These fun and colorful Pinwheel Appetizers are one of the easiest party starters you can make. A creamy Ranch-flavored filling is spread onto soft flour tortillas, rolled up tightly, chilled, and sliced into pretty little spirals. They’re fresh, crunchy, creamy, and endlessly snackable—exactly the kind of finger food that is popular at parties. Serve alongside Knorr spinach dip and my easy salami appetizers for the triple win.
If you need an appetizer you can prep ahead, travels well, and appeals to both kids and adults, keep this one on hand. These pinwheels are perfect for holiday gatherings, game days, summer parties, potlucks, or any time you want something quick and crowd-pleasing without fuss. Try my cranberry feta pinwheels recipe too!
Why You’ll Love These Pinwheel Appetizers
- They are ridiculously easy to make. You’ll need only a handful of ingredients and there is no cooking required.
- They are bright and colorful. Red bell pepper, celery, and green onion make these so pretty on a platter. Use regular tortillas or green for a festive touch.
- These pinwheels are make-ahead friendly. Roll them up ahead of time and slice right before serving.
- They’re portable and party-ready- great for potlucks or holiday entertaining.
- Best of all is that they’re kid approved + adult approved. That creamy Ranch filling wins everyone over! If you really love the Ranch dressing style recipes, try my Bacon-Ranch Pasta Salad too!
Ingredients Overview
- Cream cheese: The base of the spread—be sure it’s at room temperature so it mixes smoothly.
- Ranch dressing mix: Adds instant flavor without extra measuring.
- Green onion: A mild onion bite that balances the creamy filling.
- Red bell pepper: Gives crunch, sweetness, and bright color. Try using orange or yellow bell pepper instead!
- Celery: Adds fresh texture and keeps things from feeling heavy.
- Flour tortillas: Burrito-size gives you perfect large spirals when you slice.
How to Make Pinwheel Appetizers
You’ll be amazed how quickly these come together!
- Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, stir together softened cream cheese and Ranch dressing mix. Add green onion, bell pepper, and celery. Mix until combined.
- Assemble: Lay tortillas flat and spread the filling all the way to the edges. Roll each tortilla tightly—this helps keep the pinwheels perfectly round.
- Chill: Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Chilling is key so the filling firms up and the pinwheels slice cleanly.
- Slice & Serve: Use a sharp bread knife to slice into beautiful spirals. Arrange on a platter and serve.
Tips for Perfect Pinwheels
- Chill thoroughly. Cold rolls = clean, pretty slices.
- Use a serrated bread knife. Helps prevent squishing the rolls.
- Spread to the edges. Ensures every bite has flavor.
- Keep ingredients finely chopped. Chunky fillings make rolling messy.
- Customize the flavor. Add olives, pickled jalapeños, ham, turkey, or spinach.
Flavor Variations
Try one of these fun twists:
- Deli-Style Pinwheels: Add thin-sliced turkey or ham.
- Southwest Pinwheels: Add black beans, corn, and use the spicy jalapeno ranch or spicy ranch varieties of the ranch dressing mix.
- Greek Pinwheels: Add chopped cucumber, feta, and olives.
- Fiesta Pinwheels: Mix salsa into the cream cheese instead of Ranch.
What to Serve With Pinwheel Appetizers
These pinwheel appetizers are the perfect addition to a holiday appetizer spread or charcuterie board. Serve them alongside a fresh veggie platter, chips & guacamole and other appetizers such as Boursin stuffed mushrooms and deluxe deviled eggs.
How to store Pinwheel Appetizers:
- Refrigerate: Keep tightly wrapped until ready to slice and serve.
- Prep ahead: Make up to 24 hours in advance before slicing.
- Do not freeze: The tortillas and cream cheese texture will change.
Pinwheel Appetizers
Equipment
- Plastic Wrap (to wrap the rolled tortillas)
- Bread Knife (for cutting the rolls into clean pieces)
Ingredients
- Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- One 1-ounce package Ranch dressing mix
- ¼ cup finely chopped green onion
- ⅓ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- ⅓ cup finely chopped celery
- 4 burrito-sized flour tortillas
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, use a rubber spatula to combine the cream cheese with the Ranch dressing mix. Stir in the green onion, bell pepper and celery.
- Lay the flour tortillas on a cutting board. Divide the cream cheese mixture between the tortillas and spread to the edges. Roll up each tortilla tightly, and wrap with plastic wrap. Place the wrapped rolls in the refrigerator for at least two hours, until firm (can do this several hours ahead of serving, if desired).
- When ready to serve, use a bread knife to cut the rolls into pieces. Display on a platter and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
