Description
Pinwheel Cookies are delightful spiral-shaped treats made by layering and rolling vanilla and chocolate doughs together. These buttery cookies are crisp on the edges with a tender center, perfect for holiday gifts or any sweet occasion. This recipe includes steps for making both doughs, chilling, rolling, baking, and optional chocolate dipping for extra indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Cookie Dough
- 2 and 2/3 cups (333g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Dough
- 2 Tablespoons (10g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- optional: 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
Optional for Dipping
- 6 ounces (170g) white, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate, finely chopped (see Note)
- optional: sprinkles
Instructions
- Make the dough: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until creamy. Scrape the bowl as needed. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat on high speed for 1 minute until well combined.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined into a thick, sticky dough. Remove dough from bowl.
- Divide dough: Divide the dough into two halves, approximately 800–900g total. Use the smaller portion for the chocolate dough.
- Make chocolate dough: Place half of the dough back in the mixing bowl. Add cocoa powder, milk, and optional espresso powder. Beat on low speed until fully mixed.
- Shape and chill dough: Form each dough into a 1-inch thick rectangular block (about 4×5 inches). Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes until dough is less sticky but still pliable.
- Roll out doughs: Remove vanilla dough and roll out on lightly floured parchment to an 8×14 inch rectangle between 1/8–1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate if needed. Roll chocolate dough on separately dusted parchment to a slightly smaller 8×14 inch rectangle. Layer chocolate dough on vanilla dough, patting gently to remove air pockets. Trim edges if needed.
- Roll into log: Starting from a long side, tightly roll the doughs together into a log, sealing any cracks with your fingers. Cut the log in half to create two 7-inch long logs.
- Chill dough logs: Wrap each log tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours up to 4 days to firm up.
- Prepare to bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Slice cookies: Slice each log into fourteen 1/2-inch thick cookies. Arrange on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Chill before baking if soft: If dough is soft, chill cookies on baking sheets for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake cookies: Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
- Cool cookies: Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Optional chocolate dipping: Melt chopped chocolate in a double boiler or microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth. Dip half of each cooled cookie into chocolate, add sprinkles if desired, and let set at room temperature or in refrigerator.
Notes
- Baked cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Dough logs can be prepared and chilled in refrigerator up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months before slicing and baking.
- For colored dough, add gel food coloring to the vanilla dough after dividing.
- If skipping chocolate dough, tint both dough halves to maintain the pinwheel pattern.
- To add other flavors, mix extracts into dough halves before chilling.
- Roll logs in sprinkles or coarse sugar after chilling for a decorative coating, using a pastry brush with water if needed to help sprinkles stick.
- Use baking chocolate bars (not chips) for melting and dipping to achieve proper consistency.
- Allow chocolate-dipped cookies to be refrigerated after a few days to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
