Mexican Tortilla Roll Ups with charred corn, green onions, jalapeño, lime, and seasoned cream cheese have all the flavors of street corn rolled into soft flour tortillas. They come together with simple ingredients and just a few minutes of prep time. A delicious and easy appetizer for your next gathering or special occasion. Be sure to bring plenty, they go fast!
For more easy pinwheel appetizer recipes, try Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels and Cranberry Chicken Pinwheels, or check out this collection of tortilla pinwheel recipes.
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❤️You're Going to Love These Mexican Pinwheels
- Bright, fresh flavors of Mexican street corn. Creamy filling with charred corn, Cotija, jalapeño, lime, and chili powder for Mexican-inspired flavor.
- Simple make-ahead appetizer. I roll these up the night before, chill them, and slice right before serving.
- Easy to slice and serve. Once chilled, Mexican tortilla pinwheels hold their shape beautifully for clean, pretty spirals.
- Crowd-pleasing recipe for game day or Cinco de Mayo. I always make a double batch; everyone loves these!
These Mexican tortilla roll ups are perfect for game day or parties alongside Baked Ground Beef Taco Dip, Cheesy Corn Dip, creamy Rotel Dip with Sausage, and Crescent Roll Taco Ring. I like to serve them as part of a big appetizer spread so everyone can grab a little bit of everything.
🌽Ingredients
- Charred corn. You can use frozen (thawed) or canned (drained) charred corn that's patted dry. Or char fresh corn on a grill pan. Regular fresh, frozen, or canned corn also works.
- Softened cream cheese. Use full-fat cream cheese in a block. It has a thicker consistency and holds the pinwheels together better.
- Fresh parsley or cilantro. Cilantro is a classic, but use parsley if you're not a fan.
- Jalapeno. Remove the ribs and seeds to keep it from getting too spicy.
- Lime juice. Use fresh for the best flavor.
- Cotija or feta cheese. Cotija cheese is a classic street corn topping. Use feta if you can't find it.
- Green onions. You can use also use chives, chopped red onion, or one of these green onion substitutes.
🧀Variations
- Add protein. Stir in finely chopped rotisserie chicken, crispy bacon, black beans, or spread the tortilla with refried beans.
- Mix-ins. Stir in black olives, diced red bell peppers, or diced red onion
- Make it spicier or milder. Go hotter with cayenne, red pepper flakes, or spicy taco seasoning, or milder by skipping the jalapeño and using well-drained green chilies instead.
- Cheese swap. Use Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend instead of Cotija.
- Change the tortillas. Try spinach or sun-dried tomato tortillas for color.
🥣How to Make Mexican Tortilla Roll-Ups
Step 1. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream with a mixer until smooth and creamy. Stir in the parsley, jalapeno, green onions, lime juice, chili powder, corn kernels, and cheese.
Step 2. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly onto a flour tortilla, to within about ½ inch of the edges. Roll up the tortillas and wrap them individually in plastic wrap.
Step 3. Chill rolled tortillas for at least one hour to firm up the filling. Cut with a serrated knife, using a sawing motion to carefully slice each roll into 8-9 1-inch bite-sized pieces.
Step 4. Serve and enjoy! They're delicious with salsa, but creamy enough that they really don't need anything.
Serving Suggestions
- Salsa and guacamole. Serve with a side of roasted Chili Corn Salsa or Mango Habanero salsa, or your favorite fresh salsa.
- Guacamole. Store-bought guacamole is easy, or try a unique flavor like bacon guacamole.
- Pinwheel charcuterie board. Mix and match different flavors of tortilla roll ups on a platter with various dipping sauces.
- Holiday tree. Arrange sliced pinwheels in the shape of a tree and garnish with cherry tomato "ornaments" and a yellow bell pepper "star."
☑️Expert Tips
- Pat the corn dry. Extra moisture can make the filling loose and harder to slice cleanly.
- Use softened cream cheese. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Spread a thin, even layer. Overfilling makes rolling messy and causes gaps in the spirals.
- Chill at least 1 hour. The filling firms up, which makes slicing much easier.
- Use a serrated knife. A gentle sawing motion keeps the pinwheels from flattening.
🎁Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
- Store sliced pinwheels in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Mexican street corn tortilla roll ups are best enjoyed within 24 hours, as they soften over time.
- To make them in advance, tightly wrap them in plastic and refrigerate them overnight. Slice them just before serving.
❓Recipe FAQs
Dry the corn thoroughly and avoid over-juicing the lime. Chilling the rolls tightly wrapped in plastic also helps them firm up before slicing.
Yes. These are perfect make-ahead appetizers. Prepare and roll them up to 24 hours in advance. Slice just before serving for the freshest look.
Freezing is not recommended. The creamy filling can become watery as it thaws.
Large, soft flour tortillas roll most easily and slice cleanly. Burrito-size tortillas give the prettiest spirals.
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📖 Recipe
Mexican Tortilla 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 (or regular corn) frozen (thawed) or canned (well-drained), patted dry, or fresh
- 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.
Notes
- Dry the corn well. Excess moisture can make the filling soft and harder to slice neatly.
- Soften the cream cheese. Let it sit at room temperature about 30 minutes for smooth mixing.
- Spread evenly and don't overfill. A thin layer rolls tighter and prevents gaps.
- Chill at least 1 hour. Cold rolls slice more cleanly and hold their shape.
- Slice with a serrated knife. Use a gentle sawing motion to avoid flattening.
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