Description
Learn how to make classic Pinwheel Cookies featuring a swirl of vanilla and chocolate dough rolled together for a fun visual effect and delicious buttery flavor. These cookies are soft, tender, and perfect for dipping in chocolate if desired. With step-by-step instructions and tips for chilling, rolling, and slicing, this recipe ensures you get perfect pinwheels every time.
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 together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract then beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides again if needed.
- Add dry ingredients: Mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients on low speed until fully combined. The dough will be thick and sticky. Remove dough from the bowl.
- Divide dough in half: Split the dough into two portions, roughly 800–900g total. It’s fine if one half is slightly smaller for the chocolate dough.
- Make chocolate dough: Place one half of the dough into the mixing bowl. Add cocoa powder, milk, and espresso powder if using. Beat on low speed until incorporated.
- Shape & chill dough: Lightly flour a surface and form each dough half into 1-inch-thick rectangular blocks about 4×5 inches. Wrap each block in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 60–90 minutes until slightly firm but still pliable.
- Roll out doughs: Roll the vanilla dough on lightly floured parchment into an 8×14-inch rectangle between 1/8–1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate this dough. Roll the chocolate dough similarly on cocoa powder-dusted parchment. Align the chocolate dough on top of the vanilla dough, patting out air bubbles and fixing any tears or uneven edges.
- Roll into log: Tightly roll the layered doughs starting at a long edge, using parchment to help. Patch any cracks in the dough as you roll. Once rolled, cut the log in half into two 7-inch logs.
- Chill dough logs: Wrap the logs tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours up to 4 days to firm up.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Slice and bake: Slice each dough log into 14 cookies about 1/2 inch thick. Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. If dough softens, chill slices for 10 minutes before baking. Bake 14–15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional chocolate dipping: Melt chocolate using a double boiler or microwave, stirring frequently. Dip half of each cooled cookie in melted chocolate, add sprinkles if desired, and allow chocolate to set at room temperature or refrigerate.
Notes
- Baked cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- You can shape the dough logs and chill for up to 4 days or freeze for 3 months before slicing and baking.
- If tinting the dough with food coloring, add gel coloring drops to the vanilla dough after dividing.
- For flavor variation, add 1 teaspoon of extract like peppermint or coconut to entire dough or 1/2 teaspoon to half before first chilling.
- Roll logs in sprinkles or coarse sugar after chilling for added texture and color. Use a pastry brush with water if sprinkles don’t stick.
- Use baking chocolate bars (Bakers or Ghirardelli) for melting. Avoid chocolate chips as they contain stabilizers that prevent smooth melting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
