Gingerbread Pinwheels Recipes

GINGERBREAD WALNUT PINWHEELS

Steps:

• In small bowl, mix walnuts, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, water and egg until dough forms.
• Divide dough in half. Place 1 portion of dough between 2 (16x12-inch) sheets of waxed paper; roll dough into 11x6-inch rectangle. Remove top sheet of waxed paper from dough. Sprinkle evenly with half of walnut mixture, pressing into dough. Tightly roll into a log, starting at short side and using bottom sheet of waxed paper as a guide. Repeat with remaining dough portion and walnut mixture. Wrap tightly in waxed paper; freeze 2 hours or until very firm.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Unwrap dough; cut into 1/4-inch slices. On ungreased cookie sheets, place slices 1 inch apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

GINGERBREAD PEPPERMINT PINWHEELS

Steps:

• For the gingerbread dough, in a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and molasses. In another bowl, whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and cloves; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half; shape each into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., For peppermint dough, in a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking powder; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in peppermint candies. Divide dough in half; shape each into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., On a baking sheet, roll 1 portion of gingerbread dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper into a 10x8-in. rectangle. Roll 1 portion of peppermint dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper into a 10x8-in. rectangle. Remove top sheet of waxed paper; invert over gingerbread dough. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove waxed paper. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Wrap in waxed paper. Repeat with the remaining dough. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm., Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap dough and cut crosswise into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

GINGERBREAD PINWHEELS

Steps:

• To make gingerbread dough: In a bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and molasses until smooth. Beat in egg yolks until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. In another bowl, mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well blended. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and flatten slightly; chill until firm but pliable, about 1 hour (or freeze for 30 minutes).
• To make plain dough: In a bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well blended. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and flatten slightly; chill as directed above.
• Unwrap dough. With a lightly floured rolling pin, on a lightly floured sheet of waxed paper, roll out gingerbread dough into a 12- by 15-inch rectangle. Slide dough, on waxed paper, onto a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet. Repeat to roll out plain dough; chill both rectangles until firm to the touch but still pliable, about 10 minutes.
• Carefully invert the gingerbread dough over the plain dough, lining up edges as evenly as possible. Remove waxed paper from top of gingerbread dough. With a sharp knife, cut rectangle in half lengthwise to make two 6- by 15-inch rectangles. Transfer one of the rectangles to another sheet of waxed paper.
• Starting at long edge of one rectangle, lift waxed paper to roll doughs into a tight, even cylinder (if dough cracks instead of rolling easily, let stand about 10 minutes to soften slightly). Repeat to roll other rectangle. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Unwrap rolls and slice crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Lay cookies flat, 1 inch apart, on buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
• Bake cookies in a 325° oven until edges just begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. With a wide spatula, transfer pinwheels to racks to cool completely.
• Note: Nutritional analysis is per cookie.

GINGER-LEMON PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• To prepare ginger dough, place 1/4 cup butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes).
• Add molasses and egg yolk; beat until well blended. Weigh or lightly spoon 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
• Combine 6 ounces flour, ginger, and next 4 ingredients (through allspice); stir with a whisk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.
• To prepare lemon dough, place 5 tablespoons butter and granulated sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (about 3 minutes).
• Add egg white; beat until blended. Beat in rind and vanilla. Weigh or lightly spoon 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
• Combine 6 ounces flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.
• Unwrap ginger dough. Roll ginger dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a 13 x 8 1/2-inch rectangle (3/16 inch thick); chill 10 minutes.
• Unwrap lemon dough. Roll lemon dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a 13 x 9-inch rectangle (3/16 inch thick); chill 10 minutes.
• Carefully stack ginger dough on top of lemon dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long edge. Starting with the long side without a border, roll up dough, jelly-roll fashion. Seal edges (do not seal ends of roll). Cover with plastic wrap; freeze 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Unwrap dough. Cut with a sharp knife into 40 slices (about 1/4 inch thick). Reshape rounds, if necessary.
• Arrange slices 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 8 to 9 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.