Description
Classic pinwheel cookies with a delightful swirl of vanilla and chocolate dough, perfectly tender and buttery. These cookies are chilled to develop flavor and maintain shape, then sliced and baked to golden perfection. Optionally dipped in chocolate for an elegant finish.
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 dough: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat on high speed for about 1 minute until fully combined. Scrape down sides and bottom again.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will be thick and sticky. Remove dough from the bowl.
- Divide dough: Divide the dough in half, about 800–900g total. If one portion is smaller, use it for the chocolate dough.
- Make chocolate dough: Place half the dough into the mixing bowl, add cocoa powder, milk, and espresso powder (if using), and mix on low speed until incorporated.
- Shape and chill doughs: On a lightly floured surface (use regular flour for vanilla dough, cocoa powder for chocolate dough), shape each dough half into 1-inch thick rectangles approx. 4x5 inches. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 60–90 minutes until less sticky but still pliable. If chilling longer than 90 minutes, let dough sit 15–30 minutes at room temperature before next step.
- Roll out doughs: Roll vanilla dough on lightly floured parchment to an 8x14 inch rectangle about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate. Roll chocolate dough similarly on cocoa-powdered parchment, slightly smaller than vanilla dough.
- Assemble pinwheel: Peel chocolate dough off parchment and carefully place it on top of the chilled vanilla dough, aligning edges. Flatten gently to remove air bubbles and patch any tears.
- Roll into log: Starting from a long side, tightly roll the two dough layers together using the parchment paper to assist. Patch any cracks with fingers. Cut log in half into two 7-inch logs. Wrap logs and refrigerate for 2 hours to 4 days.
- Preheat oven and prepare sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Slice and bake: Slice each dough log into fourteen 1/2-inch-thick cookies. Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets. If dough softens, chill sliced cookies 10 minutes before baking. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack 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 in chocolate, add sprinkles if desired, and let chocolate set at room temperature or refrigerated.
Notes
- Make ahead: Baked cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- You can prepare dough logs and chill up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before slicing and baking.
- Tint vanilla dough with gel food coloring after dividing dough to make colorful pinwheels.
- To make all one flavor, add 1 teaspoon flavor extract to whole dough; to flavor half only, add 1/2 teaspoon extract to half dough before chilling.
- Roll logs in sprinkles or coarse sugar after chilling, using a pastry brush with water to help sprinkles adhere if needed.
- Use baking chocolate bars (like Bakers or Ghirardelli) for dipping; avoid chocolate chips as they contain stabilizers preventing smooth melting.
- Keep cookies fresh covered at room temperature for one week; refrigerate dipped cookies after a few days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
