Easy Cranberry Roll Ups

Cranberry Roll Ups are the ultimate make-ahead holiday appetizer. Soft tortillas are spread with a creamy cheese filling, then rolled up with tart cranberries and fresh herbs for the perfect balance of flavor. Chill, slice, and serve for festive little bites that look elegant but take just minutes to prepare.

Love More Christmas Dinner Ideas? Try My Chicken Pillows With Creamy Parmesan Sauce or this Cranberry Meatballs next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These festive roll ups are make-ahead friendly, coming together with just a handful of simple ingredients and no cooking required. The tart cranberries and creamy cheese filling create the perfect flavor balance, while the fresh herbs add a pop of color and freshness. They’re quick to prepare, look impressively festive, and are guaranteed to be a crowd favorite at any holiday gathering.

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Ingredient List

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh chives
• 1½ cups dried cranberries
• 4 large flour tortillas (10-inch)

I buy the pre-crumbled feta from Costco because I’m lazy like that. Sometimes I throw in extra chives if my garden is going crazy. When my sister makes these, she uses those spinach tortillas and they look super fancy.

Why These Ingredients Work

Cream cheese is the glue that holds everything together. I learned the hard way that you need it super soft or you’ll get chunks. Feta cheese might seem weird but it’s what makes these special – my mom used regular shredded cheese once and they tasted like every other roll-up. The chives add this mild onion flavor that doesn’t overpower anything. And those dried cranberries? Don’t even think about using fresh ones – I tried it once and ended up with soggy tortilla soup.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Big mixing bowl
• Hand mixer (or whisk if you’re feeling ambitious)
• Sharp knife
• Plastic wrap
• Cutting board

That’s it. Don’t overthink this.

How To Make Cranberry Roll Ups

Beat the Cream Cheese

Leave your cream cheese on the counter for 30 minutes first. Beat it until it’s fluffy – takes about 3 minutes with my ancient hand mixer.

Mix in the Goodies

Add the feta, chives, and cranberries. Mix until everything’s combined but don’t go crazy or you’ll mush the cranberries.

Spread on Tortillas

Put tortillas on your counter and spread the mixture on each one. Leave some space at the edges or you’ll have filling squirting everywhere when you roll.

Roll Them Up

Roll from one side to the other, kind of tight but not squeezing. My first attempt looked like a burrito explosion.

Wrap and Chill

Wrap each roll in plastic wrap. Stick in the fridge for at least an hour – longer is better because they slice cleaner.

Slice and Serve

Use your sharpest knife and cut into half-inch pieces. They look like little pinwheels and disappear in about 2 minutes.

You Must Know

Don’t skip softening the cream cheese. I’ve tried to rush this step and ended up with lumpy filling that looked like cottage cheese. If you forgot to take it out early, nuke it for 15 seconds at a time until it’s soft.

Here’s what I always do now – make an extra roll and freeze it whole. When people drop by unexpectedly, I slice it frozen and let the pieces sit out for 10 minutes. Boom, instant party snacks.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Your knife needs to be really sharp or these look like a mess. I learned this when my mother-in-law came over and all my pinwheels looked squished. Clean your knife between cuts too.

Don’t put too much filling. I know it’s tempting but trust me – overstuffed tortillas split. Roll them snug but don’t squeeze the life out of them.

If you can chill them overnight, do it. They taste better and slice way cleaner. I usually make them the night before any party.

Want them to look festive? Buy those colored tortillas. Red and green ones during Christmas make people think you’re super crafty.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

My neighbor adds a bit of cinnamon to hers and they taste like fall. Sometimes I throw in chopped walnuts when I remember to buy them.

If you want them more savory, use dill instead of chives and add some chopped turkey. My husband likes those better but the kids complain.

Orange zest mixed with the cranberries is really good too. I discovered this by accident when I was making them next to where I was zesting oranges for something else.

Make-Ahead Options

These are perfect for making ahead – actually better that way. The flavors mix together overnight and they’re way easier to slice when they’ve been sitting.

You can make them up to 24 hours before your party. For longer storage, freeze the whole rolls wrapped in plastic. They keep for a month in the freezer. When you want to serve them, thaw in the fridge for a few hours or slice them while frozen if you’re in a hurry.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

If your filling is too thick to spread, mix in a spoonful of sour cream. Don’t make it runny though.

When you slice these, use a sawing motion instead of pressing straight down. Otherwise the filling squirts out everywhere and you look like an amateur.

Only slice what you’re serving right away. The tortillas get soggy if sliced pieces sit around too long.

Serving Suggestions

I serve these at everything – holiday parties, book club, when the neighbors come over. They work for fancy dinner parties and casual game nights.

Put them on a wooden board with some grapes and crackers if you want to look like you have your life together. They travel really well to potlucks too because they don’t need to be heated up.

For special occasions, stick some fresh herbs around the platter as decoration. People will think you’re way more sophisticated than you actually are.

How to Store Your Cranberry Roll Ups

Keep these covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The whole rolls last longer than sliced pieces, so only cut what you need right away.

If you already sliced them, put them in a container with parchment paper between the layers so they don’t stick together. They taste best cold, so don’t bother bringing them to room temperature.

Allergy Information

These have dairy (cream cheese and feta) and gluten (tortillas).

For dairy-free, use the dairy-free cream cheese from the store and skip the feta. Or throw in some nutritional yeast for a cheesy taste.

For gluten-free, just swap out the tortillas. Any soft GF ones work fine – I’ve used them and can’t tell the difference.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried?

Don’t do it. I tried this once and they made the tortillas all wet and gross. Dried cranberries are the way to go.

Why do my roll ups fall apart when I slice them?

Usually because you didn’t chill them long enough or your knife is dull. Let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour and use your sharpest knife.

Can I make these without feta cheese?

Sure, but they won’t taste as good. Feta is what makes people ask for the recipe. You could try goat cheese or even regular cream cheese, but they’ll be more boring.

How thin should I slice them?

About half an inch thick works best. Thinner and they fall apart, thicker and they’re hard to eat in one bite.

Can I freeze these after they’re sliced?

You can, but freeze the whole rolls instead if possible. If you need to freeze sliced ones, freeze them on a baking sheet first, then put them in a bag so they don’t stick together.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear about your flavor variations or how they went over at your gathering!