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Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels

5 from 6 votes
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posted: 03/07/18

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

These Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels are the perfect appetizer to make. They come together quickly, and everything in them goest together so perfectly. Your party guests will love these on a table full of delicious appetizers, like creamy corn bacon cheese dip, olive cheeseball, and honey bbq instant pot meatballs.

A closeup photo of the Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels on a white plate

I really love making food for people. It’s like what I do, you know? But I’m also pretty lazy.

It’s a thing.

My blog should be The Lazy Hostess.

So! I am always on the look out for appetizers and recipes that look and taste amazing but take little to no time.

Guess what folks! We have another winner!

HOW TO MAKE PESTO CREAM CHEESE PINWHEELS

Pinwheel recipes are a great way to bulk out an appetizer table for a get together. And I’ve even seen friends make more than one kind of pinwheel and put them all on the same plate together. These Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels would be great on a plate with these Italian Pinwheels! Their flavors go hand in hand.

In a clear bowl, the ingredients of the cream cheese of the Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels. (cream cheese, parmesan, roasted red peppers, spices, and of course pesto)

Start out with some cream cheese, parmesan, roasted red peppers, spices, and of course pesto.

Blend all the ingredients together.

On a wooden cutting board, a woman with a spoon is spreading the Pesto Cream Cheese onto the tortilla

Spread the cream cheese mixture on some tortillas.

On a wooden cutting board, a woman is rolling the tortilla with Pest Cream Cheese on it.

Roll the cream cheese mixture up tightly inside of the tortillas.

Rolled up, the Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels are wrapped by cling wrap.

Wrap them up with saran wrap, tightly, and refrigerate for at least four hours. This will let the flavors come together but will also firm up the cream cheese and the pesto and make it easier to cut.

When you are ready to serve them, slice them up and enjoy!

A close up photo of the Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels

A FEW TIPS TO MAKE THIS PINWHEEL RECIPE TURN OUT PERFECT

  1. Start with room temperature cream cheese.
  2. When you are buying your parmesan cheese, pick grated and not shredded because it will just work better in this recipe.
  3. Keep in mind that it is easy to double or triple this recipe, once it has become your favorite.

OTHER GREAT APPETIZER RECIPES TO SERVE WITH THESE

A closeup side photo of the Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels that are on a white plate

These Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels are the perfect appetizer to make. This appetizer recipe comes together quickly, and everything in them goes together so perfectly.
5 from 6 votes

Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels

Serves: 24 pinwheels
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • 1/2 cup pesto store-bought or homemade
  • 1/2 cup roasted red peppers diced (see note)
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 tortillas 8 inch tortillas

Instructions

  • Blend the cream cheese until it is nice and creamy (and no longer a solid brick).
  • Blend in the remaining ingredients, except the tortilla shells.
  • Divide the mixture evenly among the tortilla shells.  Roll them tightly and then roll them in plastic wrap and tighten the ends.  Put them in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
  • After removing them from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap.  Slice the rolls evenly and serve!

Notes

I use roasted red peppers from the jar, and they work great, but you could definitely roast your own.
Author: Lisa Longley
These Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels are the perfect appetizer to make. This appetizer recipe comes together quickly, and everything in them goes together so perfectly.

did you make this

Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels

I'd love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

Other great appetizers you will want on your party table!

Cowboy Caviar Dip

Spinach Dip

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms

Jalapeno Popper Potato Skins

Pepperoni Pizza Cups

A closeup photo of the Pesto Cream Cheese Pinwheels on a white plate

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

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  1. Hannah says

    What size of tortillas do you use?

    • Lisa Longley says

      You’ll want to use 8 inch tortillas.

  2. Angela says

    Can these be made a day in advance?

    • Lisa Longley says

      Yup! They need to chill in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours before slicing, so making them the night before is perfect.

  3. Tia says

    5 stars
    Delicious! It’s always a hit when I serve it. Thank you so much for the amazing recipe.

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad you liked them!

  4. Kayla says

    5 stars
    Do these freeze well to save for later?

    • Lisa Longley says

      Hi Kayla, I haven’t tried freezing these. In general I shy away from freezing anything that has cream cheese in it because the consistency isn’t right after thawing.

  5. Shaina says

    5 stars
    I can’t wait to try these! I wonder if using Whipped Philadelphia Cream Cheese will help cut back on time!

    • Lisa Longley says

      I haven’t tried that, but I can’t think of a reason why it wouldn’t work.

  6. Renee says

    Can you just use the parmesan that is in the shaker cans?

    • Lisa Longley says

      You can! It’s a personal choice thing.

  7. Kelley says

    5 stars
    Made these for an office party and folks loved them. I accidentally bough sun-dried tomatoes instead of the red peppers, but it was great with that too. I will be making these as an appetizer for Christmas Eve.

    • Lisa Longley says

      Sun-dried tomatoes sound amazing in these! I’m so glad you liked them!

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