkling with seasoning before baking until golden brown.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Cues
| Beef | If the beef mixture looks glossy or wet, let it cook for another minute or tow, and use a slotted spoon for additonal draining before assembling. |
| Crescent Dough | The dough should overlap enough at the base that you do not see open gaps on the bottom layer. |
| Baking | The finished ring should be a deep golden brown on top before you remove it from the oven. |
Variations and Tips
Variations: Swap in Pepper Jack cheese, Colby Jack, cooked bacon, mushrooms, or bell peppers.
Tips: Drain the beef well, avoid overfilling the ring if adding extra ingredients, and leave small top gaps but no bottom gaps.
Ground Beef Crescent Roll Recipe: Cheeseburger Crescent Ring
Equipment
- 12" pizza pan, pizza stone, or baking sheet
- small bowl
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil, (or neutral oil such as canola oil)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt , (or ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup ketchup, plus 1 tbsp
- 2 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 5 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 8 oz block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 8 oz packages Crescent Rolls
- 16 pickle slices
- 1 egg whisked
- 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees f. 2. Heat avocado oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. 3. Add onions and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, until softened. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up as you go, until browned and cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Drain excess grease of the side of pan, or blot with paper towels. 4. Add minced garlic, garlic salt, paprika, pepper, and onion powder to the pan, stir to combine, and cook 30 seconds, until just fragrant. 5. Stir in ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce until well combined, cook 2 minutes until warmed through. Remove from heat and set aside. 6. Line a pizza pan with parchment paper, and place a small bowl in the center. Arrange first pack of crescent rolls in circle around a bowl, with the thickest portion touching the bowl’s edge. Arrange second pack of crescents over top, overlapping gaps from the first ring. 7. Remove bowl and arrange beef mixture evenly over the inner parts of the crescents, leaving a small gap at the center to seal. 8. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, then gently wrap the crescent rolls inward, and press to seal, 9. Tuck pickles in to the gaps on the top in an even pattern, and press gently to hold in place. 10. Whisk one egg well, then brush over top of the crescent ring, being sure to coat evenly. Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning over top in an even layer. 11. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, Tuning the pan clockwise halfway through to promote even browning. Once baked, allow to cool 15 minutes prior to transferring to a platter to serve, Place dip bowl in center with desired sauce. Use the parchment paper to help you carefully move the Cheeseburger Crescent Ring to your platter.
Notes
How to Store and Reheat This Ground Beef Crescent Roll Recipe
Storage. Store any leftover Cheeseburger Crescent Ring in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing, since the texture will hold up once frozen.
Reheating. For best texture, this crescent ring is best served fresh from the oven, but the oven or air fryer will help keep the dough crispier than a microwave when reheating leftovers.
Serving suggestions
This Cheeseburger Crescent Ring goes great with my 6 Ingredient Burger Sauce served in a bowl right in the center! Some other great dip options would be classic ketchup, Ranch Dressing, Thousand Island dressing, or Sriracha Aioli!
Serve as a game day appetizer with various dipping sauces, or make it dinner with a side of fries, tots, roasted veggies, or a simple salad.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What other seasonings can I use?
Try using French onion soup mix or ranch seasoning in place of the spice blend. If swapping for pre-made seasonings, omit the salt as well, since they typically already contain a good amount.
Can I use another type of ground meat?
Yes! You could use ground bison, ground turkey, or ground chicken for this recipe.
Why did my ring spill out on the baking sheet?
To ensure your filling stays in place when baking, be sure to overlap each crescent roll section slightly at the center, so there are no gaps on the bottom when you roll it up. Gaps on the top are fine (and encouraged), but gaps at the base or on the sides will not seal as well. A little spillage is totally ok!
Can this recipe be made ahead of time?
This Burger Ring can be prepped and assembled up to 2 days ahead of time, then covered and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Set it on your pizza pan or baking sheet on the stove while it preheats, then bake as per the recipe directions.
Can I use puff pastry instead?
You can substitute puff pastry for the crescent rolls, just keep in mind you will need to roll it out to a thin layer with a rolling pin, cut it to shape, and bake at 400 degrees for about 12- 15 minutes. Puff pastry will also have a much crisper texture once baked.
How can I transport the Cheeseburger Ring to a party?
To transport this Cheeseburger Crescent Ring, move it to a sturdy platter, and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
More Great Appetizers
Try my Garlic Butter Baked Cheeseburger Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls- the perfect game day snack!
Whip up my festive Bacon Brie Crescent Wreath with Cranberry Compote for your next holiday party!
Make a batch of my Garlic Parmesan Pigs in a Blanket with Prosciutto for your next party!
Check out my 27 Easy Crescent Roll Super Bowl Appetizer Recipes!
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Mich says
Hi! I too have a love affair with parchment paper! I use it for everything, but it's especially helpful when making pizzas on our stones because I can't be bothered using a pizza peel and corn meal; too afraid all my toppings will go sailing into the hot oven... I've made many Crescent rings, but I love your presentation here with the pickles sticking out of it - and can't wait to try the seasoning mix. I'll just use my easy "spicy mayo" (mayo, sriracha, cayenne powder, cracked black pepper, and scallions). This will be the next Ring I make! Then I'll move on to your Italian Egg Roll Mozzarella Sticks and Baked Chicken Bacon Ranch Meatballs...but will need to wait for football season to come around again. Thank you for your blog, it's one of my favorites because everything looks so scrumptious - from the ingredients to the photos!!