Christmas Pinwheels Recipe: Best Easy Festive Holiday Appetizer
These Christmas pinwheels are a quick, festive, and crowd-pleasing appetizer featuring swirls of creamy, herby filling, deli meat, and colorful veggies rolled in soft tortillas. Perfect for holiday gatherings, they’re easy to customize and guaranteed to bring cheer to any party.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 pinwheels (about 6-8 servings) 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 large flour tortillas (10-inch, regular or spinach)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 6 oz thinly sliced deli meat (turkey, ham, or roast beef)
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, patted dry and chopped
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh herbs (parsley or dill), chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients. Soften cream cheese to room temperature. Chop spinach, roasted red peppers, and green onion. Pat peppers dry.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and mayonnaise. Beat until fluffy and smooth. Add lemon juice, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Stir in roasted red peppers, spinach, green onions, and shredded cheese. Mix gently until evenly distributed.
- Lay out a tortilla on a cutting board. Spread 2-3 tbsp of the cream cheese mixture evenly to the edges. Lay 2-3 slices of deli meat over the filling.
- Tightly roll the tortilla into a log, pressing the seam to seal.
- Wrap each roll in plastic wrap or foil. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours).
- Unwrap the chilled logs. Slice into 1/2-inch thick pinwheels with a sharp serrated knife, wiping the knife between cuts.
- Arrange pinwheels on a platter. Garnish with extra herbs or paprika if desired.
Notes
For best results, chill the rolled tortillas before slicing to ensure clean spirals. Pat all veggies dry to prevent sogginess. Use a serrated knife for neat cuts. Make ahead up to 24 hours and slice just before serving. Easily customize with vegetarian, gluten-free, or dairy-free swaps.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pinwheel (about 1-
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 6
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 3
Keywords: Christmas pinwheels, holiday appetizer, party food, festive snacks, easy pinwheel recipe, make ahead, finger food, kid friendly, crowd pleaser, spinach tortilla, cream cheese