Description
These festive Pinwheel Christmas Tree Appetizers feature a creamy, flavorful cream cheese filling blended with olives, red peppers, and fresh dill, all rolled inside soft tortillas. Sliced and arranged into a Christmas tree shape, this no-bake appetizer is perfect for holiday gatherings, offering a colorful and tasty bite-sized treat that’s easy to prepare in advance.
Ingredients
Scale
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 16 oz cream cheese (2 blocks), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup green olives, sliced
- ¼ cup black olives, sliced
- ¼ cup red peppers, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill, minced
Wraps and Garnish
- 4 large tortillas (2 plain and 2 green spinach tortillas)
- Fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
- Cherry tomatoes for garnish
- Decorative holiday picks (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Chop the red peppers finely and slice the green and black olives if needed to have all components ready for the filling.
- Make Cream Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and lemon juice. Use a hand mixer to blend everything until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
- Fold in Add-ins: Gently fold in the minced fresh dill, sliced green and black olives, and finely chopped red peppers using a spatula or spoon, ensuring even distribution without overmixing.
- Spread Mixture on Tortillas: Place one tortilla on a flat surface. Using an offset spatula, spread about ½ cup of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the tortilla, going all the way to the edges.
- Roll and Chill: Roll the tortilla tightly into a log and wrap it securely with plastic wrap. Repeat this process for all four tortillas. Place the wrapped rolls in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up for easier slicing.
- Slice into Pinwheels: After chilling, unwrap the tortillas and cut each rolled tortilla into ¾-inch thick slices to create pinwheel shapes.
- Assemble Christmas Tree: Arrange the pinwheel slices on a festive platter or wooden board into the shape of a Christmas tree.
- Garnish and Serve: Decorate the arranged tree with fresh rosemary sprigs as pine needles, cherry tomatoes as ornaments, and optionally add decorative holiday picks for a festive touch. Serve immediately or keep chilled until ready to serve.
Notes
- You can prepare these pinwheels ahead of time by making the rolls and storing them in the refrigerator, slicing just before serving.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free tortillas available at most grocery stores.
- Feel free to swap traditional green and black olives for other varieties like kalamata, garlic-stuffed, or marinated olives for different flavors.
- If you don’t have fresh red peppers, drained jarred pimientos can be used as a substitute.
- Store any leftover pinwheels in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pinwheel
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
