These delicious pickle roll ups are the perfect appetizer for any gathering! Only 3 ingredients, 10 minutes of prep time and guests will be raving! These pop in your mouth so easily and will be gone in no time.
Original post: March 2020 | Updated: October 2023
Why This Recipe Works
During my first year in college, my roomie and I had a few foods that we ate all the time: vanilla ice cream, grilled cheese sandwiches made with Texas toast and these totally delicious pickle rollups (aka Midwest Sushi or Minnesota Sushi).
Here’s why you will love them, too:
- These tasty little bites require only 3 simple ingredients and 10 minutes of your time. That’s it!
- When these are served, guests rave every single time. It’s one of the best appetizers you’ll make all year.
- The salty-sweet combination is so simple yet so tasty.
- Cream cheese pickle roll ups are easy, guest-pleasing appetizers that are great for family get-togethers, football games or literally any type of gathering.
- It’s the perfect make ahead appetizer! Prepare as directed and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.
Recipe Ingredients
Corned beef – Use thinly sliced lunch meat to create this recipe.
Thinly sliced deli ham slices can be used in place of corned beef to create a ham roll up. Or use salami to create salami pickle roll ups. Sliced roast beef can be used, as well.
Literally any thinly sliced deli meat tastes delicious! Avoid thick slices of meat when possible.
Cream cheese – Use full fat spread cream cheese spread or brick cream cheese.
Allow the cream cheese to sit at room temperature prior to preparing your roll-ups up to an hour ahead for easier spreading.
If you don’t remember to do this, simply soften it in the microwave for just a few seconds before spreading.
Dill pickles – Either use small or medium whole pickles or large dill pickle spears.
How To Make Pickle Roll Ups
Step 1
Lay four stacks of corned beef slices (2 per stack) on a flat work surface or cutting board. Using a butter knife, top each slice with a thick layer of cream cheese (it does not have to be pretty).
Step 2
Now place a dill pickle in the center of each stack.
Roll the corned beef slices around the pickles, wrapping as tightly as possible. The cream cheese will act as the delicious glue that holds everything together.
Step 3
Using a sharp knife, cut each pickle cream cheese roll into four equal slices and place on a serving plate.
Recipe Notes
- Cream cheese roll-ups are the perfect gluten-free appetizer to serve at parties.
- Pat each pickle dry with a paper towel before rolling to avoid it slipping around.
- Once you have sliced your pickles into roll-ups, place them back in the fridge right on the serving tray. This will allow the cream cheese to firms up around pickles, creating perfect bite-sized appetizers.
- Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap and snack on them the following day!
- If you want to increase indulgence points, serve alongside a small bowl of ranch dressing to act as a dipping sauce.
- Dress up the cream cheese roll ups by sprinkling bagel seasoning or ranch seasoning over the cream cheese mixture before rolling.
What Kind of Pickles For Pickle Roll Ups
Use small or medium whole dill pickles or large dill pickle spears to create corned beef pickle roll ups. If the pickles are too big, the sliced meat won’t be able to wrap around it the whole way.
Best Pickle Recipes
- Create a bloody mary with food! Add pickles, cheese and salami to the savory drink.
- Pickle de Gallo
- Combine cream cheese, sour cream, fresh dill weed and chopped pickles to create a delicious pickle dip. Serve with veggies and crackers or spread onto flour tortillas to create a savory tortilla roll (aka pinwheels).
- Pickle pizza
- Save time by making quick sweet refrigerator pickles!
- Pickle relish
- Dill pickle pasta salad
How Long Do Pickles Last Unrefrigerated
If you have a jar of pickles staring at you and you are wondering whether to toss or eat, read this post about how long pickles can be left out of the fridge. You will learn everything you need to know about diving into a batch of pickled cucumbers safely.
Are Pickles Vegetables
Pickles can be considered both a fruit and a vegetable. Since they are made by bathing cucumbers in a brine liquid, they are a vegetable. However, technically speaking cucumbers are considered to be a fruit because of their seeds.
Where Did Ham and Pickle Rollups Come From
I’ve always known corned beef or ham and pickle roll-ups to be a Midwestern “thing.” It is believed that this delicious little finger food may have originated from an old German recipe, according to this article in the Des Moines Register.
Easy Holiday Appetizers
These pickle wraps are one of my favorite party foods ever, but if you need other ideas check out these yummy party food ideas:
- Air fryer fries with seasoned sour cream
- Hot ham and cheese sandwiches
- Veggie sheese stromboli
- Easy peanut butter cookies
- Slow cooker mac and cheese
- Best ever chili
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Pickle Roll Ups Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices corned beef lunch meat
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 dill pickles small to medium in size
Instructions
- Lay corned beef in stacks of two on a hard surface.
- Spread 1 ounce of cream cheese onto each stack. Place a pickle directly in the center of each. Roll corned beef around the pickles and cut each roll into four equal parts.
Video
Notes
- Cream cheese roll-ups are the perfect gluten-free appetizer to serve at parties.
- Pat each pickle dry with a paper towel before rolling to avoid it slipping around.
- Once you have sliced your pickles into roll-ups, place them back in the fridge right on the serving tray. This will allow the cream cheese to firms up around pickles, creating perfect bite-sized appetizers.
- Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap and snack on them the following day!
- If you want to increase indulgence points, serve alongside a small bowl of ranch dressing to act as a dipping sauce.
- Dress up the cream cheese roll ups by sprinkling bagel seasoning or ranch seasoning over the cream cheese mixture before rolling.
These are a delicious appetizer. We also make them with deli ham/roast beef and pickled asparagus. YUM!
My cousin's fiancee made these last year for Christmas but used salami instead of corned beef or ham. He went home with an empty plate and I made them for my family's superbowl party in February. It was a hit!
Have done these for yrs but with the "rectangular" ham. Also, it's easier to use the whipped cream cream than regular. And a tip for spreading cream cheese easier- dry ham w/paper towel first!
My mom used to make these when we were kids. We always called them Frog Eyes!
Hi. Here in Eastern NC. We call them "Dirty Bastards" and they are made with ham, cream cheese, and pickle spears. They are served at most partys and gatherings where finger foods are required 🙂
I make these but add a little bit of miracle whip and garlic powder. Use green onions and the meat that you find in the small packages (that way you can vary the meat inexpensively). Fold the meat in half spread with cream cheese mixture and lay enough down the length of the onion. Roll and cut.
i make something simuliar
ham,cream cheese and a jar of marinated asperagus.
i like yours for a quick & delish treat at home
i like mine for an elegant appetizer
Love these! However we make them with ham (not the honey flavored), cream cheese and Claussen refrigerated pickles!
LOVE — We used to make them growing up with corned beef, cream cheese and green onions – roll and slice — so yummy 🙂
My husband intoduced these to me. He is from Iowa too! He adds garlic and Worcestershire sauce to the cream cheese and double wraps the pickle! So much better!
I have also made these as a dip. You chop up the pickles and meat, mix with cream cheese, a little mayo, some dried ranch and serve with ritz crackers. Oh so good!!!!
we make these with ham,cream cheese and dill pickles….yummy yummy
These are a hit at our family get togethers too! Not only do we use pickles but we also do green onions for those that don't like pickles. Both are so yummy and if and when I make them I can't keep my hands off, so I have to make lots… so I still have enough for the party! 🙂
I'm making these for my daughter's baby shower! You know, pickle cravings? They'll be perfect. I LOVE the "Iowa sushi" comment too. So funny!
I use ham and roll some with Dill pickle, green onion, or sweet pickle
My grandmother made these for all holiday parties staring 60 years ago! And I carry on the tradition. I use only the refridgerated Clausen whole dills and I use dried beef to wrap mine. People are very wary of these and when I insist on them trying them, they disappear in minutes!
The first time I had or even heard of these was at our wedding shower 27 years ago, they have been a family favorite ever since. We use ham instead of corned beef, just love them!!
These bring back so many child hood memories if my parents' bridge nights!
Have you tried this recipe in a dip format? It's delicious!
I have made something similar to these. Only difference is I used ham and I added ranch powder to the cream cheese before spreading on ham. Will have to try with corned beef though, sounds yummy!!!
I ad a teaspoon or so of horseradish to the cream cheese and a drop or 2 or worchestershire sauce