My easy green chile pinwheels are packed full of flavor in every bite. Flour tortillas are rolled up with a creamy, cheesy filling made with green chiles. These bite sized pinwheels are the perfect appetizer for a variety of occasions.

A can of green chiles can add so much flavor to a variety of recipes like my baked green chile dip and these green chile pinwheels. I always like keeping a few cans in my pantry because they are in easy way to add a little Southwestern flavor to a dish without making it too spicy.

These pinwheels are one of my appetizer recipes that I always find myself turning to when I need something easy. They make about 24 pinwheels so they are great for a crowd and my son even loves taking them in his lunch box for school.

The other great thing about this recipe is that you can prepare them the day before. Just keep them in the fridge until you are ready to eat.

If you want more pinwheels to try be sure to check out these jalapeno popper pinwheels, crack chicken pinwheels, and Italian pinwheels.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple to make. These tortilla roll ups can be put together in minutes and no baking is required.
• Great flavor without being too spicy. Green chiles are typically mild in heat but have lots of great flavor.
• Can be made ahead of time. You can prepare the tortilla rolls ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to slice.
• Perfect bite sized finger food that can be served for a variety of occasions like parties, game days, holidays, or even packed in a lunch box for a cold lunch.
• Tested recipe. I have made these many times throughout the years and made a few adjustments along the way like the amount of sour cream. Too much can make the filling not stable.

Ingredients

These green chile pinwheels use just a few ingredients. The star ingredient is a can of green chopped green chiles. You can use mild or hot chiles depending on your preference.

• Cream cheese – Softened cream cheese is the base of the pinwheel spread. Make sure to soften it to room temperature to make it easier to spread on the tortilla.
• Sour cream – This adds extra creaminess and hint of tangy flavor.
• Green chilies – A can of drained, chopped green chilies gives these pinwheels great flavor without being too spicy.
• Cheddar cheese – Shredded cheddar cheese adds more flavor, color, and texture to the pinwheels. I like using mild cheddar but you can substitute with colby jack, monterey jack, or a cheddar blend.
• Green onions – Diced green onions add mild onion flavor and beautiful green color.
• Garlic powder – Adds a little extra savory flavor without being too much.
• Flour tortillas – I recommend using large, burrito sized flour tortillas. Make sure they are fresh so they are soft and easy to roll.

How To Make Green Chile Pinwheels

Scroll the bottom for the full recipe.

1. Add the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and garlic powder in a large mixing bowl. Cream together with an electric mixer.
2. Stir in the shredded cheese, green onions, and green chiles.

3. Spread a third of the cream cheese mixture over one of the tortillas.
4. Roll the tortilla up tightly and then wrap in plastic wrap.
5. Repeat with the remaing ingredients.

6. Store the tortilla rolls in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
7. Unwrap the rolls and then slice off the ends.
8. Slice into half inch pinwheels.
9. Serve the pinwheels or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Heather’s Recipe Tips

• Soften the cream cheese before mixing. This will help make it easier to spread over the tortilla.
• Make sure to drain the green chiles well so that the mixture doesn’t become too watery.
• Spread the cream cheese mixture just out to the edges of the tortilla in an even layer.
• Make sure to chill before slicing. If you are in a hurry, you can even stick them in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Variations

These cream cheese green chile pinwheels are easy to customize with a few changes. Here are a few of my favorite ways to change them up.

• Protein: Add cooked, chopped bacon or crumbled, cooked sausage to make these a little heartier.
• Ranch seasonings: Add a tablespoon of ranch seasoning to the cream cheese mixture for extra flavor.
• Taco seasonings: Add a tablespoon of taco seasonings to the cream cheese mixture.
• Cheese: Use a different cheese like monterey jack, colby jack, sharp cheddar, or pepper jack.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep any leftover green chile pinwheels in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing these pinwheels.

Common Questions

More Pinwheel Recipes

• Greek pinwheels
• Pepper jelly pinwheels
• BLT pinwheels
• Cucumber pinwheels
• Buffalo chicken pinwheels
• Dill pickle pinwheels