Easy Tortilla Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll-Ups

These Easy Tortilla Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll-Ups are the quick dessert with tortillas and cream cheese you'll make again and again: sweetened cream cheese rolled up in a flour tortilla, crisped in a skillet until lightly golden, and dusted with cinnamon sugar while they're still warm. They taste like a cross between a cinnamon roll and a cheesecake, and they're ready in about 15 minutes.

I am all over easy-does-it snacks for my kiddos, and I love when I find something that works. I've made these roll-ups two ways: plain, with just the sweet cream cheese inside, and berry-filled with chopped strawberries and raspberries. When I asked my daughter which one she preferred, she said she loves both, but her favorite was the plain cream cheese version. She'd love for me to make them both ways again, and honestly, so would I.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Cream cheese. Full-fat block cream cheese gives the richest, most cheesecake-like filling. Let it soften completely so it spreads without tearing the tortilla. Reduced-fat (Neufchâtel) works too; whipped cream cheese spreads the easiest but is a little thinner once warm.
• Sugar. Just a teaspoon sweetens the filling without making it cloying. If you're watching your sugar intake, reduce it; if you like it sweeter, add more a little at a time and taste as you go. Powdered sugar blends in even more smoothly.
• Flour tortillas. Soft flour tortillas are the key to this dessert. Corn tortillas crack when rolled, so skip them here. See the FAQ below for the best size.
• Cinnamon and sugar. The cinnamon-sugar coating is what makes these taste like a cinnamon roll. Use ground cinnamon and granulated sugar, or swap in brown sugar for a deeper, caramel-like flavor.
• Olive oil. A light olive oil crisps the tortillas without tasting savory. Melted butter is a delicious swap and gives a more pastry-like finish; any neutral oil works as well.
• Berries (optional). Chopped strawberries and raspberries add a fresh, juicy pop. Pat them dry so the filling doesn't get watery.

Helpful Tips

Warm the tortillas first. A cold tortilla straight from the fridge is stiff and more likely to crack. Microwave the stack for 10 to 15 seconds so they're soft and pliable before you spread the filling.

Spread the filling close to the edges. Plop the cream cheese mixture in the center, then spread it out nice and easy, getting as close to the edges as you can. A thin, even layer seals everything together as it warms, and leaving about half an inch bare on the far edge gives you a clean seam.

Keep the roll-ups from unrolling. Roll the tortillas snugly, then place them seam side down in the pan first. The cream cheese acts like glue, and searing the seam for the first minute locks it closed. For extra insurance, dab a little cream cheese along the bare edge before you finish rolling, or secure longer roll-ups with a toothpick while they cook.

Skillet, air fryer, or oven. The skillet is fastest and gives the most even golden color: just a minute or two per side over medium-low heat, so watch them closely. In the air fryer, brush the roll-ups with oil or butter and cook at 375°F for 5 to 6 minutes, turning halfway; they come out extra crisp with very little oil. The oven is best for a big batch: bake seam side down on a lined sheet at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes until golden.

Coat them while they're warm. Roll or sprinkle the roll-ups in cinnamon sugar as soon as they come out of the pan. The warm, oiled surface grabs the coating so it sticks instead of falling off.

Variations

• Cheesecake tortilla roll ups. Beat a splash of vanilla and a squeeze of lemon juice into the cream cheese, and use powdered sugar instead of granulated for a filling that tastes like classic cheesecake.
• Strawberry cheesecake. Scatter chopped strawberries and raspberries over the cream cheese before rolling, just like the berry-filled version pictured here. Blueberries or diced peaches are great too.
• Apple pie. Add a spoonful of canned apple pie filling, chopped small, for a warm apple-cinnamon dessert.
• Nutella. Swirl a spoonful of Nutella into the cream cheese layer, or spread it on its own with sliced bananas for a chocolate-hazelnut version.
• Chocolate chip. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the cream cheese before rolling. Chocolate always wins.
• Pumpkin spice. Stir a tablespoon of pumpkin puree and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice into the filling for a fall treat.

Serving Ideas

Slice each roll-up in half or into bite-size pinwheels and serve them warm as a quick dessert, with a drizzle of caramel or chocolate sauce, a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. For a party, cut them into one-inch pieces and serve with a small bowl of fruit dip or cream cheese frosting for dunking.

They also make a great after-school treat or a fun weekend breakfast alongside fresh berries and a cold glass of milk. If you have a sweet-snack crowd at home, pair them with a batch of Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Pretzels, another super easy favorite my kids beg for.

Storing & Reheating

These roll-ups are best eaten fresh, while the outside is crisp. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Because the filling is cream cheese, don't leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

To reheat, warm them in the air fryer at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes or in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes, which re-crisps the tortilla much better than the microwave. We don't recommend freezing the cooked roll-ups, since the tortilla turns soggy and the cream cheese can get grainy once thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make these in the air fryer?

Yes. Brush the rolled tortillas lightly with oil or melted butter, place them seam side down in the basket without crowding, and air fry at 375°F for 5 to 6 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp. Coat them in cinnamon sugar right away.

Can you make them ahead?

You can mix the filling up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. You can also fill and roll the tortillas a few hours in advance; wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate, then cook and coat them just before serving so they stay crisp.

What size tortillas work best?

Ten-inch (burrito-size) flour tortillas are ideal: big enough to roll up easily and hold plenty of filling, and they slice neatly into halves or pinwheels. Eight-inch tortillas make smaller, snack-size roll-ups; use about half the filling per tortilla and shave a minute off the cooking time.

More Quick Desserts

If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:

• The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
• Cinnamon Roll in a Mug
• Brownie In A Mug
• Air Fryer Churros
• Mini Apple Pie Bites

Recipe