Pepper Jelly Pinwheels
Pepper Jelly Pinwheels are an easy appetizer made with cream cheese, pepper jelly, bacon, cheese, and tortillas. A perfect make-ahead party snack!
Sweet and Savory Pinwheels
These delicious Pepper Jelly Pinwheels were inspired by my delicious Pepper Jelly Cream Cheese Dip. So much flavor and so little work. Honestly, I love to have these for work lunches for the week. They don’t need to be for a special occasion and they don’t need to be just an appetizer – they make great snacks and/or lunches. Plus, they’re super simple to make ahead of time!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Let me start by saying if you don’t like any spice at all, these pinwheels are NOT for you. I feel like everyone has such different levels of spiciness that they can handle and prefer, so that’s such a loaded question to answer. I know some people don’t like a recipe if it even has a teaspoon of pepper. I myself can’t handle as much spice anymore, not because it is too hot for me to handle, but because my acid reflux will pay for it later – ha! These pinwheels do have a teaspoon of pepper and some pepper jelly, so there is some heat, but not what I would consider spicy (in my personal opinion). If you like the Pepper Jelly Cream Cheese Dip, then you will love this recipe.
Note: There are varying levels of heat with pepper jelly. Some are just plain, they don’t have any spice at all. Then there can be milk or spicy pepper jellies. Be sure to look at the jar you are buying to decide which level of spice you like.
If you don’t roll your pinwheels tight enough they will fall apart. If you are really worried about it, you could stick a toothpick through each one.
Yes! These are a great make ahead appetizer. Prepare and roll the tortillas, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Slice them just before serving for the best shape and presentation.
Chilling the rolled tortillas helps the filling firm up and hold everything together, which makes the pinwheels much easier to slice neatly. If you skip this step, the rolls may loosen and fall apart when cutting.
Store leftover pinwheels in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. Because of the cream cheese filling, they should always be kept chilled until ready to serve.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- cream cheese– softened to room temperature. If you need to do, you can use these Tips to Soften Cream Cheese Faster.
- pepper jelly– you can use hot or just plain red pepper jelly. Pepper jelly is typically found in the jelly and jam aisle with the other fruit spreads. Some specialty stores may also carry it near gourmet condiments. If you have a Trader Joe’s nearby, they make a popular pepper jelly as well (though it does tend to lean a bit spicy).
- onion powder – I keep this simple with salt, pepper and onion powder but you can get creative with the spices. You could even use a pack of ranch seasoning.
- large tortillas– I like to use burrito size tortillas. Regular flour tortillas work perfectly, but you can also use carb-friendly tortillas, spinach tortillas, or flavored wraps for a fun twist and extra color. I don’t recommend corn tortillas as they are too small and don’t roll up as easy unless you heat them up first.
- shredded cheddar cheese– in place of the shredded cheddar cheese, Colby Jack cheese would be another good option. If you like more spice, try using Pepper Jack cheese.
- crumbled bacon– I used store bought bacon pieces here to keep this recipe super easy, but you can certainly cook up some fresh bacon so it can have more of a crunch. You can make some Air Fryer Bacon or pop some bacon in the oven.
- sliced green onions – don’t like onions, just leave them out.
How To Make Pepper Jelly Pinwheels:
In a small bowl add the cream cheese and pepper jelly and mix together using an electric hand mixer until creamy. NOTE: This can be done by hand, just takes a little longer. Add the salt, pepper and onion powder and mix again.
Lay one tortilla on a clean surface, spread about 2 large spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture on the tortilla. Sprinkle some of the cheese on top. Sprinkle a pinch of bacon and green onion. There is no exact amount, just evenly spread each of the toppings over all the tortillas.
Take one side of the tortilla and roll into a tight log. Try to make it as tight as possible. Wrap it tightly in Saran Wrap. Repeat with the other tortillas. Once they are all tightly wrapped, place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes (this will help it stay secure when you cut them.) When ready, take the rolls out of the refrigerator and remove from the plastic wrap making sure to not unroll the tight log it’s in. Cut the ends off where it’s just mostly tortilla. Cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch slices.
Serve and enjoy!
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Pepper Jelly Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup pepper jelly
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 large flour tortillas (burrito size)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup crumbled bacon
- ½ cup sliced green onions
Instructions
- In a small bowl add the 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature and 1/2 cup pepper jelly and mix together using an electric hand mixer until creamy. NOTE: This can be done by hand, just takes a little longer.
- Add the 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon onion powder and mix again.
- Lay one tortilla on a clean, dry surface, spread about 2 large spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture on the tortilla. Sprinkle some of the cheese on top. Then sprinkle a pinch of bacon and green onion. There is no exact amount, just evenly spread each of the toppings over all 4 of the tortillas.
- Take one side of the tortilla and roll into a tight log. Try to make it as tight as possible. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Repeat with the other tortillas. Once they are all tightly wrapped, place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes (this will help it stay secure when you cut them.)
- When ready, take the rolls out of the refrigerator and remove from the plastic wrap making sure to not unroll the tight log it’s in.
- Cut the ends off where it’s just mostly tortilla.
- Cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch slices. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Have made these a few times and really, really like them. Everytime I make them, my son ask that I make some so can take to work and share.
We loved them. Nice little kick to them and everyone gobbled them up!