diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/memory_pool.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/memory_pool.cc
index 2d19b3d..f402ccb 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/memory_pool.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/memory_pool.cc
@@ -113,13 +113,19 @@
 
 const std::vector<SupportedBackend>& SupportedBackends() {
   static std::vector<SupportedBackend> backends = {
-#ifdef ARROW_JEMALLOC
-      {"jemalloc", MemoryPoolBackend::Jemalloc},
+  // ARROW-12316: Apple => mimalloc first, then jemalloc
+  //              non-Apple => jemalloc first, then mimalloc
+#if defined(ARROW_JEMALLOC) && !defined(__APPLE__)
+    {"jemalloc", MemoryPoolBackend::Jemalloc},
 #endif
 #ifdef ARROW_MIMALLOC
-      {"mimalloc", MemoryPoolBackend::Mimalloc},
+    {"mimalloc", MemoryPoolBackend::Mimalloc},
 #endif
-      {"system", MemoryPoolBackend::System}};
+#if defined(ARROW_JEMALLOC) && defined(__APPLE__)
+    {"jemalloc", MemoryPoolBackend::Jemalloc},
+#endif
+    {"system", MemoryPoolBackend::System}
+  };
   return backends;
 }