Looking for a new quick and easy appetizer or side to throw in the mix? These Mexican Tortilla Pinwheels come together in just 25 minutes and are always the first to go at any party I’ve served them at. Cream cheese, olives, fresh herbs, heat, and spice…all packed into one delicious irresistible bite!
Everyone loves Mexican Tortilla Pinwheels! I mean, what’s not to like right? You really can’t just stop after eating a few. You’ll either find yourself hoovering over them or casually strolling back for more. Trust me, I’m an expert tortilla pinwheel eater 🙂
Here’s Why I Love Tortilla Pinwheels:
- Bite-size
- Mess-free
- Variety of different fillings
- Fun to eat
- Perfect for the entire family
- Easy to make-ahead for parties
Tortilla pinwheel recipes are very easy to prep and make, but there are a few basic things you need to know to get them perfect and disaster-free.
How to assemble tortilla pinwheels. I’m all for layering ingredients on a flat tortilla and simply rolling it up as tight as possible, but to me, that’s more of a wrap, not a pinwheel. Pinwheels need to stay assembled and tight as you cut them. Ingredients should not be falling out as you pick them up, and they should be relatively mess-free when serving. In other words, there should be some type of consistent “glue” holding them together as they’re rolled so that they don’t fall apart (i.e. cream cheese).
I prefer to keep the layer of ingredients quite thin so that they are bite-sized, but substantial enough so it doesn’t feel like you’re just eating rolled up plain tortilla. So instead of layering all the ingredients onto the tortilla (as my husband used to do), my ideal way of assembling them is to combine all the finely chopped ingredients with the cream cheese, and then spread that mixture onto the tortilla before rolling it up. That way, the tortilla has some place to stick and stay together as you roll and cut it up into small pieces. The key is to not over-stuff.
How to make tortilla pinwheels ahead of time and keep them from getting soggy. I’ve made this recipe countless times for large parties. So making them 1-2 days prior to serving is key! But at the same time, who wants to eat soggy rolled up tortilla right? So here’s my make-ahead method.
Prep all the ingredients using a chopper and make the cream cheese mixture 1-2 days prior, thereby also allowing the mixture to ‘marinate’ together for a longer time. The day before you plan on serving them, simply take out the mixture, spread a thin layer on each tortilla, roll them up tightly, stack them in a lined 9×13″ baking pan, cover completely with foil to avoid having them dry out, and store it in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, cut each rolled tortilla into pinwheels using a sharp non-serrated knife. This makes it easy to prep ahead of time while keeping them from getting soggy. Leftovers taste great even the day after!
So how exactly do you make these irresistible cream cheese pinwheels that I’ve been talking about this entire post? Check out the recipe below and try them out for yourself! You’ll not only find out that they’re easy to make, but also that they’re customizable and the perfect party plate (Cinco de Mayo is coming up!). And one of the best part about making these easy Mexican roll ups yourself, is that you get to “try them out” at the same time. You know those end pieces that don’t roll quite right? Yep…they end up going straight in my mouth! 🙂
Try this vegan Mexican Tortilla Pinwheels recipe and let me know what you think! Be sure to tag me on Facebook or Instagram, @vegetariangastronomy #vegetariangastronomy, with your re-makes so I can share them on IG for my “RE-MAKE FRIDAYS“. And if you need some more last minute recipe ideas for Cinco de Mayo, check them out here. I’d love to know your favorite tortilla pinwheel filling in the comments below!
Mexican Tortilla Pinwheels (Vegan)
INGREDIENTS
- 3.8 oz. vegan cream cheese , I use Toffuti brand
- 1/4 cup vegan sour cream
- 4.25 oz. black olives , finely chopped from can
- 1/2 cup green onions , finely chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro , finely chopped
- 1/4 cup jarred jalapenos , finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp juice from jalapeno jar
- 1/2 teasp garlic powder
- 1/4 teasp salt
- 1 teasp taco seasoning , see notes below
- 8 large tortillas , see notes below
INSTRUCTIONS
- Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature.
- Combine all the ingredients thoroughly in a mixing bowl.
- Taste the mixture and adjust if needed with additional salt, taco seasoning, and/or jalapeno for extra spice.
- Place one tortilla flat on a large cutting board.
- Using the back of a spoon, spread a single layer of the cream cheese mixture on the tortilla. Make sure it's thick enough to just cover all of the tortilla surface (but not too much so that it comes out the side when rolling).
- Starting at one end, using both hands at each side, slowly roll the tortilla as tightly as possible without squeezing out the cream cheese layer.
- Repeat with the remaining tortilla until you run out of the cream cheese mixture.
- Stack up the rolled tortilla in a 9x13 baking tray, and cover with foil to completely seal.
- Place in the fridge for a few hours or overnight so it's cool and easier to cut.
- Working with one rolled tortilla at a time, use a sharp knife (not serrated), and cut about 3/4" thick rounds. You should end up with 8-10 pinwheels per roll-up.
- Repeat with the remaining tortilla roll-ups.
- Serve immediately, or layer the pinwheels (cut side up) back in the baking pan and cover completely with foil. Place back in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Enjoy as is or with your favorite salsa!
Strength and Sunshine
Pinwheel wraps are always a great little bite of light lunch
Uma Srinivas
wow! This is perfect for kids lunch box. Fun for kids because of its size and mess free facts 🙂 thanks Anjali for this idea.
anjali
Yes they totally are!! My kids love cream cheese so these work perfectly without the jalapenos for them!
Shumaila
One of my friends would always make pinwheels when she would host a brunch and they were always the first things to finish. Love that these are vegan.
anjali
Same here…we have them all the time and they were gone so quickly! After I went vegan I was insistent on making a vegan version, and they taste great still! I even served them to 30 non-vegans and everyone loved them!
Allison - Celebrating Sweets
These look so flavorful! I’m having friends who are vegan over for Cinco de Mayo – I will have to try this!
anjali
They will love these for sure! I even served them to 30 non-vegans and it was a huge hit! You really can’t tell the difference =)
Luci's Morsels
These would make the perfect, quick, clean addition to my Cinco de Mayo spread! I love these and bet these would be a hit. Thanks for sharing!
anjali
Thanks Luci! Yes they’re perfect for cinco de mayo!
Rashmi
I love these bite size pinwheels, they look incredibly delicious.
Your filling sounds like a total winner 🙂 and super easy to make.
I cant wait to give these a try!
anjali
thanks Rashmi!! If you make them be sure to tag me!
Reshana
These are absolutely adorable and they look O So YUM! I totally love the idea of mixing everything in one bowl so it is mess-free and easy to eat. Yours look gorgeous and I am sure they taste incredible.
Will be sure to give these a try!
anjali
Thanks Reshana! When it’s all mixed together, the cream cheese sticks really well to the tortilla as you roll it up! You’ll love these!
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry
These are really pretty and perfect for a party for sure
anjali
Thanks!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Thank you for your refrigeration tip to firm it up for cleaner cutting. I didn’t know that. I could see that this could easily be adapted to include all sorts of different flavor variations.
anjali
Thanks Katie! Yes…I’ve tried cutting them right away, but it’s sort of a mess especially if your mixture is at room temp. After it’s been in the fridge, it has a chance to firm up, plus the flavors marinate nicely together!
Angela
A great light bite, perfect for a lunchtime treat.
anjali
thanks angela! It is a lunchtime treat for sure!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
Tortilla pinwheels are the ultimate potluck food if you ask me. Or picnic food. Or any day I feel like eating lunch without utensils food 🙂 Such a cute and fun way to eat veggies–sorta like sushi but not seaweed-y. And I love how you have all the structural details fully figured out too. Mixing all the ingredients with the cream cheese first is so smart, plus finely chopped veg always tastes better somehow. Great Cinco de Mayo (wow that snuck up fast!) idea 🙂
anjali
Thanks Natalie!! My husband and I always used to go back and forth on whether to mix everything together or layer and I finally convinced him mixing everything was so much easier and kept the tortilla nice and rolled up 🙂 These are a childhood favorite so I was excited to veganize them! My kids love them (minus the jalapenos). I can’t believe it’s May already either…kids get out of school soon yikes! 🙂
Linda @ Veganosity
These sound perfect! So great for a party and Cinco de Mayo
Dianne
These look so perfect for my weekend potluck! Thanks for the tip to keep them from getting soggy.
anjali
It’s all about keeping them from getting soggy!! 🙂
Brandie
I love pinwheels. They’re fun to eat. Great picnic idea!
Sarah Newman
This reminds me of being a kid, I love it! I imagine it’s so good for a crowd pleaser.
anjali
Thanks Sarah! I LOVEd these as a kid, and love them now!
Jasmine
Omg I used to love pinwheels as a kid!
Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite
Pinwheels are a great fun finger food! Perfect for snacking and kids lunches.
Agness of Run Agness Run
Yummy! This recipe is so palatable, Anjali! Is there any alternative to the juice from jalapeno jar?
anjali
thank you! Yes…you could totally just leave it out or add a little mnore seasoning and salt. It’s mainly for a little added vinegar flavor from the pickled jalapenos! Let me know if you try them!