Description
Learn how to make classic Pinwheel Cookies with a buttery vanilla dough and a rich chocolate dough rolled together to create a delightful spiraled treat. These cookies are perfect for any occasion and can be dipped in chocolate for an extra special touch.
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
- Optional: sprinkles
Instructions
- Make the dry mix: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined; dough will be thick and sticky.
- Divide dough: Separate dough into two halves, roughly 800–900g total; use the smaller half for chocolate dough if uneven.
- Make chocolate dough: To one half, add cocoa powder, milk, and espresso powder if using, and beat on low speed until well incorporated.
- Shape and chill dough: Shape each dough half into 1-inch-thick rectangles about 4×5 inches on a lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes until less sticky but still pliable.
- Roll out vanilla dough: On a floured parchment paper, roll out vanilla dough to an 8×14-inch rectangle between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thickness. Refrigerate wrapped in parchment to keep firm.
- Roll out chocolate dough: Roll chocolate dough on a separate floured (or cocoa-dusted) parchment to a slightly smaller 8×14-inch rectangle. Peel carefully and place on top of the vanilla dough, aligning edges and smoothing out air bubbles. Patch any tears.
- Roll into a log: Starting from a long side, tightly roll the two dough layers together using the parchment paper to help, patch any cracks. Cut the log in half to make two 7-inch logs.
- Chill dough logs: Wrap each log tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours up to 4 days until firm.
- Preheat oven: Set oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Slice and bake: Cut each log into 14 slices about 1/2-inch thick. Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Chill on baking sheets for 10 minutes if dough softens. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned at edges.
- Cool cookies: Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
- Optional chocolate dip: Melt chopped chocolate in a double boiler or microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth. Dip half of each cooled cookie in chocolate, add sprinkles if desired, and allow chocolate to set at room temperature or in refrigerator.
Notes
- Baked cookies freeze well up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.
- You can shape the dough logs and refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months before slicing and baking.
- Gel food coloring can be added to vanilla dough after dividing for tinted pinwheels. Add extracts like peppermint or coconut for flavored variations.
- Roll dough logs in sprinkles or coarse sugar after chilling for extra texture and decoration; use a light water brush to help sprinkles adhere if needed.
- Use baking chocolate bars for melting and dipping, not chocolate chips that have stabilizers.
- If dough becomes too firm, let sit at room temperature 15–30 minutes before rolling.
- Use cocoa powder to dust while handling chocolate dough to reduce sticking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 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: 30 mg
