Tortilla Pinwheels

4.66 from 105 votes

Posted: 05/10/20 Updated: 05/11/20

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Looking for a new appetizer for parties? These Tortilla Pinwheels are just what you need. Bite-sized pinwheels stuffed with a creamy mixture of cream cheese, black olives, green chiles, cheese spread on a tortilla, then rolled up, chilled and sliced. Tips and tricks to get the perfect pinwheel with tons of flavor, plus you can make these ahead of time.

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Tortilla Pinwheels are one of my favorite party snacks to make because you can make them ahead and they are super easy! There’s very little prep work and it’s as simple as mixing up a filling, spreading it on tortillas and then slicing them to serve.

My version has a rich cream cheese filling flavored with cheddar cheese, green chiles, black olives and seasonings so each pinwheel is packed with flavor!

This recipe makes a big batch of pinwheels – perfect for entertaining! Keeping with the green chile southwestern flavors I love to make a batch of homemade salsa with chips and some guacamole, too. Add a pitcher of homemade margaritas and some friends and family and you have everything you need for a party!

We all need easy snack recipes and I think these tortilla pinwheels will be your new favorite!

Contents show

A Few Notes about the Ingredients

This recipe is really easy to make and be sure to follow these tips so they turn out perfect!

For the tortillas, I use 10-inch (burrito-sized) tortillas. You can use 8-inch ones if that’s all you can find – you’ll just need a few more.
Make sure you leave your cream cheese out at room temperature to soften it. It makes it a whole lot easier to make the filling!
Thoroughly drain the green chiles (I use the canned ones) and the black olives. You don’t want excess liquid in the filling otherwise it will make it runny.
If you’ve never used seasoned salt before it’s basically a mixture of salt, dried herbs and other seasonings all mixed together. Look for it in the spice aisle!

Tortilla Pinwheels in Four Easy Steps!

Mix – Combine all of the ingredients (except for the tortillas) in a large bowl until it’s completely mixed.
Spread – Divide the filling among the tortillas and spread it into an even layer on each.
Roll – Take the tortillas and roll up them up like a jelly roll and wrap each one in plastic wrap.
Chill – Place the rolled-up tortillas for several hours or overnight.

A Few Tips…

Be sure to evenly divide the filling and spread it into an even layer! If you have too much filling it could squeeze out the ends of the tortillas when you roll them up. Also, if they have too much they might not hold together well.
Don’t skip the chilling step! It might be tempting to just wrap and serve them, but giving them time to chill does a couple of things. First, it allows the flavors in the filling to fully develop so they will taste amazing. Chilling the rolls also helps the pinwheels hold their shape once you slice them. They won’t fall apart!
When you’re ready to serve them, use a sharp knife and use a sawing motion to slice them. That way you won’t smoosh them and they’ll have a better shape.

How far in advance can I make them?

You can make them 24 hours in advance and they’ll be delicious when you’re ready to serve them! If you have leftover pinwheels, just pop them in an airtight container and they’ll keep well for a few days in the refrigerator.

Do I have to use plain tortillas?

Nope! You can use whole wheat ones or those ones that are flavored – I’ve seen spinach ones and others flavored with different ingredients. Feel free to experiment!

I’m having a party! What other appetizers go with tortilla pinwheels?

I’m so glad you asked! I love easy appetizer recipes and have quite a few that would go great with pinwheels!

My dill pickle dip is super easy and so delicious!
Or serve up the pinwheels with a side of homemade ranch dip and chips.
Make a batch of my loaded guacamole dip – so good!
For a crunchy snack, you can’t go wrong with my ranch pretzels!

These tortillas are always a go-to party snack for me – I think you’ll love them, too!

Love it? I knew you would! Rate it, please!! It would be awesome if you’d give it a five-star rating below! If you snap any photos, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats that way I’m sure to see your pictures!

Meet Julie Evink

I'm here to help you win in the kitchen again! Life is Busy, Life is Crazy, but that doesn't mean you can't make your family dinner! Julie's goal is to provide you with easy, family, friendly recipes that use pantry staples. Dinnertime will be stress free again!