These turkey spinach ricotta and dried cranberry roll ups are made with soft flour tortillas spread with a creamy ricotta and cream cheese filling, then layered with thin-sliced turkey, baby spinach, and chopped dried cranberries, rolled tight, and sliced into pinwheels. Every slice is creamy, savory, and a little sweet.

They’re a make-ahead appetizer for holiday parties, a great way to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey, and an easy lunchbox option. I set them out on a platter with pickles and olives, or pack them with ideas from these lunch box ideas.

If you love easy roll-ups and party finger foods, these are worth bookmarking too:

Turkey Spinach Ricotta and Dried Cranberry Roll Ups (Pinwheels)

Ingredients You’ll Need

Whole milk ricotta mixed with cream cheese gives you a filling that’s light but firm enough to hold the pinwheels together. Use large, soft burrito-size tortillas, since smaller ones crack when rolled.

Ingredients

4 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup whole milk ricotta, drained
4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 small clove garlic, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 oz (225 g) thinly sliced deli turkey (or leftover roast turkey, very thinly sliced)
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onion

Directions

Drain the ricotta in a fine mesh strainer for 15 to 20 minutes, or press it gently between paper towels.
Wet ricotta makes soggy tortillas and pinwheels that unroll.
It’s a small wait, but it really matters here.
In a medium bowl, beat the ricotta and softened cream cheese until smooth.
Mix in the parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chives.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, since the filling should be well seasoned to stand up to the turkey and cranberries.
Chop the dried cranberries roughly so they’re in small pieces.
Whole cranberries make bumps that tear through the tortilla when you slice.
Pat the spinach dry if it’s damp.
Remove any thick stems from the spinach too, since they make the roll bumpy and harder to slice.
Lay a tortilla flat and spread about a quarter of the filling all the way to the edges in a thin, even layer.
Leave a 1/2-inch strip bare along the top edge.
That bare strip helps the roll seal without filling squeezing out.
Layer a few slices of turkey over the filling, covering it in a single layer.
Scatter a handful of spinach leaves and a quarter of the cranberries on top.
Don’t overfill, because too many layers make the roll loose and hard to slice (I learned this the messy way).
Starting at the edge opposite the bare strip, roll the tortilla up tightly, tucking as you go.
Press the seam to seal it, then wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap, twisting the ends.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Lay the wrapped rolls seam-side down in the fridge so they hold their shape.
Refrigerate the wrapped rolls for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
Chilling firms up the filling so the pinwheels slice cleanly and hold their spiral shape.
Skip this and they’ll squish when you cut them.
Unwrap the rolls and trim off the uneven ends.
Use a sharp serrated knife to slice each roll into 3/4 to 1-inch pinwheels with a gentle sawing motion.
Wipe the knife between cuts for neat slices.
Arrange on a platter, secure with toothpicks if needed, and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Drain the ricotta. Ricotta holds a lot of whey. Draining it is the difference between firm pinwheels and soggy ones.
Use room temperature tortillas. Cold tortillas crack when rolled. If yours are stiff, warm them for 10 seconds in the microwave.
Roll tightly. A tight roll is what gives you that clean spiral. Tuck the first turn firmly and keep steady pressure as you go.
Don’t skip the chill. Cold rolls slice neatly. Warm ones squish and the filling oozes out.
Choose thin turkey. Thin deli slices lay flat and roll easily. Thick slices of roast turkey make the rolls lumpy, so slice leftovers as thinly as you can.
Use a serrated knife. A bread knife cuts through the tortilla without pressing the roll flat. Wipe it clean every few slices.
Make ahead. Roll and wrap them up to 24 hours ahead. Slice just before serving so the edges don’t dry out.
Season the filling well. Ricotta is mild, and tortillas and spinach add almost no flavor. Taste the filling before spreading and add a little more salt, garlic, or parmesan if it seems bland.
Keep the cranberries small. Chopped cranberries spread evenly through each slice. Whole ones cluster in a few spots and can push through the tortilla when you cut.
Storage. Keep leftover pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The tortillas soften a bit over time.
Don’t freeze. Ricotta and spinach turn watery when thawed, and the tortillas get gummy.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving Serve the turkey cranberry pinwheels cold, laid flat on a platter so the spiral shows. They’re great with olives, pickles, cheese cubes, and fresh grapes on a party board. For kids, stick a toothpick in each one to make them easy to grab.

Storing Store whole, unsliced rolls wrapped in plastic for up to 24 hours. Sliced pinwheels keep in a sealed container lined with paper towel for up to 2 days. Lay them flat in a single layer so they hold their shape.

Customizing Swap the turkey for ham or chicken, or skip the meat for a vegetarian version with extra spinach. Use spinach tortillas for extra green color at Christmas. Add a few chopped pecans or walnuts to the filling for crunch, or a pinch of orange peel to brighten the cranberries.