Christmas Sausage Rolls with Cranberry & Chestnut

These flavour packed Christmas Sausage Rolls are loaded with traditional pork sausage meat studded with dried cranberry & chestnut pieces. With their puff pastry jackets, this festive version of a classic Christmas party favourite cannot fail to impress. They’re ready in just 30 minutes and freeze to perfection, so what are you waiting for? Go!

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Did you know you can never have enough sausage rolls? Not in quantity or variety. This is a simple fact of life. So it was only a matter of time before I came up with a dedicated recipe which is perfect for Christmas.

I’ve written this as a sausage roll using puff pastry. But it is simple to use shortcrust if you prefer. It doesn’t matter whether you use homemade pastry, shop bought or ready rolled. Whichever way, the flavours of these sausage rolls will be insanely delicious.

You can even mix and match the jazzed up sausage meat filling of this recipe with any of the other versions. They are all written using 1 standard ready rolled sheet of pastry. You can even add the extras to the vegan sausage meat and make vegan Christmas sausage rolls.

You can go one further too and make festive mini shortcrust pastry sausage rolls or a giant vegan Christmas sausage roll.

Whichever version you end up making, don’t forget to sprinkle over the dried sage before baking. It adds the perfect extra little bit of festive flavour.

How to Serve Festive Sausage Rolls

I will always love to serve a sausage roll warm and fresh from the oven. Especially when making a puff pastry recipe. But really these sausage rolls can be eaten hot, room temp or cold. Whatever works for you.

The vast majority of the time sausage rolls tend to be served just as they are for a snack, elevenses or as part of a buffet or platter. It is lovely to serve a condiment with them too. I tend to err towards a cranberry sauce to compliment the cranberries in the filling.

But I also love to serve a chutney too, especially if they are being eaten as part of a ploughman’s type meal, cheeseboard or buffet. I am of course naturally biased but I highly recommend trying my homemade Fresh Fig & Orange Chutney or Easy Plum & Apple Chutney.

For an extra festive presentation, use this filling and follow my instructions to make a Sausage Roll Wreath.

Make Pork & Cranberry Sausage Rolls into a Feast

I truly believe that you can make any dish into a proper feast! Whether thats a feast for one after work on a Tuesday, a casual feast for four on a Friday evening or a feast for 12 for a special occasion!

There are lots of lovely Christmassy options to serve at this time of year. I am never hosting in December without a batch of Bacon & Cherry Bites. They are the most delicious morsels which never fail to convert even the most sceptical.

My Baked Camembert with Garlic, Maple & Thyme is not in theory a seasonal recipe. But cheese is of course a mainstay of a British Christmas. And it is never more delicious than when it is hot and melty. Try dipping one of these Christmas rolls into that cheese and you’ll never go back.

The most festive of Christmas treats is of course a Mince Pie. My version uses puff pastry because I’m clearly obsessed with the stuff. And you can never have enough pastry.

Don’t forget to head over to my Feast Collection pages to find all of my tips and tricks to help you host a fun and stress-free feast. Plus remember to check out my recipe index to create your own awesome Feast!

Ingredients for Puff Pastry Christmas Sausage Rolls

Puff Pastry

Making your own puff pastry is a joy. And not nearly as difficult or time consuming as you think it might be. So I will always encourage you to give it a try. The finished baked pastry really is next level.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using store bought pastry. If I’m buying it, I buy it ready rolled. What’s the point of going for the convenience option and not going the whole hog?!

I’ve also started making sure to buy the branded option like Jus-Rol rather than the slightly cheaper own brand options. Having compared them and used both many times, I’ve really noticed a difference in quality.

Sausage Meat

Like with all of my sausage roll based recipes, I recommend that you buy good quality sausages and remove the skin. Unless you have a really good butcher, the tubes or blocks of sausage meat that you can buy don’t tend to be such good quality.

I also usually recommend my favourite type of sausage which is Lincolnshire sausage. They have a lovely sage flavour and aren’t too peppery. And they do indeed work fabulously with this recipe.

A plainer pork sausage is still a great option for these Christmas sausage rolls. Because you are adding in extra flavours, you won’t lose out on any zing.

If you decide to use any kind of caramelised onion sausage, you can skip adding the onion chutney. Or maybe just add half.

Dried Cranberries

I’ve used dried cranberries rather than fresh for a few reasons. First and foremost fresh cranberries are not that forthcoming in the UK except very close to Christmas. And even then they tend to be quite scarce. Dried cranberries are available to buy year round.

The second and main reason is that fresh cranberries can be very tart and contain quite a lot of water/juice. Dried cranberries on the other hand are little flavour bombs and much sweeter.

I have written a little soaking time in boiling water into the recipe. This stops the dried cranberries being too…dry. Let’s call it a happy medium!

Chestnuts

You must use cooked and peeled chestnuts for this recipe. You can buy them ready cooked like this in vac packs. Most supermarkets sell them. Or you can roast your own chestnuts– I use the air fryer but you can boil and then use the oven if you prefer. Just make sure to peel them when they’re still hot.

If you cannot get hold of chestnuts, you can use another nut instead. I would favour the slightly more waxy types. Cashew, walnut and pistachio would all be lovely options. Pistachios are an especially good option as the green flecks look beautiful.

Chutney

I’ve specified an onion chutney in this recipe. Often alternatively called onion marmalade, this type tends to be sweet more than sour. I make my own using this Caramelised Onion Chutney recipe from Curly’s Cooking.

I wouldn’t suggest substituting for another type of chutney as the flavour could very easily overpower the sausage roll filling. Slicing and slowly frying some onions in a little butter would be a better option.

Be Flexible

I’ve mentioned above my mix and match suggestions for varying the pastry and/or size of the sausage rolls. So let’s discuss some of the possible variations to this Christmassy pork sausage meat filling.

One way to totally mix up the flavours is to switch the dried cranberries for another dried fruit. Dried apricots are a really common flavour at Christmas time. Sultanas and/or raisins are another festive option. And to keep the red colour, I’m actually quite a fan of goji berries.

Dried cherries are another option (not glace cherries) but I would avoid dates, figs or anything too tropical like mango. The flavour profiles wouldn’t meld so well.

Again I’ve discussed some alternatives to chestnuts you could use above. But if you are simply not a fan of nuts, you can leave them out.

Make it Vegetarian or Vegan

Sausage rolls are strangely easy to make both vegetarian and vegan. There is a new dawn and availability of meat free and plant based meat substitutes. So you don’t even need to involve mushrooms, lentils or any other mainstays of dry old school veggie options.

Most commercially available puff pastry is suitable for vegans. Just check the label and avoid the all butter varieties. All puff pastry is suitable for vegetarians.

Then it is a case of choosing your sausage substitute. Veggie or vegan, whatever you need. I’ve talked more about vegan sausage subs in my Vegan Sausage Rolls recipe.

For veggie sausage rolls you can still use the normal egg wash. But for a vegan version you will need to use a plant based cream or milk in stead.

Make it Allergy Friendly

Gluten Free: Gluten-free puff pastry is now easy to come by. Even in the ready rolled variety so that is an easy substitution.

It is also a good idea to check that the sausages you are buying are gluten free. They are now much more common than they were even in recent history. But the are not all gf. I find that especially true of proper butcher sausages. Butchers are a bit behind the supermarkets in this regard.

Nut Free: Chestnuts can be an allergen but rarely to people with tree nut or ground nut allergy’s. So they may actually be suitable for anyone with a nut allergy. It is best to check with the person you’re catering for and if needed, the sausage rolls will be just fine with them left out.

Dairy Free: This recipe only contains dairy if the pastry you buy contains dairy. Like with the vegan option, more pastries you can buy contain no dairy. Just avoid the all butter options.

In theory sausages shouldn’t contain any dairy. But as always, it is best to double check the ingredients, especially if buying a specialist flavoured sausage.

Egg Free: Simply use double cream to glue the pastry and wash the tops of the pastry. Or use a plant based milk if you can’t use dairy either.

Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.

Equipment Notes for Cranberry & Chestnut Sausage Rolls

If I am rolling out pastry, I use a Wooden Board and my favourite heavy marble Rolling Pin. I find that a heavy pin does a half the hard work for me.

A good set of various sized Baking Trays is essential in any kitchen. I make sure to use a larger tray than I think I need when working with puff pastry. This gives it space to expand without bumping into its neighbour.

A Silicone Pastry Brush is a small but vital part of my kitchen equipment. They’re super inexpensive and much better to use than the old fashioned bristle variety. Mostly I just find them much easier to clean.

A comprehensive list of the equipment used to make this recipe is included in the main recipe card below. Click on any item to see an example. There are no hard and fast rules so many items can be sensibly substituted to achieve the same results.

Get Ahead

Sausage rolls are ideal for making in advance.

If you want to get ahead by a day or two, you can make them in their entirety but store them in the fridge before baking. Obviously cover they tray in the fridge. You can bake them right from chilled.

For a longer term option, you can freeze them at the same point. It is best to free freeze the rolls and then move them to a bag or container for longer term storage. They’ll keep for months in the freezer.

Sausage rolls can be baked from frozen. They will need an extra 10 minutes or so in the oven. You might also want to consider baking them at a slightly lower temperature for a little longer. It is important that the middle of the sausage meat is piping hot and cooked through.

You can also bake them ahead of time and store them for a few days. They can be refreshed in the oven or an air fryer. But they won’t be as great as freshly baked. If you can bake fresh, it is preferable.

Leftover Homemade Sausage Rolls

As I mentioned, the sausage rolls will keep for 3 or 4 days. They will need to be kept in the fridge ideally.

I like a bit of soggy pastry so I often heat them up in the microwave. But popping them in the oven will give you crispier rolls. And of course they can be just eaten cold.

Festive Sausage Roll Tips

You do need to keep your pastry cold. It is more than likely that you won’t be making these Christmas sausage rolls during a heatwave. But if you are super organised, or in the Southern hemisphere, you might need to take precautions.

If any any point you find that the pastry is feeling a little soft, pop it back in the fridge. It really doesn’t matter at what stage of the process you are at – get it in there.

This recipe makes 12 well stuffed sausage rolls. So you need to make sure that your pastry rectangles and sausage meat filling are as even as possible along their whole length. Bulbous bits of sausage meat might mean that the pastry will struggle to meet. And the same is true is the pastry is cut too thin.

Talking of stretching the pastry, this is fine to do to make sure that the seal is secure. Make sure to follow the instructions in the recipe to seal the seam. It might seem like a faff but it takes no time at all.

Wet your hands when mixing and handling the sausage meat filling. This will stop it sticking to you like crazy.

Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?

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The Recipe

Christmas Sausage Rolls Recipe with Cranberry & Chestnut

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These flavour packed Christmas Sausage Rolls are loaded with traditional pork sausage meat studded with dried cranberry & chestnut pieces. With their puff pastry jackets, this festive version of a classic Christmas party favourite cannot fail to impress. They're ready in just 30 minutes and freeze to perfection, so what are you waiting for? Go!

5 from 6 votes

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KEEP SCREEN ON

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings 12 rolls

Author Chloe

Equipment

• Wooden Board
• Rolling Pin
• Mixing Bowl – Extra Small
• Sharp Knife – Large
• Silicone Pastry Brush
• Baking Tray – Large
• Baking Parchment

Ingredients

 

MetricUSA Measurements

 

0.5x1x2x4x

• 40 g Dried Cranberries
• 3 tbsp Boiling Water
• 320 g Puff Pastry
• 450 g Pork Sausage Meat
• 50 g Cooked Chestnuts
• 3 tbsp Caramelised Onion Chutney
• 1 Egg
• ½ tsp Dried Sage

Instructions

 

• Put a kettle onto boil and preheat the oven to 200c fan | 220c | 390c or equivalent.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
• Measure 40g Dried Cranberries into a small bowl and then cover with roughly 3 tbsp Boiling Water. Set the bowl aside whilst you prepare everything else.
  
• Roll 320g Puff Pastry out on a floured surface to about 0.25 inch thickness. Or unroll a sheet of ready rolled pastry.
• Cut the sheet into half lengthways with a sharp knife.
  
• Skin enough sausages to get 450g Pork Sausage Meat and add to a mixing bowl.
  
• Finely chop 50g Cooked Chestnuts and add to the sausage meat.
  
• Add 3 tbsp Caramelised Onion Chutney. Drain the water off the cranberries and add them too.
  
• Mix all the filling ingredients together. I find it easiest to use my hands. Wet them first to stop it from sticking to you.
  
• Divide the filling into two even portions and make long sausages out of each half. You can do this in smaller sections and join them together on the pastry.
• Place the filling around ⅔ of the way along each pastry strip. Make sure it reaches from end to end. You can mould the sausage meat into the right shape as you go. Try to keep it as even as possible so that it cooks nice and evenly.
  
• Beat 1 Egg in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to cover the large side of exposed pastry.
  
• Start to roll the pastry around the sausage meat starting with the unwashed smaller top section. Keep the pastry nice and tight to the sausage meat.
  
• Continue to roll until the meat is totally sealed. You may need to stretch the pastry a little as these are well filled rolls.
• Wet your finger a little and gently press along with pastry seam – this will allow the pastry to meld together and reduce the likelihood of the pastry coming apart as it cooks. Make sure the rolls are positioned seam side down from this point on.
  
• Use a sharp knife to trim off the very ends of each roll. Cut each roll in half. You can continue to cut each roll separately or line them up for the next cuts.
  
• Still using the sharp knife, cut each of the 4 rolls into 3 pieces. I mark the cuts out to make sure I am cutting in the right place.
• Make diagonal cuts in the top of each roll. You can do this before cutting them if you prefer.
  
• Move the rolls to the lined baking tray and wash all over the top and sides with more of the beaten egg. Don't wash the ends with the exposed sausage meat.
  
• Sprinkle roughly ½ tsp Dried Sage over the top of the rolls.
  
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes – until the pastry is golden all over.
  
• Allow to cool a little before digging in or move them to a rack to cool fully.
  

Nutrition (Approx)

Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 300mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

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