Description
Easy Christmas Cranberry Roll-Ups are a festive and make-ahead appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings. These savory and sweet pinwheels feature a creamy cheese filling blended with feta and fresh chives, combined with tart dried cranberries. Wrapped in soft flour tortillas, these roll-ups are chilled for easy slicing and serve as a colorful, crowd-pleasing finger food.
Ingredients
Scale
Creamy Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups good-quality crumbled feta cheese
- â…” cup finely chopped fresh chives (or green onion tops)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Assembly
- 3 cups dried cranberries (Craisins or similar)
- 8 large flour tortillas (10-inch, room temperature)
- 4 tbsp cream cheese (for sealing edges)
- ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts (optional, for crunch)
- 1 tsp orange zest (optional, for a citrusy holiday touch)
- Fresh dill and parsley (optional, can swap for chives for herb variety)
Instructions
- Make the Filling: In a large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, crumbled feta, chopped chives, garlic powder, and freshly ground black pepper until the mixture is smooth and spreadable.
- Assemble the Roll-Ups: Lay each flour tortilla flat and spread a thin, even layer of the cheese mixture over the entire surface. Then, sprinkle dried cranberries generously across the cheese layer, pressing them lightly so they stick well.
- Roll & Seal: Roll each tortilla up tightly to form a log. Use a small amount of cream cheese along the edge to seal the roll and prevent it from unrolling. Wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill: Refrigerate the wrapped roll-ups for at least 1 hour. This chilling step firms up the rolls and makes slicing easier and cleaner.
- Slice & Serve: Remove the plastic wrap and trim off the ends of each roll. Using a sharp serrated knife, slice each roll into 8 even pinwheels. Arrange the pinwheels on a serving platter and garnish with extra herbs such as fresh dill or parsley, if desired.
Notes
- For added crunch, mix in ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts into the cream cheese filling before spreading.
- To add a citrusy note, stir 1 tsp of orange zest into the cheese mixture.
- Try swapping out chives for a combination of fresh dill and parsley to vary the herb flavor profile.
- These roll-ups can be prepared a day in advance and stored wrapped in the refrigerator.
- Use high-quality dried cranberries for the best flavor contrast with the creamy filling.
