Description
These Cranberry-Orange Cream Cheese Pinwheels are a bright, festive twist on classic party roll-ups. Soft flour tortillas are filled with tangy orange-kissed cream cheese, bursts of sweet dried cranberries, and buttery pecans for crunch. Chill, slice, and you’ve got an easy make-ahead appetizer or snack that looks impressive but comes together in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1/4 cup orange juice (fresh if possible)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (about 1 large orange)
- 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
- 4 large flour tortillas (8–10 inch)
- 1 tablespoon honey, to taste (optional, for added sweetness)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, chopped dried cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, and chopped pecans.
- Using a spatula or hand mixer, blend the mixture until well combined and smooth. Taste and, if you prefer a sweeter filling, stir in honey to taste.
- Lay one flour tortilla flat on a clean work surface or cutting board.
- Spread a generous, even layer of the cream cheese mixture over the tortilla, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edges to prevent overflow when rolling.
- Starting from one edge, roll the tortilla up tightly into a log, applying gentle pressure as you go to keep the filling snug inside.
- Repeat the spreading and rolling process with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Wrap each rolled tortilla log tightly in plastic wrap to help maintain its shape.
- Refrigerate the wrapped rolls for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to slice cleanly. For best results, chill 2–3 hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and unwrap them.
- Using a sharp serrated knife, trim off the uneven ends if desired, then slice each roll into 1-inch pinwheels.
- Arrange the pinwheels cut-side up on a serving platter. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if using.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving.
Notes
- Soften the cream cheese fully so it blends smoothly with the juice and mix-ins.
- If the filling seems too loose, add a bit more chopped cranberries or pecans to thicken it.
- For the cleanest slices, make sure the rolls are well chilled and use a sharp serrated knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
- These pinwheels are ideal for make-ahead entertaining; assemble and chill the rolls a day in advance, then slice just before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snack
- Method: No-Bake, Chilled
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (about 4 pinwheels)
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g (estimated)
- Sodium: 260 mg (estimated)
- Fat: 12 g (estimated)
- Saturated Fat: 6 g (estimated)
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g (estimated)
- Trans Fat: 0 g (estimated)
- Carbohydrates: 20 g (estimated)
- Fiber: 2 g (estimated)
- Protein: 5 g (estimated)
- Cholesterol: 35 mg (estimated)
Keywords: cranberry orange pinwheels, cream cheese roll ups, no bake appetizer, holiday party snack, tortilla pinwheels