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.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Shredded cheese - I used sharp cheddar cheese and extra sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe. Since cheese is the star of this recipe, I suggest splurging on a quality brand if possible.
- Mayonnaise - Adds creaminess to the spread.
- Cream cheese - Adds creaminess and a thick, spreadable texture to the spread.
- Tortillas - You'll need three 10-inch soft flour tortillas to make 24 pinwheel sandwiches.
- Pimentos - 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 - Adds flavor and crunchy texture to the pimento cheese spread. I don't recommend omitting the onion.
- Hot sauce - Adds a hint of flavor making the pimento cheese 'spicy'. You're welcome to add more hot sauce to taste if you'd like a spicy cheese.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper, and garlic powder add savory flavor to the spread.
Tips and tricks
Make your pimento cheese ahead of time - Pimento cheese will 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 your event.
Assemble same day - After assembling your tortillas, wrap them in plastic wrap or wax paper and store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill. They get soggy the longer they're refrigerated, so I suggest assembling them the day of an event if possible.
Frequently asked questions
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 (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.
Pinwheel sandwiches should be served cold. They can sit out for about 2 hours before requiring 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.
Pinwheels are best served the same day of assembly if at all possible. The tortillas get soggy the longer they're refrigerated with filling, so I recommend serving them within an hour of assembly for ideal results. However, pinwheels will keep for about a day after assembly.
Homemade pimento cheese will keep for about 2 weeks in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. To save time, prepare your pimento cheese a day or two ahead of time and assemble your pinwheels the day of your event.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
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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