These easy Pickle Roll Ups are one of my favorite shortcut party foods that people LOVE! They ae ideal for casual get-togethers or even kids parties! make ahead appetizers, snacks or finger food to serve a crowd at any party!
What a quick and delicious "snack-etizer". Snack plus appetizer, get it? 🙂
I love dill pickles and of course ham, so why wouldn't these work? They are hard to mess up considering how easy they are.
Plus, if you follow me here on my blog, you know that I absolutely love any appetizer that can be made in advance and kept cold!
?Ingredients
- Pickle- A recommend a thicker Dill pickle. One that is not cut.
- Ham- Use a thinly sliced deli ham so it rolls easily.
- Cream cheese- Helps everything hold together and gives your roll ups a creamy texture.
- Ranch seasoning- This adds so much flavor to your roll ups! Make your own homemade seasoning if you wish.
- Relish- Added to the inside of the roll up for a sweet addition.
How To Make Pickle Roll Ups
To make these roll ups, I used the best ham I could find and mixed together cream cheese with some ranch seasoning and relish. SO good!
Then, the most important part of these rolls ups are the pickle. I always use a juicy Dill pickle spear. They are the perfect size and always crisp!
- Lay out your ham slice.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture onto each slice.
- Place the pickle in the center.
- Roll it up.
What kind of ham is best?
Choosing the right type of ham is key. You don't want ham that is sliced too thin like we usually get for sandwiches. You want thicker slices so your roll ups don't rip or tear. To do this you have two options:
- Head to the deli section in your local grocer and look for the pre-packaged ham like this one from Applegate.
- Ask your deli person to slice your ham thicker than normal.
You don't want your ham to be TOO thick.
You want it thick enough to hold but thin enough to be able to roll. You can even choose different ham flavors like honey or smoked if you like!
How these roll ups are unique:
There are a few different recipes out there for ham and cream cheese roll ups making them a simple 3 ingredient appetizer.
With that said, I tried those and I was not crazy about them. The cream cheese needed something. They were too plain in my opinion.
So the make these babies stand out from the rest, I added TWO ingredients.
- Ranch seasoning: This gives the cream cheese a delicious flavor that everyone will go crazy for.
- Sweet relish: I am a fan of sweet, tangy and savory together so this was the perfect addition. It adds more tangy pickle flavor and a touch of sweetness.
Your Honey Dijon Sauce
To make these even BETTER, I added a honey mustard sauce to the top of each because I think mustard and ham go together like peanut butter and jelly. It just adds a delicious bite that goes so well with the ham and pickle.
You can serve this sauce on top of each skewer or on the side for dipping!
How to make these keto-friendly:
If you are following a keto diet, these would be perfect. You would just need to make sure you use a keto-friendly ranch seasoning and use a sugar-free relish (or leave the relish out all-together).
Make These Ahead of Time!
Like I said before, I love me some cold make ahead finger foods! They are super easy to prepare and will save you so much time when party planning.
The make these pickle wraps in advance, spread your cream cheese mixture onto the ham, add your pickle spear, and roll them up tightly. Refrigerate them as is. You can stack them on top of one another in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
When you're ready to serve them, pull them out and slice them while they're cold. This will help give you a clean cut without making them look messy.
Serving Tips
To serve these, slice them up into pinwheels that are about 1" wide. Then lay them pickle side up on a clean, white plate or wooden cutting board for a more rustic look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, pickle roll ups are definitely a Midwest thing. However, anyone can enjoy them!
This recipe uses pickles, cream cheese, ranch mix, and ham. It's a pretty standard recipe, but still incredibly delicious!
There are about 6.4g carbs in a serving, but you can find the full nutritional information in the recipe card below.
I skewered mine with mini toothpicks because I love skewered food but this is not required. If you love appetizer skewers and pickles, you need to try my Cubano Skewers!
You can serve your ham and cream cheese roll ups with or without the honey mustard sauce. You can also add green onions or chives to your filling which would add a yummy onion flavor.
Other skewers appetizers you may like:
Prosciutto Melon & Mozzarella Skewers (w/ Balsamic Glaze)
Toothpick Appetizers aka Mini Kabobs
Mini Cheeseburger Skewers (w/ Burger Sauce)
Pickle Roll Ups (with Cream Cheese)
Ingredients
Method
- Cream together your cream cheese, ranch seasoning and relish in a medium bowl.
- Spread about ¾ of a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture onto each slice of ham.
- Add one pickle to the end of each slice and roll each up tighly.
- Trim off the ends then slice each roll up into 3 rounds. Place them pickle side up on a plate.
- Add a dollop of your honey mustard mixture to the top of each and add a toothpick to each for serving!
Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts below!