Jalapeño Popper Party Pinwheel Recipe

If you're having a party and looking for some easy but impressive snacks to serve, you might want to consider making jalapeño popper party pinwheels. Not only are these flavor-packed and full of fun crunchy-creamy textures, but they're also quick to put together and can be made ahead — 2 very important criteria for party food. This recipe, inspired by the popular cheesy appetizer jalapeno poppers, starts by blending jalapeños with cream cheese, sour cream, and spices. This tangy sauce with just the right kick of heat is a fabulous base for the pinwheels, and you might find yourself adding it to just about everything. Think bagels, crackers, sandwiches, and baked potatoes.

Then we're adding more jalapeño, fresh red pepper and scallions, savory and salty cheese, and bright and peppery cilantro. The secret ingredient is corn chips, which add just the right amount of crunch to give us the ultimate rolled-up pinwheel. Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "These pinwheels will definitely be the hit of the party, and even if there is no party, they make for a fun dinner when you're in the mood to graze."

To make this recipe, start in the produce aisle and grab jalapeños, red pepper, green onions, and cilantro. Then head to the dairy section and pick up cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese. If you want to make these pinwheels vegan, the dairy-free versions will work fine in this recipe.

You'll need some tortillas for wrapping, and to give us that jalapeño popper crunch, grab some corn chips. If you have garlic granules, onion granules, and salt in your pantry, you are all set.

Add the cream cheese, sour cream, ¼ cup of the diced jalapeños, garlic granules, onion granules, and salt to a food processor. Blend until creamy.

Add a layer of the jalapeño cream cheese to each of the tortillas making sure to spread all the way to the edges.

Sprinkle on the remaining jalapeño, red pepper, green onions, cilantro, cheese, and corn chips.

Roll each tortilla tightly.

Wrap in plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.

Slice the rolled tortillas into 2-inch pieces.

Insert a toothpick and serve.

Once you know the basics of making party pinwheels you can have fun creating variations. For starters, if you want to tame the spice level, you can reduce or omit the jalapeños from the cream cheese mixture. You could also add a depth of flavor with a pinch each of cumin and smoked paprika. For a little bit of a kick, try adding some mild salsa to the cream cheese. You can even swap the cream cheese layer for a creamy hummus or a crave-worthy guacamole.

Once you have your base layer down, there are lots of options for different veggies to add. Try thinly sliced cucumber, diced tomatoes, black olives, spinach, or roasted poblano peppers. If you want to bulk up the pinwheels there are some different protein options. You can layer in shredded chicken, thinly sliced deli meats, or crumbled cooked bacon for a smoky flavor. For the cheese, besides cheddar, other varieties can be substituted or added. Pepper jack would add an extra level of spice, Swiss would lend its mild nuttiness, or for a tangy briny taste, even feta cheese would work.

Many appetizers will complement the festive party pinwheels to round out your party offerings. A simple vegetable platter with carrots, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and snap peas plus some ranch dressing to dip them in would be a fresh and light offering alongside the hearty pinwheels. Caprese skewers with grape tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil are easy to eat and a fun accompaniment.

Any type of fruit platter or fruit salad would make a nice pairing. Try a mint and melon fruit salad to add sweet fruity freshness. Fruit skewers with strawberries, pineapple, and blueberries are also pretty and add variety to the presentation.

For more satisfying accompaniments, a meat and cheese platter with cured meats, a few different cheeses, and crackers is always a hit. Serving it with small buns is an option too, and keeps the selection to finger food, so no silverware is needed. Other finger foods to consider are deviled eggs, mini quiches, and shrimp cocktail. Chips and salsa with guacamole is another easy thing to add that would go well with the flavors of the pinwheels.