Fiesta Pinwheels Recipe

These fiesta pinwheels are the perfect appetizer for your party, game day, or holiday dinner. Sometimes called Mexican roll-ups, they are so delicious and easy to make. Made with cream cheese, sour cream, and delicious diced green chiles.

Fiesta Pinwheels

Pinwheels are always a favorite appetizer to serve during the holidays. They are easy to make and can be made ahead of time. Some other appetizers that I love to serve at holiday parties are slow-cooker buffalo chicken dip, Three-ingredient chili cheese dip, and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

What I love about this recipe

• It is so easy to make
• These pinwheels can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen
• It’s always a big hit with everyone at the party
• The perfect appetizer for game day, Thanksgiving appetizer, and Christmas appetizer to serve

Ingredients

Flour tortillas – I used 10-inch flour tortillas and this recipe made about 6. These will be used as the base of the pinwheels

Green Onions – green onions add a great flavor and a crisp texture to this appetizer recipe

Garlic Powder – this seasoning adds a savory flavor to the pinwheels

Cream Cheese – Softened. This ingredient will be creamy when it is warm and mixed with the sour cream, but it will firm up nicely in the fridge so the pinwheels can be held together

Sour Cream – sour cream is added to make the mixture creamy and also add flavor to this pinwheel

Green Chiles – this is a way that you can add some spiciness to this pinwheel. I like to use mild green chiles, but you could use medium or hot green chiles

Hot Sauce – optional. I did not use hot sauce because I didn’t want to make these pinwheels too spicy. It’s really a personal preference on whether you add the hot sauce. I would suggest first mixing the ingredients and tasting them to gauge whether or not you want to add a little hot sauce and then do so by adding 1 dash at a time

Salsa – This will be used to dip the pinwheels into

Equipment

You’ll want a large mixing bowl to mix the ingredients in

I like to use a silicone mixing spatula to mix with

You’ll also want a small enough baking sheet that will fit into the refrigerator so the pinwheels can harden up

How to Make Pinwheels

Step One

In a large bowl mix the softened cream cheese and sour cream

Add green chiles

The green onion, and garlic powder. Mix well

Add the optional hot sauce 1 tsp. at a time – tasting in between to test the level of spice

Spread out evenly over 6 tortillas

Roll up tortillas into a cylinder-shape

Place on a baking sheet or in a baking pan. Refrigerate overnight

Cut the tortillas into bite-sized portions

Serve with salsa

Expert Tip

Make sure you set your cream cheese out early enough to let it soften up, so it blends well

In my experience, it’s best to let these pinwheels refrigerate overnight. I have tried to cut them before the cream cheese had a chance to harden up enough and it didn’t go well. The flavor is fine but the pinwheels won’t keep their shape

Variations

Add-Ins

Add a couple of tablespoons of taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of salsa to the mixture. In this case, because you are adding liquid, you’ll need to add more cream cheese – a total of 8 oz.

Mix in shredded Mexican Blend Cheese

What to Serve With

• guacamole
• Spanish rice
• salsa
• mango guacamole

FAQs

Storing

Cover pinwheels with clear wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days or Freeze pinwheels for up to 2 months

Freezing: Cut pinwheels and if necessary place them back into the refrigerator to harden up again. Place pinwheels in a freezer bag to freeze for up to 2 months

Thawing: Thaw pinwheels in the refrigerator overnight

Serving Size

This recipe should make about 60 pinwheels which will serve about 10+ people

You can double or triple the recipe for more

More Appetizer Recipes You’ll Enjoy

Let’s Hang Out

If you are enjoying my recipes then you should come say hello on my Pinterest page and on my Facebook page Recipes Passed Down.

Recipe