These Mexican Street Corn Pinwheel Appetizers bring the fresh flavors of Mexican street corn right to your potluck or picnic. Be sure to bring plenty, though, because here in the Midwest, we love our pinwheels.
We get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Midwestern potluck that didn’t have at least one kind of pinwheel, or rolled tortilla appetizer -- and there’s a reason for that. They are gosh darned delicious. And if you like the flavors of Mexican street corn -- charred corn, sour cream, mayonnaise, tangy cheese, lime juice -- just think how good they are smothered in cream cheese and wrapped up in a tortilla!
You’re going to love these
Make ahead. Pinwheel appetizers are an excellent make-ahead party dish you can prep the night before, roll up in plastic wrap and slice the next day. If you’re worried that the tortillas might get too soggy from the pinwheel fillings, wrapping them in plastic wrap does help. As an alternative, you could make the cream cheese filling the night before and roll it up in the tortillas the next day.
Bright and fresh flavors. Everything about these pinwheels just screams bright and fresh: charred corn, tangy Cotija or feta cheese, lime juice. For a small appetizer bite, these really do pack a big punch of flavor.
Easy, easy, easy. If you have ten minutes, you have time to make Mexican street corn pinwheel appetizers. Just stir, spread, and roll.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Pinwheel Appetizers
Make the pinwheel fillings. Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a medium bowl with mixer until smooth and creamy.
Add the parsley, jalapeno, green onions, lime juice, chili powder, corn kernels, and Cotija or feta cheese. Stir to mix until completely combined.
Spread the mixture evenly onto the flour tortillas, to within about ½ inch of the edges.
Roll up the tortilla and wrap it in plastic wrap.
Place the wrapped tortilla in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Use a serrated knife to slice the roll into pinwheels.
You can serve your pinwheel appetizers with your favorite salsa or dip, but they really don't need it -- they're so creamy on their own.
Mexican Street Corn Pinwheel Appetizers
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, diced
- 4 green onions, sliced
- juice from one lime
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 ½ cups charred corn kernels
- 1 cup Cotija or feta cheese
- 4 large flour tortillas
Instructions
- Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a medium bowl with mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add the parsley, jalapeno, green onions, lime juice, chili powder, corn kernels, and Cotija or feta cheese. Stir to mix until completely combined.
- Spread the mixture evenly onto the flour tortillas, to within about ½ inch of the edges.
- Roll up the tortilla and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped tortilla in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Use a serrated knife to slice the roll into pinwheels.
Nutrition
Ingredient Notes
Charred corn. You can go about achieving charred corn for your pinwheel filling in a few ways:
- Grilled corn. Place an ear of shucked corn on a hot grill, turning it every few minutes until it is evenly charred, about ten minutes.
- Cast iron pan corn. You can char corn in a cast iron skillet, either on or off the ear. For a full ear of corn, coat the pan with oil, heat the pan to medium-high, add shucked ears of corn, and turn them every few minutes until charred. To char cut kernels of corn, heat your oiled pan to medium-high, add kernels and stir until charred.
- Frozen corn. Yes, you can use frozen charred corn in this pinwheel recipe. Just thaw it first and drain any excess liquid.
Mayonnaise, cream cheese, and sour cream. Most pinwheel recipes use cream cheese in the filling. Because this recipe is adapted from Mexican street corn, the filling includes a luscious trifecta of mayonnaise, cream cheese, and sour cream. If you want to use a low-fat version of any or all, go for it.
Lime juice. Your recipe will taste best if you use fresh lime juice, not bottled lime juice.
Cotija or feta cheese. If you have access to Cotija cheese, by all means, use it in your recipe. I can’t always find it, but feta is readily available and has a similar texture and flavor, so that’s what I use. This crumbly cheese adds saltiness and texture to your roll ups.
Green onions. Green onions aren’t always in Mexican street corn recipes, but I really love them in these pinwheels because they add a bright and fresh onion flavor that helps cut through all the creaminess.
Looking for more easy recipe ideas for your next party?
Recipe Essentials
Fiestaware Bread Tray
If you are eyeing up my serving platter, I don't blame you. It's pretty cute, isn't it? I love my Fiestaware. Here's one in poppy -- a great contrast with the colors in these pinwheels :). This is actually a really handy dish that you'll end up using for a ton of things.
Offset Spatula
An offset spatula is handy to have around the kitchen for more than just icing a cake. In this case, it's perfect for spreading the pinwheel filling over the flour tortillas.
Leave a Reply