Description
This festive Pinwheel Christmas Tree Appetizer is a delightful and visually stunning party treat perfect for holiday gatherings. Creamy, flavorful, and colorful, these cream cheese and olive-filled tortillas are cut into pinwheels and arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree, garnished with fresh herbs and cherry tomatoes for a seasonal touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 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
Assembly
- 4 large tortillas (2 plain and 2 green spinach)
- Fresh rosemary for garnish
- Cherry tomatoes for garnish
- Decorative holiday picks (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables: Chop the red peppers finely and slice the green and black olives if they are not already sliced. Set aside.
- 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 the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
- Fold in the veggies and herbs: Using a spatula or spoon, gently fold the minced fresh dill, sliced green and black olives, and finely chopped red peppers into the cream cheese mixture until evenly distributed.
- Spread mixture on tortillas: Place one tortilla on a flat surface. Using an offset spatula, evenly spread about ½ cup of the cream cheese mixture onto the tortilla, spreading it all the way to the edges.
- Roll and chill: Carefully roll the tortilla tightly. Wrap it securely in plastic wrap. Repeat this spreading, rolling, and wrapping process for all 4 tortillas.
- Freeze and slice: Chill the wrapped rolled tortillas in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up, which makes slicing easier. After chilling, remove from the freezer and unwrap. Slice each roll into approximately ¾-inch thick pinwheel slices.
- Assemble the Christmas tree: Arrange the pinwheel slices on a festive platter or wooden serving board in the shape of a Christmas tree. Use fresh rosemary sprigs as the tree branches, place cherry tomatoes to resemble ornaments, and optionally include decorative holiday picks for serving.
Notes
- You can prepare the rolled tortillas ahead of time. Store them wrapped in the refrigerator and slice just before serving for freshest presentation.
- To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten-free tortillas available at most grocery stores.
- Feel free to customize the olives with kalamata, garlic-stuffed, blue cheese-stuffed, or marinated olives according to your taste preferences.
- Drained jarred pimientos can be substituted for the red peppers if preferred.
- Store any leftover pinwheels in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pinwheels
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
