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Ham and Pickle Roll Ups take just three ingredients and about five minutes to make. Spread cream cheese on deli ham, roll it around a crunchy dill pickle, and slice into bite-sized pieces. This easy pickle roll ups recipe is a no-cook snack or party appetizer, sometimes called pickle wraps.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I’ve made these for years with Claussen Pickles and everyone enjoys them.
I get requests to make and bring to different occasions. They’re Great!” – Carol“This recipe is simply delicious! My husband loved them! Thanks for a simple recipe that everyone in my household loves!” – Kimmie
“I would have NEVER considered this combo but I love the ingredients by themselves, so I decided to try it. It’s now a favorite in my home!” – Laurie
Why I Love Making These with My Kids
As a busy mom, I’m always looking for snacks that don’t take much time or a long list of ingredients. My kids love helping roll these up, which makes them even easier to put together. When I’m making lunches or looking for a quick afternoon snack, I can pull out the ham, cream cheese, and pickles and have something ready in minutes.
I even served these at a little tea party I threw for my girls, right alongside the finger sandwiches. They were a hit! I love that the same simple snack works for a special little party and for an ordinary afternoon at home.
🩷 Erica
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Deli ham: I usually use Black Forest ham, sliced just a little thicker than regular sandwich slices. It should be flexible enough to roll without tearing.
- Cream cheese: Plain cream cheese works great. Let it soften enough to spread easily over the ham. Reduced-fat cream cheese is also an option.
- Dill pickle spears or baby dill pickles: I usually use pickle spears, but baby dills work too. Pat them dry so the cream cheese sticks instead of sliding around.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Seasoned cream cheese: Try chive-and-onion cream cheese, or mix a little dry ranch seasoning, garlic salt, or everything bagel seasoning into plain cream cheese.
- Other deli meats: Turkey, roast beef, or salami can stand in for ham. Choose slices large enough to wrap around the pickle.
- Other pickles: Sweet pickles, spicy pickles, or garlic dill pickles will change the flavor. Sweet pickles are a useful option if you’re avoiding dill, provided their ingredients meet your dietary needs. Pickled asparagus is another variation suggested in the comments.
- Extra crunch: Add a thin strip of bell pepper or cucumber, or a little shredded carrot, as long as you can still roll the ham snugly.
- Gluten-free: There are no tortillas or bread in the basic recipe. Check the labels on the deli ham, pickles, cream cheese, and any added seasonings to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten-free.
How to Make Ham and Pickle Roll Ups
- Spread the Cream Cheese: Take a slice of ham and pat it dry with a paper towel. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese all over it. Be sure to get it to the edges so every bite has that creamy goodness.
- Add the Pickles: Place a pickle spear or a baby dill pickle on one edge of the ham slice. I usually go for a whole pickle spear, but baby pickles work great too!
- Roll It Up: Now, just roll up the ham and cream cheese around the pickle. Try to keep it nice and tight so it doesn’t fall apart.
- Slice and Serve: Slice the roll-up into bite-sized pieces and you’re done! So simple, but oh-so-delicious.
Recipe Tips
- Chill the assembled rolls briefly before slicing if the cream cheese is especially soft. They’ll be easier to cut into neat pieces, but you can skip this if you’re serving them right away.
- Place each roll seam-side down when you cut it. Wiping the knife between cuts can also help keep the cream cheese from smearing.
- For a party, set out a smaller platter and keep the remaining roll ups refrigerated until you need to refill it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! These classic pickle wraps use just ham, cream cheese, and pickles. You don’t need tortillas. Tortilla-based pickle pinwheels are a different variation, so these are a good option if you’re looking for a lower-carb appetizer.
One batch makes five whole rolls, which gives you about 20 bite-sized pieces. If you’re serving other appetizers, plan on two to three pieces per person. For a party of 20 people, I would make two or three batches.
Absolutely! If you’re making them for a quick snack or lunch, you can leave the rolls whole. I like slicing them into smaller pieces for parties because they’re easier to serve and eat.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make ahead: Assemble the rolls the day before, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Slice shortly before serving for the neatest pieces.
Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days, provided the deli ham was fresh when you made them and remains within its safe storage period. The pickles may release moisture as they sit, so the texture is best in the first day or two.
Serving: Serve chilled. Don’t leave the rolls unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing these. The cream cheese and pickles can become watery when thawed.
More Fun Appetizer Ideas
If you’re looking to round out your snack table, here are some more delicious appetizer recipes that pair perfectly with Ham and Pickle Roll Ups:
- Kielbasa Appetizer – Simple, savory, and satisfying.
- Koolickles (Kool-Aid Pickles) – A fun twist on the classic pickle.
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings – A quick and tasty way to do wings.
- Cranberry Brie Bites – bite sized snacks that are sweet and savory.
- Turkey Pinwheels – Quick to prepare, customizable, and always a crowd-pleaser.
Have you made these ham and pickle roll ups? Let me know what kind of pickles you like to use, and leave a star rating if you try the recipe! 🥒💛
Ham and Pickle Roll Ups
Video
Ingredients
- 5 slices deli ham, I like it sliced slightly thicker than sandwich slices
- 3-5 ounces cream cheese
- 5 dill pickle spears, (or 10 baby dill pickles, use 2 per roll up)
Instructions
- Lay out each slice of ham on a cutting board and pat dry with a paper towel. Pat the pickles dry as well.
- Using a butter knife, spread an even layer of cream cheese on each slice of ham.
- Place a dill pickle spear at one end of each slice (or two baby dills) and roll up snugly.
- Use a sharp knife to cut each roll crosswise into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces. Secure with toothpicks if needed, and serve cold.
Notes
- These are also called pickle wraps or Midwestern pickle roll ups.
- For cleaner slices, chill the assembled rolls briefly before cutting. This is optional and isn’t included in the 5-minute prep time.
- For make-ahead snacks, refrigerate whole rolls and slice shortly before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and use within 3 to 4 days if the ham was freshly opened.
- Check deli ham and seasoning labels when making these gluten-free.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I am so excited to try these recipes thepicle ham roll up has been a go to thanks to a lovely lady at the colevei attende. I figured if she did all this for events i needed to learn. Thanks to all the strong ladies in my life….god rest myothers sou
I have been making these since my baby shower back in 1975..and still make them for every function..my family and friends love them
I love these for an afternoon snack for me and my kids!
So easy and delicious! My kids really liked them too!
I made these for the 4th of July get together, I added good seasonings ranch and sprinkled a little over the cream cheese, was such a hit, everyone loved them!!
I cannot wait to make these at home. These look delicious! I love rollups like this and haven’t made them in so long.
I use Boursin cheese… It’s a cream cheese with garlic and other flavors added in…..I find it in the deli section. It comes in a small green and white box.!
Yum! Gret idea!
Oh man, these look delicious. I was just thinking about how I’d love to make these with spicy pickles…but then saw your jalapeno jelly idea and I think I started drooling. Thanks for the idea!!!
Add some dry Good Seasoning Ranch dressing to the cream cheese and it makes it even tastier.
I love that idea! Thanks for sharing!
This was the extra ‘thing’ I was looking for in this simple snack. Thank you.
SO good! BTW This is a Keto friendly recipe as well. Nice to have at parties for those watching their carbs.
Make every year but have always used sweet pickles. Will try the jalapeño jelly this year, thanks.
Thank you! When I saw this recipe, my first thought was sweet pickles. Only way I can think of it. Glad to know someone has tried it and it works.
I add a sprinkle of Good Seasonings Ranch Dressing ( dry) to the cream cheese and it is delicious. Sure your going to love it.
If making the night before, squeeze pickles between paper towels before wrapping in ham. If you don’t you will have a slimy bunch of pickle juice in the bottom of your container.
Thank you for this tip! Great idea!
I dry my ham slices..stack them between paper towels till I’m ready to spread the cream cheese on..I roll the pickles in paper towel too…once they’re rolled, I chill them before slicing. Slice seam side down….and yes, they’re so simple and delicious. …always a favorite!!!
Iam so going to make these! I know my family will love them! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Can you make these the day before?
yep:) just cover and refrigerate
Can you make them a couple of days before? I was thinking of wrapping them in handi-wrap, then slicing them two days later.
I think that should totally be fine. If you wrap them up in plastic wrap they shouldn’t dry out. You may want to pat the pickles dry just so the juices don’t seep all over everything else. Other than that I think you should be good!
My pickles were dry, but the ham slices started sweating. I would put some clean paper towel in the bottom.
How many will this recipe make? I have a large party coming up so I am not sure it I should double or triple this. Does the recipe make abt 20 cut roll up?
Yes, I would say this recipe makes about 20 cut up pieces total. At parties each person usually has 2-3 (if there is other food present)…
Oh thank yourself much. I appreciate this information. Can’t wait to try making these
THANK YOU, I’ve searched several versions of the recipe, and you’re the first one to tell how many pieces it makes. Thank you! (I need to make em for 100 people, so i needed quantities so i can convert the recipe.)
You are very welcome 😀
I’ve found an important step is to dry the pickle of first before rolling them
Add a little garlic salt and minced on in to the cream cheese. Just half teaspoon onion and a sprinkle of garlic powder. It knocks it up a notch
Yum! That sounds delicious! Will have to try that next time!
I used to make these for parties, but instead of using ham, we used dried beef slices that are sold in either a small jar or sometimes sold in a larger foil pouch. We also used the Vlasic jar of #4 dill pickles which were more tangy and had garlic seasoning in the jar also. It was fine to use regular dill pickles too, but we just preferred the tangy ones if they were in stock at our local grocery.
I love these! My mom used tI make them and now I do too. We alWays use Claussen pIckles. SometiMeds I switchIt up And use chive And onion cTeam cheese.
Oh, I love these! Thanks for the memory jog! I haven’t made them in a long time.
You are welcome! It is a fun recipe!
Do you let the pickles dry alittle before rolling with the meat and cream cheese?
Yes, that will help the pickles stick to the cream cheese better.
Those look really good. My pickling cucumbers went wild this summer and I canned nine gallons of garlic dills. I think they will work nicely with this.