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    Home » Recipes » Holiday/Seasonal Favourites

    Holiday Cream Cheese Pinwheels

    *Updated* Nov 27, 2024 Published: December 13, 2022 / By: Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy 60 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Disclosure Policy.
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    Cranberry Cream Cheese Pinwheels are perfect for holiday parties. Cranberries and cream cheese with pistachios and a hint of orange.

    It wouldn’t be the holidays without all the wonderful flavours of the season. Festive Holiday Croissants, Lentil Tourtiere, Mini Cream Cheese Balls , Cranberry White Chocolate Rolls and this Goat Cheese Log are a few of our favourites.

    Holiday cream cheese pinwheels with cranberries and pistachios.

    Are you holiday ready? Shopping, baking, wrapping, and entertaining seem to keep us busy. We all need some easy recipes to get us through the festive season.

    I know when it comes to entertaining, I like to spend time with my guests, not time in the kitchen. Appetizers are easy to prepare. This ricotta cheese dip is always a hit.

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    With lots of pinwheel recipes out there, some are better suited for Christmas than others. These easy cream cheese holiday appetizers are just what you need. Tortilla roll ups are always a hit.

    Festive party cream cheese pinwheels.

    RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for these pinwheel appetizers can be found at the bottom of this post.

    Ingredients Needed For These Party Pinwheels

    Ingredients to make pinwheel appetizers.
    • Tortilla Wraps – I used 10-inch wraps for this recipe.
    • Cream Cheese – softened to room temperature.
    • Roasted Pistachios – no shells.
    • Dried Cranberries – fresh cranberries will not work in this recipe.
    • Orange Extract – always a great combination with cranberries.

    How To Make Cranberry Cream Cheese Pinwheels

    Super easy, no-fuss recipe for your holiday entertaining. Full instructions are in the recipe card below.

    Cream cheese, cranberries and pistachios for the party appetizer.
    • Mix the extract into the softened cream cheese.
    • Chop the nuts and cranberries.
    Easy to make party rollups.
    • Spread the flavoured cheese onto the tortillas.
    • Sprinkle on the nuts and cranberries.
    • Roll and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
    • Chill for at least an hour.
    • Cut and serve.
    A tray of festive pinwheel appetizers with cream cheese, cranberries and nuts.

    Suggestions/Recipe Tips

    Cream Cheese – I like to use full-fat but the light variety is a good option. You can also use a berry flavoured if you prefer.

    Orange Extract – Feel free to adjust the amount. You can also use fresh orange zest.

    Tortillas – I like the 10-inch size. For this recipe, I used regular and spinach flavoured wraps.

    Nuts – I chose honey-roasted pistachios, but any flavour will work. You can also use other varieties of nuts if you prefer. Pistachios always remind me of Christmas since they are green.

    Holiday pinwheel appetizer ready to eat.

    FAQ’s

    Can you make tortilla pinwheels in advance?

    Absolutely. These can be made a day ahead of time. Makes for easy party prep during the holidays.

    How do you store tortilla pinwheels?

    They will last for several days kept in the fridge. Be sure to wrap them with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out.

    How do you get them to stick together?

    The key is to tightly wrap them in plastic, and chill them before slicing. This allows the cream cheese to harden and helps hold them together.

    You might also like to try these other delicious tortilla wrap recipes:

    You might also like to try these tortilla wrap recipes:
    • Simple Egg Salad Wrap – the classic sandwich filling all wrapped up.
    • Turkey Wraps – the perfect place for leftover holiday turkey.
    • Vegetarian Burrito – meatless and delicious.
    • Egg Tacos – a great addition to brunch.
    Pin image for Holiday Cream Cheese Pinwheel AppetizersPin
    Holiday cream cheese pinwheels with cranberries and pistachios.

    Cranberry Cream Cheese Pinwheels

    These holiday pinwheels are party perfect. Filled with flavoured cream cheese, cranberries and pistachios. Festive and fun.
    5 from 56 votes
    Pin Recipe Print Rate Save To Your Recipe Box Saved!
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Canadian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Chill Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 14 servings
    Calories: 45kcal
    Author: Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

    Ingredients

    • 2 tortillas 10 inch
    • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
    • 1 ½ ounces roasted pistachios chopped
    • 1 ounce dried cranberries chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon orange extract
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Mix the extract into the softened cream cheese. Set aside.
      4 ounces cream cheese, ¼ teaspoon orange extract
    • Chop the nuts and cranberries. Set aside.
      1 ½ ounces roasted pistachios, 1 ounce dried cranberries
    • Spread the cream cheese onto the tortillas.
      2 tortillas
    • Sprinkle on the nuts and cranberries.
    • Roll tortillas into a log.
    • Wrap tightly, and place in fridge to chill for an hour or so.
    • Unwrap chilled rollups, slice and serve.

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 0.3mg

    Notes

    You can use any flavour of tortilla wrap you like.
    I used honey roasted pistachios. You can also use any other type of nut you like.
    Increase or decrease the amount of extract. You can also use fresh orange zest.
    These can be made ahead of time, they will last several days in the fridge.
    Servings will be dependent on how large you cut the chilled logs.
    Tried this recipe?Take a picture and tag @homemadeandyummy
    Nutritional information on this site is generated via a plugin. I am not responsible for the accuracy of the plugin information.

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      Perfect Homemade Lemon Curd
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      Easy Irish Soda Bread
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      Christmas Popcorn Balls

    MEET THE AUTHOR

    Gloria Duggan is the author for Homemade & Yummy, where she creates fun and easy recipes. She is also a brand ambassador/influencer for well-known companies. Gloria has judged food competitions and has posted about local food events. Gloria's work has been featured in magazines, and she has been interviewed on several podcasts. Read More…

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Laura

      December 26, 2022 at 6:59 am

      Made this for Christmas as an appetizer and everyone loved them! So creamy and flavourful! Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 26, 2022 at 1:11 pm

        So glad everyone enjoyed the festive holiday pinwheels.

    2. Hayley Dhanecha

      December 26, 2022 at 5:59 am

      Cranberry and orange, a perfect Christmas combination. These turned out so delicious for us and everyone came for seconds.

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 26, 2022 at 1:15 pm

        So glad you enjoyed these fun festive pinwheels during the holidays.

    3. Natalia

      December 25, 2022 at 2:35 pm

      These were so flavorful. I added raisins too, we love them. Next time I’m going to double the recipe. They didn’t last long! Thank you for the recipe. Happy Christmas!!!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 26, 2022 at 1:14 pm

        It’s great you can customize these just the way you like. Happy New Year!

    4. Katie Crenshaw

      December 24, 2022 at 1:42 pm

      I made these for a party. Everyone loved them. They were so tasty and fun to make!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 26, 2022 at 1:13 pm

        Fun to make and fun to eat…the perfect party pinwheels for the holiday season.

    5. Jamie

      December 24, 2022 at 6:53 am

      This is such a wonderful recipe at looks mesmerizing! A perfect treat for this Christmas festivity! Definitely looks so delicious and yummy! Loved it!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 24, 2022 at 8:39 am

        Happy Holidays…these are party perfect.

    6. Jenny

      December 24, 2022 at 6:18 am

      Fun, colorful, easy and tasty are adjectives I’d use to describe this cream cheese pinwheel recipe. One could easily improvise to make it their own. Yay!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 24, 2022 at 8:40 am

        I agree, you can make these holiday pinwheels just the way you like.

    7. Mikayla

      December 23, 2022 at 11:58 pm

      A great fun recipe to make and was a sure fire hit with my co-workers. The crunch of pistachios and the sweet yet tart cranberries was wonderful!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 24, 2022 at 8:40 am

        We love these festive little pinwheels for the holidays.

    8. Ann

      December 23, 2022 at 4:47 pm

      These are so pretty! You can never go wrong with pinwheels, for whatever the occasion is! Excited to give these a try!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 24, 2022 at 8:40 am

        Enjoy and Happy Holidays.

    9. Colleen

      December 23, 2022 at 3:14 pm

      These pinwheels are so simple and still so festive. A perfect addition to a holiday appetizer tray.

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 24, 2022 at 8:41 am

        These holiday pinwheels are always the first to go off the appetizer tray.

    10. Maggie

      December 23, 2022 at 10:41 am

      I’m making these tonight. We are having a small get together, and I think my friends will love them. Can’t wait!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 23, 2022 at 12:47 pm

        Enjoy and Happy Holidays.

    11. Sandy

      December 23, 2022 at 8:16 am

      Dear Gloria: HELLO and GREETINGS from Windsor, Ontario Canada. I’m looking forward to making these. They look YUMMY! I’m still waiting for you to publish a cookbook.
      May the PEACE and BEAUTY of Christmas fill your Heart with PEACE, LOVE and JOY! May you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with good health and happiness, Gloria.

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 23, 2022 at 9:33 am

        Oh Sandy, thanks so much for the sweet email. Hope you love pinwheels. They are festive for sure. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

    12. Journa Liz Ramirez

      December 23, 2022 at 5:53 am

      Tried this at home and we enjoyed making it. It’s so delicious and it’s easy to prepare. Perfect for a holiday. Thanks, for sharing this amazing recipe. Would probably make this again.

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 23, 2022 at 9:33 am

        Merry Christmas to you and your family.

    13. Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli

      December 23, 2022 at 3:16 am

      These cream cheese pinwheels have the colors and flavors of the holidays in a fun and tasty appetizer!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 23, 2022 at 9:34 am

        I totally the look and taste like Christmas. Happy Holidays.

    14. Julie

      December 21, 2022 at 1:15 pm

      These are so fun! I love the festive wrap for the season. I made these for a party and they were a hit.

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 22, 2022 at 9:12 am

        These cute little festive pinwheels are always a party hit.

    15. Priya Srinivasan

      December 20, 2022 at 4:10 am

      Such a festive looking cream cheese pinwheels! Love how easy and quick it is to make! A great party snack!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        December 20, 2022 at 9:33 am

        Festive and fun is all about the holidays in our house.

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