Pinwheel Sandwiches

By
Pete Scherer
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Pete Scherer
Pete Scherer is a cook and baker with a decade of experience across many facets of the Southern California food scene.
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Updated on 07/2/21
ham and brie pinwheel sandwiches

The Spruce / Pete Scherer 

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chill Time: 30 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 3 to 5 servings
Yield: 10 pieces

Everyone loves to have something to snack on. That’s what makes easy appetizers an essential part of a home cook’s repertoire. Appealing yet healthful snacks you can make in just a few minutes keep entertaining relaxed and enjoyable. Pinwheel sandwiches—layered, bite-sized spirals of your favorite sandwich fillings—are a fantastic solution.

It’s so easy to learn how to make pinwheel sandwiches. Just lay your preferred fillings onto the wrapper of your choice, roll up, chill, slice, skewer, and serve. Have fun making the sandwiches your own special way suited to your party’s theme or the tastes of you and your guests. You hardly even need a recipe. 

These ham and Brie pinwheels are as classic and simple as it gets, but you can fancy them up with something like cornichons or radish sprouts. As long as there’s a creamy, sticky element like cheese or cream cheese, the pinwheels will stay tightly wrapped. The only real limitation is that you can’t have loose or drippy spreads that will leak out of the pinwheels. 

This recipe is just for one wrap, but they're so quick and easy you can make several in no time. You can keep wrapped logs stocked in the fridge as backup to slice and skewer as needed. They’re great for all kinds of occasions like game day parties at home, tailgating at the stadium, or just casual gatherings of neighborhood children after school.

Ingredients

  • 1 (burrito size) flour tortilla

  • 2 ounces brie cheese

  • 2 ounces smoked ham, sliced

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Lay the tortilla flat on a work surface.

    burrito sized flour tortilla
    The Spruce / Pete Scherer

  3. Gently spread the softened cheese over the surface of the tortilla to create an even layer. Leave a little space around the edge of the tortilla.

    brie on a tortilla
    The Spruce / Pete Scherer

  4. Lay the ham in a single layer on top of the cheese.

    ham and brie on a tortilla
    The Spruce / Pete Scherer

  5. Starting at one end, roll the tortilla up tightly like a rug.

    rolled up ham and brie tortilla
    The Spruce / Pete Scherer

  6. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for thirty minutes.

    ham and brie tortilla roll up wrapped in plastic
    The Spruce / Pete Scherer

  7. Remove the plastic wrap. Use a sharp knife to slice the rolled sandwich crosswise into pinwheels approximately 3/4-inch wide.

    a few sliced pinwheels
    The Spruce / Pete Scherer

  8. Stick a toothpick through each pinwheel to hold it in place and serve.

    finished pinwheel sandwiches
    The Spruce / Pete Scherer

Tips

  • Rectangular flatbreads, wraps, and tortillas all make fine wrappers.
  • You can also make your own wrappers by removing the crusts from regular white sandwich bread and then rolling the bread flat with a rolling pin.
  • For an especially healthy option, try using blanched collard green leaves as a wrapper.

Recipe Variations

Here are a few ideas for different kinds of pinwheel sandwiches:

  • Use another double or triple creme soft ripened cheese, such as Camembert
  • Fresh butter and prosciutto
  • Peanut butter, Nutella, and banana
  • Italian sub (salami, ham, provolone)
  • Club sandwich (turkey, cheese, bacon)
  • Muffaletta (olive tapenade, cured meats)
  • Chopped Buffalo chicken and blue cheese
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
466 Calories
12g Fat
72g Carbs
15g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 466
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 16%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 14mg 5%
Sodium 782mg 34%
Total Carbohydrate 72g 26%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 15g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 71mg 5%
Iron 4mg 24%
Potassium 203mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)