Description
Create a festive and delicious Pinwheel Christmas Tree Appetizer featuring a creamy, seasoned cream cheese spread loaded with olives, red peppers, and fresh dill, all rolled into colorful spinach and plain tortillas and shaped into a charming holiday tree. Perfect for parties and holiday gatherings, this no-bake, make-ahead appetizer combines vibrant flavors with eye-catching presentation.
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
Tortillas and Garnishes
- 4 large tortillas (2 plain and 2 green spinach)
- Fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish
- Cherry tomatoes, for garnish
- Decorative holiday picks (optional), for serving
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients: Chop the red peppers finely and slice the green and black olives if they are not pre-sliced to ensure even distribution in the cream cheese mixture.
- Make the cream cheese mixture: In a large bowl, combine the room temperature cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and lemon juice. Use a hand mixer to blend until smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
- Fold in vegetables and herbs: Gently fold in the minced fresh dill, the sliced green and black olives, and finely chopped red peppers using a spatula or spoon, being careful to keep the mixture evenly combined.
- Spread on tortillas: Lay one tortilla flat on a clean surface. Using an offset spatula, spread about ½ cup of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the tortilla, reaching to the edges to ensure full coverage.
- Roll and chill: Carefully roll up the tortilla tightly to form a log. Wrap it securely in plastic wrap. Repeat this process with all four tortillas.
- Freeze and slice: Place the wrapped rolls in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up. After chilling, unwrap and slice each roll into ¾-inch pinwheels to reveal the spiral filling.
- Assemble the Christmas tree: Arrange the pinwheel slices on a festive serving platter or wooden board in the shape of a Christmas tree. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs to mimic greenery, use cherry tomatoes as ornaments, and add decorative holiday picks if desired for a festive presentation.
Notes
- You can prepare the pinwheels in advance by rolling and refrigerating them. Slice just before serving to maintain freshness and shape.
- For gluten-free options, select gluten-free tortillas available at most grocery stores.
- Substitute olives with your preferred varieties such as Kalamata, garlic-stuffed, blue cheese-stuffed, or marinated olives to vary flavors.
- Red peppers can be swapped with drained jarred pimientos for convenience.
- Store leftover pinwheels in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to keep them fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pinwheels
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
