Looking for the perfect holiday appetizer that’s as festive as it is delicious? These Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pinwheels are shaped like a Christmas tree, making them a total showstopper for your next holiday gathering. They’re quick to whip up, loaded with flavor, and easy to customize for any crowd. Here’s why you’ll love them, plus tips to make them flawless and ideas to make them your own!
I feel like I’m always hosting something around the holidays so I have a feeling I’ll be making these cheddar bacon ranch pinwheel wraps more than once in the next month. Plus, my expert taste-tester, Nick (my husband), gives them two thumbs up!
Why You’ll Love These Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pinwheels:
- Festive Presentation: Shaping these pinwheels into a Christmas tree will wow your guests and add a touch of holiday cheer to the table.
- Packed with Flavor: The combination of creamy ranch, sharp cheddar, crispy bacon, and soft tortillas is irresistible.
- Easy to Transport: Perfect for potlucks or family gatherings, they’re sturdy and travel-friendly.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Prep them in advance to save time on the day of your event.
What ingredients do I need for cheddar, bacon, ranch pinwheel wraps?
- Bacon
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Ranch dressing seasoning packet
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Red bell pepper
- Spinach tortilla wraps
These Christmas tree pinwheel wraps are the perfect savory treat among all of sweet goodies around the house during the holiday season. I mean, I love sweets as much as anyone else, but occasionally I need a break.
Tips for Success:
- Chill the Rolls: Chilling the rolled tortillas makes them easier to slice and helps the filling set.
- Use a Sharp Knife: For clean cuts, use a sharp serrated knife and wipe it clean between slices.
- Don’t Overfill: A light, even layer of filling ensures the pinwheels roll up neatly and stay intact.
- Secure with Toothpicks: If transporting, use toothpicks to keep the pinwheels secure on the platter.
How to make the filling for cheddar bacon ranch pinwheels:
- Most importantly, make the bacon ahead of time. That is the most time consuming part of the process.
- Once the bacon is done, simply mix cream cheese and a ranch dip mix together. Then mix in peppers and cheese.
- The final step is to spread it onto tortillas and roll roll roll!
Pro-Tip: slice the raw bacon up into small pieces before putting it into the pan. It tends to cook faster and more evenly that way. You really want crispy bacon for these pinwheels.
How to assemble a Christmas tree appetizer made of pinwheels:
- Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the tortilla and roll up tightly.
- Slice the rollup into even sections (each 1-1 1/2 inches wide) and arrange to look like a Christmas tree.
- Be sure the filling is as close to the edge as possible. This will help ensure even filling in each bite. The tighter they are rolled, the odds are less that they will fall apart.
- Cut a star out of cheese and use it for the topper! You can use a simple cookie cutter, like this, to do this step.
Customization Ideas:
- Switch the Cheese: Try Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or smoked gouda for a flavor twist.
- Add Veggies: Diced bell peppers, chopped spinach, or grated carrots add extra color and crunch.
- Go Spicy: Mix in a dash of hot sauce or use a spicy ranch dressing.
- Make It Vegetarian: Skip the bacon and add roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes.
These Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pinwheels are sure to be the hit of your holiday spread. They’re festive, flavorful, and just plain fun! Bring this Christmas tree appetizer to your next gathering, and watch it disappear in no time!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
- The Best Easy Baked Brie Appetizer
- Sausage Puff Pastry Appetizer Recipe
- 5 Ingredient Raw Honey and Goat Cheese Appetizer
- 5 ingredient mini carrot cheese balls
- Sausage puff pastry appetizer
- Cheesy bacon dip (seriously the best dip!)
Christmas Tree Appetizer-Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pinwheel Wraps
Ingredients
- 12 slices cooked bacon crumbled
- 2 packages cream cheese 8oz each (I use 1/3 reduced fat), at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream I use reduced fat, at room temperature
- 1/2 packet ranch dressing and seasoning mix about 1 1/2 tablespoons
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 5-8 tortillas 8 inch, I used green spinach tortillas, found by all the other tortillas in the grocery store
Instructions
- Start by cooking the bacon. Slice raw bacon into small pieces and put into pan. Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until just crispy, using a slotted spoon transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain and cool.
- Using a hand or stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sour cream together. Add powdered ranch mix and blend until smooth. Add in shredded cheese, bacon and peppers and mix until combined.
- Lay spinach tortilla on a flat surface.
- Spread cream cheese mixture all the way to the edges of the tortilla.
- Roll tortilla tightly. To seal the tortilla closed, use a small amount of the cream cheese mixture.
- Slice into even sections, about 1-1 1/2 inch pieces
- Arrange as a Christmas tree on a flat board.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
karen m bratton says
How far in advance can you make these?
Sweetphi says
I’d say a few days, I’d make the filling and leave that in a bowl/container-covered, and then assemble day of, that way the tortillas won’t get soggy!
Ruth says
Hi, this looks great! How many servings (wraps) are you giving per head please? I would like to make 1 tree but am not sure how many servings to put in for the ingredients? Thank you
Sweetphi says
Hi! What a great question, thank you for asking. Each tortilla makes about 5-8 slices/pinwheels if that makes sense (depending how full of filling you make them, I like to spread the filling thin and then make more. What I like to do is if there are extra, I make it a 2 layer tree, or I’ll just make a bigger tree and lay it on a bigger board. If you want to make a single layer tree like pictured, simply cut the recipe in half so that you’re only using 1 block of cream cheese. Hope that helps. Please let me know if there are any other questions!
Molly says
Omg this is genius! Such a fun idea ???
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for commenting, so glad you like the idea 🙂
https://sleepcool.org says
Hmm it appears like your website ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so
I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say,
I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring
blog blogger but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any
tips and hints for beginner blog writers? I’d certainly appreciate it
Sweetphi says
Thanks for your comment and your kind words, I have a resources page that you might find useful https://sweetphi.com/resources/