• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Fantabulosity logo

  • All Recipes
  • Vintage Recipes
  • Holiday
  • Dinner Theme System
  • About
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Theme Night Dinner System
  • Dinner
  • Desserts
  • Holidays
  • Contact
  • About Jessica
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Sandwich

    Pinwheel Sandwiches

    By: Jessica · Posted: Nov 5, 2023 · Updated: Dec 17, 2024 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    • Facebook
    Jump to Recipe 8 comments
    3.98 from 72 votes
    Close-up of pinwheel sandwiches stacked on top of one another.

    These pinwheel sandwiches are the perfect party appetizer for game day, or even a easy lunch idea! Your favorite deli meat (we use turkey and ham), combined with lettuce, cheese, bacon, and a seasoned cream cheese spread.

    They are a sandwich recipe that you can customize with your favorite sandwich fillings and that can be a great, to-go-style meal if needed, too!

    Pinwheel sandwiches stacked on top of one another, sitting on a large lettuce leaf.

     

    Deli meat recipes can be so fun to make since there are so many different variations that you can make for a sandwich.

    Although you can use your favorite deli meat, we love using turkey and ham for this recipe, and we use similar meats on these Italian Sliders. You can also use roast beef like we do on these roast beef sliders!

    Jump to:
    • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients Needed
    • Substitutions
    • How to Make Pinwheel Sandwiches
    • Recipe Pro Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • What to Serve with Pinwheels
    • Storage
    • More Recipes You’ll Love
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • Party Food: When you need an easy appetizer that’s not a dip or something hearty like chicken wings, this pinwheel sandwich recipe is a great appetizer choice for your next party or for something classy like a baby shower! They also don’t have to stay warm, like so many other appetizers do.
    • Customize: Have a favorite deli meat? What about a favorite cheese? Love certain things on a sandwich? Easy pinwheel sandwich recipes like this one, can easily be customized to fit your taste.
    • Ready in under 30 minutes: We love it when something can be made quickly, and these pinwheels fit the bill!

    Ingredients Needed

    I’ve highlighted a couple of ingredients below with some relevant notes but these can easily be switched out and replaced with your favorite items! See more about them below.

    Labeled ingredients for pinwheel sandwiches.
    • Deli Meat – We love club sandwiches so much so we usually choose to use deli ham and slices of turkey for these pinwheels. (We use ham on these chicken club sandwiches too, if you’re looking for a hearty sandwich recipe for dinner.)
    • Cream Cheese & Mayo – These are mixed together to create a cream cheese mixture, that helps give the pinwheels a bit of a creamy texture, paired with meat, cheese, and tortillas.

    Substitutions

    Looking to switch some items out? No problem! Here are some suggestions that we have:

    • Mayonnaise – Not a fan of mayonnaise? No problem. You can use sour cream instead if you’d like.
    • Deli Meat – Roast beef, bologna, flavored turkey, salami, and all kinds of other deli meats can be used instead of turkey and ham. Or, you can also use rotisserie chicken! Looking for a vegetarian option? You can leave the meat out and make a veggie pinwheel.
    • Cheese – We love the sharpness of cheddar cheese but you can use American, provolone, pepperjack, mozzarella cheese, or your favorite cheese.
    • Lettuce leaves– Spinach is another great option to roll up in these tortilla pinwheel sandwiches if you don’t want to use green leaf lettuce or romaine.
    • Flour Tortillas – You may choose to use a spinach or whole wheat tortillas and that’s just fine. However, make sure you use the burrito size, or very large sizes, so they can roll well.
    • Vegetables – You may also prefer to add other items to these like green onion, black olives, or even red bell peppers like we used in our Christmas Tree Pinwheels.
    • Paprika – You can take this out or you can also use garlic powder to add that garlic flavor to your sandwich wraps.

    How to Make Pinwheel Sandwiches

    It’s really easy to make these pinwheels but we’re still going to walk you through to show you the best way to make them.

    *Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

    First, you’ll begin by mixing together the cream cheese spread, so you can spread that on the tortilla first. Then, you’ll prep your other ingredients and start to assemble the pinwheels.

    Steps showing how to start out making pinwheel sandwiches.

    STEP 1. Make spread. Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and paprika into a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix until smooth. (Image 1).

    STEP 2. Slice tomatoes. Using a mandolin slicer or very sharp knife, cut thin slices of tomato (Image 2).

    Tip: Cutting the tomatoes thin will help the sandwich to roll better.

    STEP 3. Dry tomatoes. To remove excess moisture from the tomatoes, press between layers of paper towels. This will keep the pinwheels from getting soggy as fast (Image 3).

    STEP 4. Time to spread. Spread 2 tablespoons of cream cheese spread onto a tortilla in a thin even layer (Image 4).

    Image collage showing steps 5-8 for making pinwheels.

    STEP 5. Add bacon. Sprinkle on a little more than 1 teaspoon of bacon bits, or as many as you would like (Image 5).

    STEP 6. Add meat. Next, add two slices of deli meat across the center or lower ⅓ of the tortilla (Image 6).

    STEP 7. Add cheese. Add two slices of cheese on top of the meat (Image 7).

    STEP 8. Layer tomatoes. Place sliced tomatoes on top of the cheese (Image 8).

    Steps 9-12 for making pinwheel sandwiches.

    STEP 9. Add lettuce. Lastly, add a single layer of lettuce. Removing the thick stem will help make the sandwich roll better (Image 9).

    STEP 10 & 11. Roll up. Finally roll the tortilla toward the center, and keep the roll as tight as possible (Images 10 & 11).

    STEP 12. Cut. Then place the rolled tortillas on a cutting board and cut into 1-inch slices (Image 12).

    Recipe Pro Tips

    • Same day. These easy pinwheel sandwiches are best if eaten on the same day that they’re made.
    • Slicing the ends. We like to trim the ends of the roll before cutting to make even slices.
    Pinwheel sandwiches on wooden cutting board.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can you make pinwheels the night before?

    You can but it’s best to make them as close to serving as possible, or within one day, so they don’t get soggy.

    How do I keep my pinwheels from falling apart?

    If you find that your pinwheels are falling apart, you can refrigerate them to allow the cream cheese to secure the pinwheels more.

    How many pinwheels per person?

    It’s safe to say that 4-6 pinwheels per person is a good amount if serving as a meal. If an appetizer, 2-3 may be more likely.

    What to Serve with Pinwheels

    With these pinwheels having protein, dairy and veggies all in one bite… you really don’t have to serve anything with them. However, if having for lunch, these would pair wonderfully with potato chips, seasoned potato wedges, french fries, or even chips and salsa or smoked queso dip.

    You can also dip this perfect finger food in to ranch, or this fun jalapeno ranch dip.

    Close-up of pinwheel sandwich on cutting board.

    Storage

    Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days. You can also wrap them in plastic wrap to secure them even more!

    More Recipes You’ll Love

    Love easy recipes like this one? We think you’re also going to love our other easy recipes.

    • Chicken salad with grapes and apples, sitting on bread.
      Chicken Salad with Grapes and Apples
    • Chicken macaroni salad in a bowl.
      The BEST Chicken Macaroni Salad
    • Texas Toast Pizza on baking sheet
      Texas Toast Pizzas
    • egg salad on croissant
      The BEST Egg Salad Recipe

    Article fully updated with a new recipe on November 5th 2023.

    Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

    Recipe

    Close-up of pinwheel sandwiches stacked on top of one another.

    Pinwheel Sandwiches

    Jessica Burgess
    These pinwheel sandwiches use simple ingredients and they're easy to make with your favorite deli meat! Perfect appetizer or even a lunch idea.
    3.98 from 72 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 25 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine American
    Servings 28 pinwheels
    Calories 89 kcal

    Ingredients

    Spread

    • 1 cup shredded cheese
    • 4 ounces cream cheese
    • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt

    Toppings and Wrap

    • 4 burrito size tortillas
    • 2 tablespoons bacon bits the "real" bacon bits (not dried)
    • ½ pound sliced deli meat we prefer turkey and ham
    • 8 slices cheddar cheese (thinly sliced) or your favorite cheese
    • 1 large tomato
    • leaf lettuce

    Instructions
     

    Prepare Ingredients

    • Mix all ingredients except tortillas, in a bowl.
    • Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and paprika into a medium size mixing bowl, bend until smooth.
    • Using a mandolin slicer or very sharp knife, cut thin slices of tomato.
    • To remove excess moisture from the tomatoes, press between layers of paper towels. This will keep the pinwheels from getting soggy as fast. 

    Assemble Pinwheels

    • Spread 2 tablespoons of cream cheese spread onto a tortilla in a thin even layer.
    • Sprinkle on a little more than 1 teaspoon of bacon bits, or as many as you would like.
    • Next add two slices of deli meat across the center or lower ⅓ of the tortilla.
    • Add two slices of cheese on top of the meat.
    • Place sliced tomatoes on top of the cheese.
    • Lastly add a single layer of lettuce. Removing the thick stem will help make the sandwich roll better.
    • Finally roll the tortilla toward the center, keep the roll as tight as possible. Then cut into 1 inch slices.
    • Repeat three times.

    Notes

    1. We like to use ham and turkey to make it like a Club Sandwich, but any type of deli meat will do. 
    2. Cutting the tomatoes thin will help the sandwich to roll better.
    3. I like to trim the ends of the roll before cutting to make even slices.
    4. I like to use cheddar cheese but any cheese could be used. 
    5. Sour cream can be substituted for the mayonnaise. 
    6. These are best if eaten on the same day. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1pinwheel | Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 194IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 0.5mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

    Keywords appetizer recipe healthy, lunch meat, pinwheels appetizer, roll ups, tortilla wraps
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Sandwich Recipes

    • Crack Chicken Sandwich on wooden cutting board.
      Crack Chicken Sandwiches
    • Wiener Winks baked and resting on parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.
      Wiener Winks
    • Chicken Caesar Sandwich with bun and lettuce leaf, sitting on round plate.
      Chicken Caesar Sandwich
    • Asian Sloppy Joe sandwich on round plate.
      Asian Sloppy Joes
    Subscription Form

    Get 5 Days of Delicious & Easy Dinner Recipes!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      3.98 from 72 votes (72 ratings without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Meggan says

      December 11, 2024 at 6:24 pm

      Do you still have the taco pinwheel recipe? This is now what my old pin linked too when I was looking for the taco version!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        December 11, 2024 at 8:12 pm

        Hi Meggan! I’m sorry! That taco pinwheel recipe didn’t seem to be too popular, so I decided to change things up. However, if you’d like to still make the taco pinwheels, here’s the recipe that was here before:

        1 cup shredded cheese
        8 oz cream cheese softened
        1 packet taco seasoning
        1 can RO*TEL diced tomatoes with green chilis drained
        1/2 cup corn drained
        1/2 cup black beans drained & rinsed
        1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
        4 burrito size tortillas

        Directions:

        Mix all ingredients except tortillas, in a bowl.
        Spread 1 cup of the mixture on to each tortilla.
        Starting at one end, roll up the tortillas
        Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
        Remove from refrigerator and slice in to circles.
        Garnish with remaining black beans, corn, and cilantro.

        I hope that helps!

        Reply
    2. Dawn Coleman says

      June 13, 2018 at 4:46 pm

      so, do you cream the cheese and spice first, then add ingredients?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        June 14, 2018 at 7:56 pm

        Hi Dawn! We mixed all of the ingredients (except tortillas) together in a bowl, and then spread the mixture on to the tortillas. I’m not sure if that answers your question or not though, so just let me know if not! 🙂 Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Giraffe B says

      December 30, 2017 at 10:59 pm

      Making these for a new years get together! I added lime, avocado, and diced black olives. Delicious!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        December 31, 2017 at 12:29 am

        Mmmmmm!!!! All of those additions sound amazing! I’ll do that next time. Thank you so much for sharing!

        Reply
    4. Shashi at Savory Spin says

      May 31, 2017 at 3:35 pm

      Such a delicious appetizer – and it’s no bake too! So loving the punch of flavor that RO*TEL ads to these – my daughter is looking over my shoulder right now and asking to go to Walmart to pick up these ingredients to make these for dinner tonight! 🙂
      #client

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        May 31, 2017 at 11:28 pm

        Awww! How sweet is that! 🙂 Thank you so much!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Jessica Burgess of Fantabulosity, slicing an avocado.

    Hi, I'm Jessica! - Owner and Creator of the blog and brand, Fantabulosity.

    I’m here to teach you how to make quick and easy recipes, using simple ingredients, that your family will love.

    More about me →

    Summer Recipes

    • Close-up of pinwheel sandwiches stacked on top of one another.
      Pinwheel Sandwiches
    • Chicken macaroni salad in a bowl.
      The BEST Chicken Macaroni Salad
    • Chicken salad with grapes and apples, sitting on bread.
      Chicken Salad with Grapes and Apples
    • Serving of banana pudding on small plate.
      Quick & Easy Banana Pudding

    Popular Recipes

    • bread pudding in baking dish
      Bread Pudding Recipe: Easy Old Fashioned Recipe (With Video!)
    • Burger baked in the oven, steamed in aluminum foil, and placed on white plate.
      Burgers in the Oven
    • Oven Baked Steak with Butter and a side of potatoes
      How to Cook Steak in the Oven
    • Strawberry brownies on white marble cutting board.
      Strawberry Brownies Recipe
    • Cheeseburger Sliders
      Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls
    • Baked BBQ Pork Steaks on white plate
      Pork Steaks in the Oven

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Featured In

    About

    • About Jessica
    • Contact
    • Collaborate
    • 5 Days of Delicious Dinners

    Easy Recipes

    • All Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts

    How to Cook

    • Oven-Baked
    • Stove-Top
    • No Bake
    • Slow Cooker

    Privacy Policy |Accessibility Copyright © 2025 Fantabulosity | Terms & Conditions | FTC

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.