If you’ve never had a pork and apple sausage roll, you’re in for something really good! These flaky little sausage rolls have caramelized apple and onion in the filling, for sweetness and moisture. The sharp fruit cuts through the richness of the pork, and paired with fennel, thyme and a little cayenne, it’s a filling that’s a long way from your average sausage roll.
Pork and apple sausage rolls are the kind of snack that disappear fast at a party, but they’re just as good as the main event for a casual dinner, with a simple green salad alongside.
Sausage rolls are something I grew up eating. They’re a staple of Australian bakery culture and a fixture at pretty much any party or event. Classic sausage rolls are made with a simple pork sausage meat mix, but a few years ago I tried a fancy caramelized apple version at a catered event I went to. I couldn’t stop thinking about them and I’ve been working on my own version ever since, through more test batches than I care to count. The version that finally clicked was when I added caramelized onions to the apple mixture. The onions bring a savory depth that balances the apple’s sweetness beautifully, and the filling went from good to genuinely hard-to-stop-eating.
Why do sausage rolls work so well in a steam oven?
A combi steam oven gives you the best of both worlds here: the steam keeps the filling moist and juicy while the dry heat from the oven browns the pastry to a deep, even golden. The result is puff pastry that’s properly crisp and flaky on the outside, with a filling that stays tender rather than drying out — something that can be harder to achieve in a conventional oven.
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Caramelized apple sausage rolls: ingredients and substitutions
See the recipe card further down for full method and ingredient quantities.
- Ground pork: The fattier, the better here — around 15–20% fat gives the filling the right texture and mouthfeel. If you can only find lean ground pork, add a couple of tablespoons of melted butter to the mix to compensate.
- Granny Smith apple: Granny Smith is the right choice here for two reasons: its tartness is a great counterpoint to the richness of the pork and the sweetness of the caramelized onion, and just as importantly, it holds its shape when cooked. Some apple varieties break down when heated, which isn’t what you want in this filling. Stick with a firm cooking apple like Granny Smith for the best result.
- Fennel seeds: These give the filling a subtle, classic sausage flavor. Don’t skip them if you can help it, but a pinch of ground fennel works in a pinch.
- Puff pastry: Frozen puff pastry sheets work perfectly here. Keep them cold right up until you’re ready to use them — warm pastry is harder to work with and won’t puff as well in the oven.
- Sesame seeds: Either white or black sesame seeds work, or a mix of both for a nice finish.
Caramelized apple sausage rolls: variations
Once you’ve nailed the basic recipe, it’s easy to make it your own.
- Swap the pork for ground chicken or turkey for a lighter version, keeping the butter in the mix for moisture.
- Add a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard to the filling for an extra layer of flavor.
- Try a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning instead of sesame seeds for a different finish.
How to make caramelized apple sausage rolls
View, save and print the recipe card further down in this post; read on for the visual walk-through.
Cook the onion in butter with the sugar over medium heat, stirring often, until soft and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the apple, cider vinegar and salt and continue cooking until the liquid has reduced and everything is soft and deeply golden, another 15–20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat your oven. Combine the ground pork, garlic powder, thyme, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and cayenne in a large bowl. Add the cooled apple and onion mixture and mix until very well combined. Divide into four equal portions.
Cut each puff pastry sheet in half to give you four rectangles. Spread a portion of filling along one long edge of each rectangle, brush the opposite edge with egg wash, then roll up to encase the filling. Place seam side down and cut each roll into four smaller pieces. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling to make 32 sausage rolls in total.
Brush the tops with egg wash, score a couple of slits into each roll with a sharp knife, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place the rolls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until puffy and deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.
Tips for success
Take the time to properly caramelize the apple and onion mixture. Deep golden brown is what you’re going for! It’s what makes these sausage rolls taste special, and rushing it will leave you with something that’s just cooked rather than deeply sweet and golden.
Keep your pastry cold right up until you roll it. If it starts to feel soft and greasy, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes before continuing.
Don’t skip scoring the tops of the rolls. It helps the pastry rise evenly and gives you that classic sausage roll look.
These freeze beautifully unbaked, so it’s worth making a double batch and freezing half for later. The effort to double the quantity is nowhere near double the work. 😉
Pork and apple sausage rolls serving suggestions
- Serve hot from the oven with your favorite dipping sauce — a good mustard or a simple tomato chutney work really well.
- These make a great party appetizer or game day snack.
- Pair with a simple green salad for a casual weeknight dinner.
Whether you’re making these for a party, a school lunch or just because you want something really good to eat, these pork and apple sausage rolls are the kind of recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
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Caramelized Apple and Pork Sausage Rolls
Ingredients
Caramelized apple and onions
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 onion large (about 6oz/180g), peeled and finely diced
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Granny Smith apple large (about 8oz/240g), peeled and diced into 1/4 inch/6mm pieces
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Sausage rolls
- 2 lb ground pork pork mince, not too lean, see notes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3 stalks thyme leaves leaves stripped from stalk
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 4 sheets frozen puff pastry thawed but cold, 9×9 inches (23x23cm)
To finish
- 1 egg for egg wash
- 3 Tbsp sesame seeds or black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Make the caramelized apple and onion mixture. Heat butter over low-medium heat in a frypan. When melted, add the onions & sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onions start to turn golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.2 Tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, 1 onion
- Add the apple, cider vinegar and salt and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is reduced and the apples and onions are soft and golden brown, about another 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the sausage roll mixture.1 Granny Smith apple, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt
- Preheat oven to Combi Steam, 350°F/180°C, 30% (low) steam. Line a baking tray with parchment or silicone paper and set aside.
- Make the sausage rolls. Put the ground pork, garlic powder, thyme, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, cayenne and breadcrumbs into a large bowl. Tip in the apple and onion mixture, and mix with your hands or a spoon until everything is very well combined. Divide the mix into eight even portions.2 lb ground pork, 1 tsp garlic powder, 3 stalks thyme leaves, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 3/4 tsp salt, 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Place one puff pastry sheet on your countertop and cut it in half, so you have two rectangles. Take a portion of the filling mixture and spread it along one long edge of the puff pastry rectangle, like a very long sausage. Brush the other edge of the rectangle with egg wash, and carefully roll up the pastry sheet with the sausage filling, until the ends overlap and encase the filling. Place seam side down, and cut the roll evenly into 4 smaller sausage rolls. Place the sausage rolls on the baking tray, slightly apart.4 sheets frozen puff pastry
- Repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheet to make 32 sausage rolls in total.
- Brush the tops of the sausage rolls with egg wash, and use a sharp knife to score a couple of slits into the top of each one, to allow the pastry to rise. Sprinkle the sausage rolls with sesame seeds.1 egg, 3 Tbsp sesame seeds
- Put the sausage rolls into the oven and cook until they are puffy and deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
- Apples. You need to use a cooking apple that won’t break down into mush; Granny Smith are generally the most widely available but any other variety of firm cooking apple is fine too. When you cook the apples, do not be afraid to cook them until they’re deeply brown and soft. It takes a while, but it’s worth the toasty caramelized-apple flavor you’ll get in the finished recipe.
- Pork mince. Try to get a fatty pork mince for these, around 15% or even 20% fat. Too lean and your sausage roll filling can be a bit dry. If you can only get lean mince, consider adding a couple of tablespoons of melted butter to the mixture, to give it the right texture and mouthfeel.
- Storage and serving. You can make the sausage rolls up to the point of assembling, and then freeze them to bake later. I recommend freezing the tray, uncovered, then moving the rolls into a large zip-lock bag for storage. They’ll keep unbaked in the freezer for several weeks, ready to pull out and bake whenever you want them.
