Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies Recipes

CHOCOLATE-NUT PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half; add almonds and almond extract to one portion. Add cocoa to remaining portion., Roll out each portion between two sheets of waxed paper into a 16x8-in. rectangle. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove waxed paper. Place almond layer over chocolate dough. Roll up tightly, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate overnight or until firm. , Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Divide the dough in half and add chocolate and vanilla to 1 half and incorporate with hands. Add egg yolk, peppermint extract, and crushed candy to other half of dough and incorporate with hands. Cover both with plastic and chill for approximately 5 minutes. Roll out doughs separately to approximately 1/4-inch thickness. Place peppermint dough on top of chocolate and press together around the edges. Using waxed paper or flexible cutting board underneath, roll dough into log. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove dough from the refrigerator and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Place cookies 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat and bake for 12 to 13 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

LIZZIE'S CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream the shortening and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla, and egg yolk and mix well.
• Sift the flour into a separate bowl with the baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately to the shortening mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and mix to form a dough. Divide the dough into 2 halves. To one half, add the chocolate, mixing thoroughly. Wrap both sections of dough in separate pieces of plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
• Unwrap and roll each half of dough between 2 pieces of waxed paper. Roll to a 1/8-inch thickness. Remove the waxed paper from the top of each layer of dough. Place the white layer on top of the chocolate layer and roll up carefully as you would a jellyroll, using the waxed paper to roll smoothly. Wrap the roll with the waxed paper and chill overnight in the refrigerator.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the roll into 1/4-inch slices (see Cook's Note) and place about 1/2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes. Do not brown. Remove carefully with a pancake turner and cool on racks.

BASIC CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. , Divide dough in half; add cocoa to one portion. Divide each portion in half. On a baking sheet, roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 12x10-in. rectangle. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. , Remove waxed paper. Place one chocolate rectangle over a plain rectangle. Roll up tightly, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic. Repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Unwrap and cut into 1/4-in. slices. , Place 2 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

CHOCOLATE PINWHEELS

Steps:

• Cream the butter or margarine with the sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.
• Melt chocolate chips over a double boiler or in a bowl in a microwave oven. Stir until smooth. Let cool. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture and stir well. Divide dough in half. To one half add the melted chocolate and stir until well combined.
• To Make Pinwheels: On waxed paper roll out each half of the dough into 12x10 inch rectangle. Brush one layer with milk and place the other layer on top. Peel off waxed paper and roll up like a jelly roll. Chill dough thoroughly.
• To Make Half and Half: Make two rolls, 2 inches thick. One plain and one chocolate. Wrap in waxed paper and chill. Cut each roll in half lengthwise. Brush cut edges with milk. Press plain and chocolate halves together to make rolls. Wrap in waxed paper and chill again.
• Slice cookies thinly and bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes

COCONUT-CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together 8 tablespoons butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture, beating until almost combined. Add coconut and beat until incorporated. Place dough between two sheets of parchment and roll out to a 10 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, trim 1/2 inch from edges to create a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Transfer to a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Place chocolate and remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water; stir until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in condensed milk. Let cool 5 minutes. Mixture will be thick and pasty.
• Remove dough from refrigerator and peel off top sheet of parchment. Using an offset spatula, spread chocolate mixture evenly over surface of dough. Using the bottom sheet of parchment for support, roll dough into a tight log. Wrap log in plastic; refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic from log and cut log into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until firm and beginning to brown around edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATE PINWHEELS

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour and salt. Divide dough in half. Stir cocoa into one half. Stir chocolate sprinkles into other half. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Roll half of plain dough into 9x8-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Repeat with half of chocolate dough; place on plain dough. Roll doughs up together tightly, beginning at long side. Repeat with remaining plain and chocolate doughs. Wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices. Place slices about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar and vanilla; blend in egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into creamed mixture.
• Divide dough in half; to one part, add chocolate and 1 tablespoon milk; mix. Chill both doughs 1 1/2 hours.
• On waxed paper, roll each half of dough into 10x12 inch rectangle. Brush chocolate layer with hot milk; place plain layer atop so its far edge extends beyond chocolate edge. Roll as for jelly roll.
• Wrap roll in waxed paper. Chill thoroughly.
• Slice thin. Bake on greased cookie sheet in moderate oven 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 4 to 6 dozen cookies.

CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour and salt. Divide dough in half. Stir cocoa into one half. Stir chocolate sprinkles into other half. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Roll half of plain dough into 9x8-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Repeat with half of chocolate dough; place on plain dough. Roll doughs up together tightly, beginning at long side. Repeat with remaining plain and chocolate doughs. Wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 400ºF. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices. Place slices about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
• Wrap cookies tightly, label and freeze up to 6 months.

CHOCOLATE VANILLA PINWHEEL COOKIES (SLICE-AND-BAKE SWIRL COOKIES)

Steps:

• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine.
• In a separate bowl (or in a stand mixer), add the softened butter and beat until creamy. Then, gradually add the sugar, mixing constantly, until the mixture is a pale yellow and light and fluffy, with the sugar fully incorporated.
• Add the eggs (one at a time) and the vanilla to the creamed butter, mixing well in-between each addition.
• Finally, add the flour mixture incrementally, mixing in between, until a dough forms. It shouldn't be sticky.
• Weigh the biscuit dough and divide it into two even pieces. Wrap one in plastic wrap and return the other half to the mixer/bowl.
• Add the cacao powder, instant coffee, and cinnamon (if using) to the dough and mix well until incorporated.You can optionally chill the dough at this point for at least 30 minutes (up to a day) wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. However, I find it simpler to roll out into the rectangles first.
• Place the first dough ball between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a rectangle that's as close to 9x14-inches (23x35cm) and ¼-inch (0.6cm) thick. Remove the excess to make it a neat rectangle (the scraps can make spare marbled chocolate vanilla cookies).I like to measure the size on the parchment paper first, marking it with a pencil (on the side opposite the dough). That way, you can use it as a guideline while rolling.
• Repeat this step with the other dough ball - make sure the dough sheets are equal in size. Then transfer both to the fridge for at least an hour to chill (or for up to a day).
• Decide which (chocolate or vanilla dough) you want to be the outer and inner swirl in the pinwheel cookies. OR, if you can't decide, you can even do half and half, as I did.
• Place the color you want to be the "outer" swirl on the counter first and peel away the top layer of parchment paper. Then, remove the parchment paper from the top of the other sheet and carefully flip it over, placing it on top of the first sheet. Then gently roll or press just to make sure the two adhere slightly.If you want half and half, now you can slice the sheets in half lengthwise and flip one over (so the color on the bottom is now on top).
• Now it's time to gently roll the cookie dough into logs. You can use the parchment paper underneath to lift and help you create the first roll. Roll the first roll tightly to avoid gaps in the cookies.If the dough cracks while rolling (more likely with the drier chocolate dough), just gently pinch it together and continue rolling. If there are cracks on the outer layer, roll it on the surface a little to smooth out the cracks.TOP TIP: If you're rolling a single log, I recommend rolling them from the longer side (for fewer swirls but a nice cookie size). If you roll from the short side, you'll have tons of swirls and larger cookies-it's up to you.If you're creating two logs (As I did), I like to roll from the short side to create a nice swirl within.
• Once rolled, re-wrap the roll/s in parchment paper. Then place back in the fridge to chill for an additional hour (or overnight). Alternatively, chill it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC.
• Remove the roll/s from the fridge. If the underside is slightly flat from resting in the fridge, lightly roll it on the surface to smooth it out. If you chilled the sugar cookie dough in the freezer, allow it a few minutes at room temperature before slicing.
• Slice the log into ¼-inch cookies and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, separated by around 1 inch.
• Place the baking tray on the middle shelf in the oven. Bake for between 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just becoming golden.It's best to bake one tray of cookies at a time (so it's in the middle of the oven). While baking the first back, you can prepare and cut the cookies for the second. Alternatively, you can save the rest for later (read the storage section below for details).
• Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven. Allow them to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a rack until fully cooled.
• Make ahead: there are several ways you can make these old-fashioned pinwheel cookies ahead.The mixed dough: wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to three months.The rolled cookie dough log: wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to three months. You can also gift the frozen logs to friends and family. That way, they can defrost (15-20 minutes at room temperature) and slice and bake the cookies when wanted.The sliced cookies: flash freeze the cookies spread out on a baking sheet (not touching) until solid. Then transfer to a freezer-safe container or Ziplock bag for 3 months.Store: allow the chocolate pinwheel cookies to cool and then store in an airtight container on the counter for 3-5 days. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw on the counter before serving.