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Made with homemade pimento cheese, these pimento cheese pinwheels are an easy and delicious appetizer to serve at your next party or get-together.

Platter of pimento cheese pinwheels with toothpicks in two of the pinwheels, ready to be taken.

Anyone who knows me in real life (and some of my online friends, too) knows how much I love good pimento cheese.

With my momma having been raised by her southern momma and grandmother, there’s a lot of southern food that we both grew up eating, including my great-grandmother’s pimento cheese.

I will happily eat pimento cheese and crackers all day long, but I also love it in a grilled pimento cheese sandwich, on fried chicken sandwiches or burgers, and – my newest obsession – in these pimento cheese pinwheels.

These simple pinwheels were inspired by my favorite cream cheese ranch roll ups and the way they disappear like *snaps* that at every party. This version uses just a handful of ingredients and can be made ahead, so they’re pretty much begging to be made for your next get-together.

Overhead view of pimento cheese pinwheels lined up on a white tile platter.

WHAT ARE PIMENTO CHEESE PINWHEELS?

There are a few different types of pinwheel appetizers that you’ll see floating around online. Some of them are made with crescent roll dough or puff pastry and are served warm, while others are made with flour tortillas and are served cold.

These fall into the latter category. I wanted to create a simple, cold appetizer that could be made the night before and cut and plated right before serving, no oven required.

I also wanted the flavor of the pimento cheese to really shine, so I kept the filling ingredients pretty simple. 

If you love pimento cheese, these pinwheels are absolutely the appetizer for you. 

Two pimento cheese pinwheels on a small ceramic plate. A platter of the pinwheels is visible in the background.

HOW TO MAKE PIMENTO CHEESE PINWHEELS

So let’s chat about how to make these pimento cheese pinwheels. They’re so simple, you’ll be shocked you didn’t think to do this sooner!

Ingredients you’ll need

You’ll need 4 ingredients to make this recipe:

  • Softened cream cheese: I don’t normally approve of cream cheese in my pimento cheese, but these pinwheels are the exception. Just like with vegetable pizza, a bit of cream cheese added to the pimento cheese gives it just the right texture to create the filling for these pinwheels.
  • Pimento cheese: I like to use my homemade pimento cheese for this recipe. If you don’t have time to make your own, you can use some from your grocery store’s deli. You’ll need 1 ⅓ cups for this recipe.
  • Sliced green onions: I like adding some sliced green onions into this pinwheel filling for a bit of extra flavor and texture.
  • Burrito-size flour tortillas: The filling gets rolled up in large flour tortillas. These are usually labeled as “burrito size” and are around 10-12 inches in diameter. You will need 3 of them for this recipe.
Pimento cheese pinwheel ingredients on a stone countertop.

Making these pinwheels

Grab a large mixing bowl and combine the softened cream cheese, pimento cheese, and green onions until well combined. 

Depending on how much effort you want to use, you can do this with a wooden spoon or a hand mixer. It’s entirely up to you.

Pimento cheese pinwheel filling being stirred with a wooden spoon in a ceramic mixing bowl.

Once the filling is well mixed, divide the mixture evenly between the flour tortillas. Spread it over each tortilla, leaving about ¼ to ½-inch around the edge of each.

Roll up each tortilla tightly and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Chill them in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

When you’re ready to serve, unwrap the tortillas and cut into slices. You can cut the slices as thick or as thin as you like; I usually get around 60 pieces out of this recipe.

Flour tortillas spread with pimento cheese filling. One of the tortillas is halfway rolled up.

MAKING AHEAD

Since pimento cheese pinwheels need to chill for a minimum of 4 hours, they are perfect for making ahead of time and plating up right before your party starts.

You can easily make these the day before. You could even make them up to 2 days ahead of time if needed. I wouldn’t go much longer than that, though, because you risk the outside of the tortilla getting a bit soggy.

White tile platter piled with pimento cheese pinwheels. A bowl of pimento cheese is visible in the background.

If you want, you can slice all of the pinwheels and plate them up before the party gets started. However, you can also just slice one tortilla at a time and refill the platter as the pinwheels get eaten. This is what I recommend if it’s warm outside.

If you’re really feeding a crowd, feel free to double this pimento cheese pinwheel recipe – it doubles really well!

Close up of a white platter filled with pimento cheese pinwheels and garnished with chives.
Pimento cheese pinwheels with toothpicks in them, ready to be served.

Pimento Cheese Pinwheels

Made with homemade pimento cheese, these pimento cheese pinwheels are an easy and delicious appetizer to serve at your next party or get-together.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Chilling Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings60 pinwheels

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, pimento cheese, and green onions until well combined.
  • Divide the mixture between the tortillas. Spread evenly over the tortillas, leaving about a ¼ to ½-inch border. Tightly roll up the tortillas. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap or foil and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
  • Cut into slices before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 8mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 103IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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2 Comments

5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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