Pinwheel Cookies

4 from 3 votes

Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies comes together with just one simple batch of sugar cookie dough and they are Christmas dessert perfection. They're breathtaking on a holiday cookie party platter and make for a gorgeous homemade gift idea!

Prep Time30

Cook Time8

Dough Chill Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Pinwheel Cookies

Servings:

Calories: 135kcal

Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

For the Sugar Cookies

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup half and half (divided)
1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

Make the dough:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside until ready to use.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and the sugar together on medium-high speed once again until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. If you don't have a stand mixer, use a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix briefly once again. Add the egg and mix on medium speed until well incorporated. Add only 2 tablespoons of the half and half, along with the vanilla extract, and mix once more.
With the mixer on low, gradually add in all of the flour. Stop mixing as soon as the dough has formed.
Remove half of the dough from the mixing bowl and transfer it to a floured work surface.
Return to the remaining dough, and add the last two tablespoons of half-and-half and the cocoa powder to the mixing bowl. Mix on low until the cocoa is evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough. Transfer the chocolate dough to the floured work surface as well.

Chill:

Using floured hands, pat each portion of dough into a square shape. Wrap with plastic and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill for about 1 hour, or until cool and firm.

Roll Out the Dough:

Place the chilled vanilla dough in between 2 large sheets of parchment paper and roll out into a rectangle about a ¼" thick. Do the same with the chocolate dough.

Assemble:

Remove the top sheet of parchment paper from both sets of the dough. Carefully transfer the chocolate on top of the vanilla so that the bare sides meet. Gently press to adhere and (once again) remove the [now] top sheet of parchment. With the long side facing you, roll the dough into a log. See notes below if you'd like to add sprinkles to the exterior of your cookies.

Chill Again:

Then, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Slice and Bake:

Preheat the oven to 350° and have ready cookie sheets lined with either parchment paper or a Silpat. Slice the dough into scant ½" slices using a sharp knife, carefully wiping the blade clean in between cuts as necessary.
Transfer the cookies to the baking sheet, placing them about 1" apart. Bake until the outer, bottom edges are tinged with golden-brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Notes

WANT TO ADD SPRINKLES?

If you'd like to have sprinkles surrounding the exterior of your Pinwheel Cookies, you'll need to do so before you chill them for the second time. Here's what you'll need:

1 large egg
2 tablespoons of water
¾ - 1 cup of nonpareils or white sparkling sugar

Once you have your cookies log formed, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the exterior of the log with egg wash.
Add the sprinkles to a rimmed baking sheet and roll the log in the sprinkles until it is well-coated to your liking. Wrap and refrigerate as directed and proceed with the recipe from there.

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