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Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.6 from 9 reviews
  • Author: Claire
  • Prep Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 28 cookies
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Pinwheel Cookies are a visually stunning and delicious treat featuring a swirl of vanilla and chocolate doughs. These classic cookies combine a tender base with a touch of cocoa and optional espresso for depth, perfect for any occasion. Easy to make with simple ingredients, they can also be dipped in chocolate and decorated with sprinkles for a festive touch.

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

  1. Make the dough: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until creamed. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, then beat on high speed for about 1 minute until combined. Scrape the bowl again and mix to ensure even incorporation.
  3. Add dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. The dough will be thick and sticky. Remove from the bowl.
  4. Divide dough: Divide the dough roughly in half (about 800–900g total). If one half is smaller, use that half for the chocolate dough.
  5. Make chocolate dough: Place half the dough back into the mixing bowl. Add cocoa powder, milk, and espresso powder if using. Beat on low speed until well combined.
  6. Shape and chill: On a lightly floured surface (use cocoa powder for chocolate dough), shape each dough half into a 1-inch-thick rectangle approximately 4×5 inches. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap or parchment and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes until dough is less sticky but pliable. If chilled longer than 90 minutes, let sit at room temperature for 15–30 minutes before continuing.
  7. Roll out doughs: Remove vanilla dough from fridge and place on lightly floured parchment paper set on a silicone mat or taped counter to prevent sliding. Roll out to an 8×14-inch rectangle between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate the rolled vanilla dough. Repeat rolling with chocolate dough on another piece of parchment paper, rolling to slightly smaller than vanilla dough. Peel chocolate dough carefully and place on top of vanilla dough, aligning edges. Pat gently to remove air bubbles and patch any tears. Trim edges with a knife or pizza cutter for straight sides.
  8. Roll into log: Starting from a long edge, tightly roll the two layers together using the parchment paper to help. Press doughs together with fingers as needed to seal. Patch any cracks with dough. Cut resulting log in half to make two 7-inch-long logs.
  9. Chill again: Wrap logs tightly in plastic wrap or parchment and refrigerate for 2 hours up to 4 days.
  10. Preheat oven: Heat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  11. Slice and bake: Slice each log into 14 cookies about 1/2 inch thick. Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. If dough softened, chill cookies on the sheet for 10 minutes before baking. Bake 14–15 minutes until edges are very lightly browned.
  12. Cool: Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
  13. Optional chocolate dipping: Melt chopped chocolate in a double boiler or microwave (stir every 20 seconds). Dip half of cooled cookies in melted chocolate and add sprinkles if desired. Let chocolate set at room temperature or refrigerate.

Notes

  • Baked cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before serving.
  • Dough logs can be shaped and refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for 3 months.
  • To tint vanilla dough, add gel food coloring after dividing dough in half before chilling.
  • You can substitute flavors by omitting the chocolate dough and tinting both dough halves different colors or adding extracts like peppermint or coconut.
  • Roll logs in sprinkles or coarse sugar after chilling for added texture.
  • Use high-quality baking chocolate bars (Bakers or Ghirardelli) for dipping; chocolate chips are not recommended due to melting issues.
  • Use cocoa powder to handle chocolate dough to prevent sticking during shaping and rolling.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 150 kcal
  • Sugar: 10 g
  • Sodium: 75 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

Find it online: https://butterybowl.com/chocolate-pinwheel-cookies-recipe/