Spicy Bacon Ranch Tortilla Pinwheels
Spicy Bacon Ranch pinwheels made with jalapeno tortillas are so easy to make and so yummy to eat. They’re a delicious quick game day snack, fun for lunch boxes, and an all-around great appetizer for any casual get-together. Savory, crispy bacon, cream cheese and cheddar cheese, a little heat from the spicy ranch seasoning and jalapeno all wrapped up in a flour tortilla…sounds like the perfect party appetizer to me!
Why You’ll Love this Easy Appetizer
Quick Make Ahead Snack: The hardest part about this recipe is remembering to soften the cream cheese and fry the bacon. Use whipped, tubbed cream cheese and already cooked bacon for quicker assembly time.
Easy to Customize: Add a couple of cups of cubed rotisserie chicken to make chicken bacon ranch pinwheels. Use low-carb flour tortillas for a quick low-carb lunch. Experiment with different cheeses and use traditional ranch seasoning instead of spicy. Instead of tortillas, use thin white bread and cut into triangles for a bridal shower or lady’s luncheon.
Serve with a Delicious Dip: Use these cute little appetizers as a “chip” with homemade guacamole, fresh garden salsa, or easy French onion dip. Dunk this finger food into a bowl full of salad dressing like Thousand Island, Green Goddess Dressing, Homemade Cilantro Vinegarette, or Homemade Ranch Dressing.
What You’ll Need for this Simple Recipe
Cheese: Cream cheese holds everything together. Real block cream cheese is my preference, but light or Neufchatel cream cheese, tubbed-whipped cream cheese, or flavored can be substituted. Be aware that light or Neufchatel will have a sweeter flavor than real cream cheese. Cheddar cheese is almost mandatory when paired with spicy jalapenos, but pepper jack cheese is a delicious stand-in. Or try a combination of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese. So yummy!
Mayonnaise: mayo helps the cream cheese mixture spread easier and more evenly. It also adds a little bit of extra creaminess and tang.
Ranch Seasoning: ranch seasoning adds savory, herb flavor to the pinwheel filling. There is no combination better than bacon and cheese seasoned with ranch flavor.
Real Bacon: I air-fried store-bought, pre-cooked bacon strips for about 4 minutes and then roughly chopped. Store-bought bacon crumbles or bacon bits are an easy substitute. Turkey bacon is a lower-calorie and lower-fat alternative to pork bacon.
Jalapeño: 1 medium-large or 2 small fresh jalapenos add the perfect amount of heat.
Red Onion: chopped onion adds a layer of fresh, earthy flavor and helps cut the dairy heaviness of the cheeses. White onions or chopped green onions, or a tablespoon of dehydrated minced onions are great substitutes for red onions.
Large Flour Tortillas: burrito size large 12″ tortillas are much easier to roll up plus you get more filling in every slice. Substitute plain flour tortilla for the jalapeno I used or use a large low-carb tortilla for a lower-carb appetizer. Your guests will never know the difference!
How to Make Bacon Cheddar Ranch Tortilla Pinwheels
- In a medium to large mixing bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and spicy ranch dressing with a rubber spatula or an electric mixer until smooth and well combined.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, minced jalapeño, and chopped red onions. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
- Lay out the tortillas on a flat surface. Spread an even layer of the bacon ranch cheese mixture over each tortilla, leaving a small border around the edges. Note: The back of a large metal spoon works best in my opinion.
- Carefully roll up each filled tortilla tightly to form a log. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Wrap each rolled tortilla in plastic saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This helps the flavors meld together, hold their shape, and make them easier to slice.
- Remove the rollups from the refrigerator and unwrap them. Using a sharp knife, cut the dry tortilla ends off each end and discard. Slice into about 1/2 inch pieces. Arrange on a serving platter and enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
- Use a rubber spatula instead of an electric mixer or food processor for easier cleanup.
- Use the back of a large metal spoon to spread the cream cheese mixture instead of a knife. If the mixture is still too stiff then dip the metal spoon into warm water.
Q: Can I prepare tortilla pinwheels in advance?
A: Yes, making this easy recipe a day or two in advance gives them time for the flavors to meld together. Plus, they’re so much easier to slice when cold.
Q: Can I freeze these pinwheels a couple of weeks before party time?
A: You bet! Once assembled and wrapped in plastic wrap, place in a gallon-sized freezer bag and freeze. The day before you’re ready to serve, place them in the refrigerator to thaw. Unwrap them, slice and serve.
Q: What can I substitute cream cheese with?
A: You can make these with any soft spreadable cheese. A good option would be homemade pimento cheese or store-bought. Old English sharp cheddar cheese spread, garlic-herb soft spreadable cheese, or ricotta cheese mixed with grated cheese.
Delicious Flavor Combinations
- Salmon Pinwheels with Everything Cream Cheese...These are listed in the recipe index and are delicious!!!
- Italian rollups with ricotta, mozzarella, pepperoni, prosciutto ham, or salami with black or green olives, onion, fresh chopped parsley, or basil seasoned with dry Italian dressing mix.
- Chicken Caesar with homemade Caesar dressing or store-bought mixed with leftover chicken, parmesan cheese or blue cheese capers, and sliced red onions.
- Rueben Pinwheels using puff pastry, deli or leftover corn beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, mustard, and dunked in Thousand Island dressing
How to Store Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pinwheels
Make ahead storage: Prepare the recipe and wrap in plastic wrap making sure the ends are covered and sealed securely, then place in a large Ziplock storage bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in a freezer Ziplock bag and place freezer for up to 1 month.
Leftover storage: Place rollup slices in a layer separated by parchment paper in an airtight container.
More Easy Recipes for Casual Parties
This Sausage Rotel Cheese Queso is so good and is a football game day must.
White Queso made with cauliflower is unbelievably delicious. You can’t taste the cauliflower so no one will ever know they’re eating something healthier.
Or try this deliziouso Italian Queso Dip for a different spin on party eats.
Put a dollop of the best guacamole you’ll ever eat on top of these bacon tortilla pinwheels…so good!
Bacon Cheddar Ranch Tortilla Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 packet spicy ranch seasoning dry mix
- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled I used pre-cook boxed bacon which is thinner. If you cook big, thick bacon then use less.
- 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (adjust for spice level) med to large or 2 small
- 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion more or less to taste
- 5 large flour tortillas 12" burrito size
Instructions
- In a medium to large mixing bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and spicy ranch dressing with a rubber spatula or an electric mixer until smooth and well-combined.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, chopped jalapeño, and chopped red onions. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
- Lay out the tortillas on a flat surface. Spread an even layer of the bacon ranch mixture over each tortilla, leaving a small border around the edges
- Carefully roll up each tortilla tightly to form a log. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Wrap each rolled tortilla in plastic saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This helps the flavors meld together, hold their shape and easier to slice.
- Remove the rollups from the refrigerator and unwrap them. Using a sharp knife, slice them into 1/22-inch pieces. Arrange on a serving platter and enjoy!
