Pimento cheese pinwheel sandwiches are the perfect appetizer for your next tailgating party. Creamy homemade pimento cheese is rolled up into flour tortillas and sliced into single serve bites.
These pimento cheese pinwheel sandwiches are the perfect addition to your next appetizer party tray or tailgating party! Bite size pinwheels are a crowd pleaser and surprisingly easy to prepare.
Making homemade pimento cheese is a breeze. It's as simple as mixing together a few ingredients in a bowl - that's it! Plus, this recipe packs extra flavor with the addition of minced onions, diced pimentos, and a dash of hot sauce.
Pinwheel sandwiches are so easy to make ahead and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. Enjoy at your next barbecue, party, tailgating event, or Sunday football party.
What is pimento cheese made of?
The base ingredients of pimento cheese include shredded cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and diced pimentos. It's kind of a mix between a spread and a relish.
Pimentos are a sweet, aromatic cherry pepper, and one of the lowest peppers on the scoville scale.
Another common ingredient includes cream cheese, which adds a rich, creamy, and smooth texture.
Other optional flavor additions include ingredients like worcestershire sauce, horseradish, jalapenos, hot sauce, onions, or diced pickles.
Ingredients and substitutions
I used sharp cheddar cheese and extra sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe. I suggest using a higher quality brand of cheese if possible. Since cheese is the star of this recipe, the higher the quality, the better the flavor.
I used three 10 inch soft flour tortillas to make 24 pinwheel sandwiches. Other sizes of tortilla will work, but your quantity needed will vary.
Pimentos should be diced. Pimentos are often found near the pickles at the grocery store - they're sold in small jars. If you have whole or sliced pimentos (long strips), make sure to give them a quick dice before adding to your spread.
Minced onion can be omitted, but adds a great amount of flavor and texture to the pimento cheese.
Hot sauce adds just enough flavor without making the pimento cheese 'spicy'. You're welcome to add more hot sauce to taste if you'd like a spicy cheese.
Make ahead
After assembling your tortillas, wrap them in plastic wrap or wax paper and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to one day. This gives your filling time to firm up, making them easier to slice.
Pinwheels are best served within about a day of preparing. They'll get soggy the longer they're refrigerated, so I suggest assembling them the day of an event if possible.
Pimento cheese will also keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. To save time, make your pimento cheese spread a few days ahead of an event, then assemble your pinwheels the morning of.
How to serve pinwheel sandwiches
Pinwheel sandwiches should be served cold. They can sit out for about 2 hours before needing additional refrigeration.
Serve them sliced into 1 inch, bite sized pieces on their own or with a toothpick inserted into the top for easy grabbing.
They make a great addition to a charcuterie board or cheese plate, along with some fresh veggies.
Pimento Cheese Pinwheel Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 ounces jarred pimentos, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 3 10-inch flour tortillas
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add your pimento cheese ingredients: shredded cheese, mayonnaise, cream cheese, pimentos, onion, hot sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Using a hand mixer, stand mixer, or a wooden spoon, beat until evenly combined. Taste and add more hot sauce, salt, and pepper as desired.
- Spread a thin layer of pimento cheese to the edges of each flour tortilla. Roll up each tortilla and wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow filling to firm up.
- Using a serrated knife, gently slice into about 1 inch bites. Serve cold.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Prepared pimento cheese will keep for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- To make ahead: prepare pimento cheese separately and store in the refrigerator. Assemble pinwheels the day of your event - pinwheels will get soggy after about a day in the refrigerator.
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