Planning a dinner? You may have your main courses and desserts sorted, but what about appetizers? You have so many options, but why make your dinner more complicated than it has to be? I have recipes for easy pinwheel appetizers that everyone will love.
21+ Easy Pinwheel Appetizers to Make The Perfect Dinner
1. Spinach Dip Pinwheels
These spinach dip pinwheels are delicious and so easy to make. The filling is a tasty mix of spinach, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and spices.
Just mix all of the filling’s ingredients together and spread it across the pastry evenly. Roll the dough tightly like a jelly roll. Wrap it in plastic and chill before slicing and baking. It takes just 15-20 minutes to bake these – and the aroma is divine.
I always bake these on parchment paper to make clean-up easy.
2. Easy Puff Pastry Pesto Pinwheels
Pesto and buttery puff pastry? It’s the perfect combination. But what you’ll really love about this recipe is that you only need five ingredients: puff pastry, pesto sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and an egg (to brush the pastry).
You can use whatever type of cheese you want. I’m sure feta or Gouda would also taste delicious.
To make this appetizer, just thaw out the puff pastry dough, roll it out, add the pesto, roll it up like a jelly roll and slice it.
What I really love about this recipe is that you can cook these pinwheels in an air fryer, which makes them extra crispy – and quicker to prepare.
Related: 23+ Simple Tortilla Pinwheel Appetizers That Look Fancy but Take Minutes
3. Delicious Brie and Cranberry Pinwheels
Four ingredients are all you need for these pinwheels:
- Puff pastry
- Brie cheese
- Cranberry sauce
- Fresh rosemary
It’s so easy to prepare this recipe. Start with rolled-out puff pastry dough, and start layering on the filling ingredients in this order: cranberry sauce, Brie and rosemary.
Roll up your dough to form a log and slice into bite-sized pieces. Bake and enjoy!
It takes about 15-20 minutes for these to bake.
If you can’t find puff pastry in the store, you can use phyllo dough instead.
4. Crack Chicken Pinwheels
Crack chicken is a fitting name for these easy pinwheel appetizers. Unlike the other recipes on this list, this one does not call for puff pastry. You’ll use tortillas instead (the 10” variety).
The filling is a tasty blend of shredded chicken, cream cheese, ranch dressing mix, cheddar cheese, cooked bacon and a splash of milk.
This creamy filling is such a delicious combo, and preparation is a breeze. Just spread the filling across a tortilla, roll it up like a log and slice.
The recipe makes 3 dozen pinwheels, so you can easily feed a crowd.
5. Crispy Pepperoni Pinwheels
This appetizer has everything you love about pizza in a convenient, bite-sized package. And what you’ll really love about this recipe is that you can customize the filling however you want.
Use your favorite pizza toppings – you’re not just limited to pepperoni.
I always use a quality pizza sauce or make my own, and stick with either pre-shredded or a block of mozzarella cheese. Fresh mozzarella has too much moisture for this recipe.
Once your pastry dough is thawed, roll it out and spread your filling on top: sauce, toppings and cheese. Roll it up, chill for 15-20 minutes, slice and bake.
6. Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Ham and cheese are a classic combination, and this recipe bakes it in the oven to make it melty and gooey.
Add Dijon mustard and parsley into the mix, and you have the perfect pinwheels to serve at dinner.
Just spread the mustard on the puff pastry sheet, layer the deli ham on top and finish with the grated cheese. Bake for 18 minutes, and you’re ready to serve.
Garnish with parsley or whatever herbs you prefer.
7. Sundried Tomato Basil and Spinach Pinwheels
Here’s a fun and tasty pinwheels recipe that uses tortillas instead of puff pastry. The surprise ingredient here is white beans. The white bean spread is absolutely delicious and a simple mix of navy or cannellini beans, garlic, lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Add all of your filling ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth (like hummus). Start by layering your bean spread on a tortilla and then add sundried tomatoes, pine nuts and fresh basil leaves. If you can’t find fresh, dried basil will work just as well.
Roll up each tortilla tightly, and cut into 2” slices. I recommend refrigerating your rolls before slicing, so they’re firm and easy to work with. Make sure that you serve these immediately.
8. Easy Game Day Jalapeno Popper Pinwheels Recipe
These jalapeno popper pinwheels will impress all of your guests with its bold and spicy flavor. The best part? Six ingredients are all you need to make these.
Along with puff pastry dough, you’ll need cream cheese, cheddar cheese, turkey bacon, jalapenos and green onions.
The ingredients are flexible, so you can swap out anything you don’t want or experiment. I use tofu bacon sometimes or Cotija cheese.
9. Easy Tasty Crab Pinwheels
Here’s one of my favorite easy pinwheel appetizers because it’s something that your guests won’t expect. Preparation is easy, but you will need to refrigerate your rolls for an hour before slicing and serving.
The filling is a delicious mix of chopped imitation crab meat, cheddar cheese, red pepper and green onions. The peppers and onions make the flavors so fresh.
Once you’ve mixed everything together, just spread your filling out on a tortilla, roll it up and wrap it in plastic wrap. Then, chill for an hour or until you’re ready to serve. Slice and enjoy!
10. Pizza Pinwheels
Here’s another take on pizza pinwheels, but instead of using pepperoni, we’re using diced ham. Just grab some pizza sauce, cheese, puff pastry and your ham.
Roll out the pastry dough, and start layering your ingredients just like you would with a pizza. Then, roll up the dough into a log, slice and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden, flaky and puffy.
You can bake these a few days in advance if you want. We always make some extras to freeze and enjoy later on.
11. Easy Turkey Pinwheel Rollups
A simple but delicious pinwheel recipe that your guests will love. What’s really great about this recipe is that you can use any meat you want. Not a fan of turkey? Use ham, salami, pepperoni – whatever you want. You can even use vegan deli meat if you wish.
The filling contains cream cheese and spices like garlic, onion and dill. But it also adds bell peppers, spinach leaves and cheddar cheese.
Skinny Tasted has also recommended adding sliced jalapenos for a kick of spice and extra flavor.
Related: 15+ Fancy Picnic Foods That Aren’t Sandwiches
12. Greek Tortilla Pinwheels
These Greek tortilla pinwheels will quickly become a crowd favorite. The filling is different from the usual pinwheel recipes and uses Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese.
To that, you’ll add all of the Mediterranean-inspired ingredients you love, like feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, bell peppers, oregano and other spices.
Because this filling is a bit chunkier than others on this list, it’s best to use toothpicks to hold your slices together.
13. Quick and Easy Hamburger Pinwheels
These easy pinwheel appetizers are like dinner on a plate. They have all of the ingredients of a hamburger in a tasty, flaky shell.
For the filling, you’ll need:
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Garlic
- Cheese
Worcestershire sauce adds more flavor to the beef, but feel free to use whatever seasonings or marinades you prefer. Just don’t go overboard because you don’t want the filling to be too watery.
14. Vegetable Ranch Pinwheels
Fresh veggies and ranch – what’s not to love? This recipe is so flexible. You can use whatever veggies you want, but the recipe creator calls for broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.
Make sure they’re chopped and shredded finely, so they’re easy to add to your filling and roll up. The creamy ranch spread is just two ingredients: cream cheese and ranch dressing.
15. Veggie Pizza Pinwheels
I’m not sure why these are called pizza pinwheels because they don’t have the classic pizza ingredients, but they are delicious.
You’ll need some broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and red pepper for the filling, as well as cream cheese and ranch dressing mix.
Instead of puff pastry, you’ll add your filling to tortillas. Roll them up, slice them, and serve ASAP.
16. Smoked Salmon Pinwheels
Here’s an unusual recipe for pinwheels. Smoked salmon pairs with cream cheese, spinach, red pepper and fresh dill for a tasty appetizer that your guests will enjoy.
Just mix the cream cheese and dill together, spread on a tortilla, and then add your salmon and spinach leaves. Roll up your tortilla and slice into bite-sized pieces.
17. Cucumber Dill Pinwheels
This simple recipe is delicious, easy to prepare and makes 24 roll-ups – perfect for a party. The filling is a blend of cream cheese, ranch seasoning, chopped dill and cucumber.
Instead of puff pastry, you’ll be using tortillas instead.
Just mix your filling ingredients together, spread on the tortilla, roll, slice and eat!
I’ve added red peppers before for some extra flavor, and it worked well.
18. Chicken Caesar Salad Pinwheels
Chicken Caesar salad in a tasty tortilla pinwheel. This recipe uses Hormel’s canned chicken breast to save time, but you can use leftover cooked and shredded chicken if you want. Even rotisserie chicken can work well.
Mix your chicken with Caesar salad dressing, croutons, Parmesan cheese and romaine lettuce.
Add all of your ingredients to flatbread wraps, roll and slice. I use toothpicks to hold the slices together when serving.
19. Ham and Turkey Pinwheel Appetizers
These easy pinwheel appetizers have classic sandwich ingredients: ham, turkey, cheddar cheese, mayo, cream cheese, bacon bits, tomatoes and Romaine lettuce.
You’ll assemble these just like you would a regular sandwich or wrap. Then, roll each one up, slice and serve.
20. Cold Chicken Enchilada Pinwheels
These pinwheels have a tasty cold enchilada filling made with shredded chicken, garlic, taco seasoning, cheddar cheese, Rotel, green onions and cream cheese.
It’s everything you love about chicken enchiladas, but in bite-sized form.
21. Raspberry Danish Pinwheels
Forget the savory appetizers. This dish adds something sweet to the table. Instead of puff pastry, you’ll use premade pie crust. Cream cheese, sugar, raspberry preserves, vanilla extract and powdered sugar are the only other ingredients you need.
Related: 25+ No-Bake Finger Food Ideas You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less
22. Strawberries and Cream
Strawberries. Cream. What’s not to love with this pinwheel? You can prep these in 10 minutes and the recipe makes 32 servings, which is great for larger gatherings.
You only need four ingredients for this tasty, sweet recipe: cream cheese, diced fresh strawberries, cinnamon and tortillas.
Assemble your filling ingredients on top of the tortillas, roll them up, and slice before serving.
