Name: Turkey Pinwheels
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup cream cheese, softened; ½ cup shredded cheese, see note 1; ¼ cup finely chopped chives, see note 2; 3 flour tortillas (10-inch/25-centimeters wide); 8 ounces deli turkey, thinly sliced (240 grams), see note 3

Jump to Recipe

Turkey pinwheels are tasty appetizers with easy and quick prep and simple ingredients. Fill, roll up, slice, and serve! Perfect for any occasion!

Turkey pinwheels with cream cheese and tortillas.

Special diet information

These roll-ups contain dairy, gluten and meat (deli turkey).

How to make turkey pinwheels with cream cheese

Ingredients:

Flour tortillas
Cream cheese
Cheddar
Chives
Deli turkey

Tools:

Bowl – A soup bowl or medium bowl will work great.
Chopping board & knife
Serving plate

Lay a flour tortilla on a worktop. Spread over a mixture of cream cheese, cheddar, and chives and top with turkey slices.

It is important to remember to leave one of the sides free from the turkey slices. This is because when you apply pressure when rolling the tortilla, you will push some of the filling out.

So, you simply leave about an inch (2.5-centimeter) from one edge/side free from turkey and then start rolling on the opposite edge/side.

At this stage, you have 2 options. Either you slice the roll and serve, or you wrap each in a plastic wrap and chill before serving.

You can also slice and cover with the plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Rolling tortilla pinwheels with turkey and cream cheese.

Expert tips

Fresh chives work the best here. I don’t recommend substituting with dried herbs.
Sun-dried tomatoes are a tasty add-on.
Turkey ham can be substituted with any other deli ham you like or have on hand.
This is a simple turkey pinwheel recipe that does not use any salt or pepper. Cheddar and cream cheese are salty enough but feel free to add some to your liking.
Why not make also ham and pickle roll ups? It’s another tasty appetizer recipe with only a 15-minute prep!

Frequently asked questions

Why are my pinwheels soggy?

When left way too long in the fridge, any tortilla roll ups will turn soggy. Or, when using filling that is too wet like tomatoes, cucumbers, rinsed lettuce…

In this case, the filling should not be a problem. But prepping them way ahead and leaving them in the fridge overnight can turn them soggy which might not be to everyone’s liking. Note: Some people like it, some don’t.

Can I substitute cream cheese?

You can try using any spreadable cheese of your choice. Keep in mind it will change the overall flavor and might be overpowering, depending on the type of cheese you use.

For that reason, I recommend testing it with a small quantity first.

Possible options: Neufchatel is often used as a substitute for cream cheese so it could work great. Goat cheese is another option but has a strong taste that might not be to everyone’s liking.

Make ahead

Tortilla roll ups can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge either as a “log” or already cut into bite-size pieces. In both cases, cover them with a plastic wrap.

They can be prepared several hours prior to serving.

Close-up of turkey pinwheels with layers of cream cheese and turkey slices.

More pinwheel recipes:

Yield: 24 pieces

Turkey Pinwheels

Turkey pinwheels are tasty appetizers with easy and quick prep and simple ingredients. Fill, roll up, slice, and serve! Perfect for any occasion!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup cream cheese, softened
½ cup shredded cheese, see note 1
¼ cup finely chopped chives, see note 2
3 flour tortillas (10-inch/25-centimeters wide)
8 ounces deli turkey, thinly sliced (240 grams), see note 3

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine together cream cheese, shredded cheese, and chopped chives. Spread the mixture in a thin layer over 3 tortillas.
Top each with deli turkey, leaving about an inch (2.5 centimeters) free on one of the sides. Then, take the opposite side and roll into a log. Repeat with the rest.
Cut each log into bite-size pieces. You should get about 8 -10 slices per log, each ½ inch-¾ inch (1.5-2 centimeters) thick.
Enjoy!

Notes

I like using cheddar but you can use mozzarella or other shredded cheese.
For best results use fresh chives.
This will work with any deli ham you like.
You can also make these slightly ahead. Follow up to step 3, then wrap in a plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready, take out, slice and serve. Note: To avoid getting soggy, don’t keep them in your fridge for a long period of time. We recommend serving them within 4 hours.
Optional: You can secure each pinwheel with a toothpick or cocktail stick.
Any leftovers store in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 57Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 173mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g