Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies
Delicious two-tone spiraled cookies made with a buttery dough, offering a crisp edge and soft center, perfect for chocolate lovers and easy to prepare ahead of time.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened Use room-temperature for best results.
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder For richer chocolate, add more cocoa to the chocolate half.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preparation
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar until light and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half. Keep one half plain and fold in cocoa powder into the other half.
- On a sheet of parchment paper, roll each half into a rectangle about 8 x 6 inches and 1/4 inch thick.
- Peel the top parchment off one rectangle and place the other rectangle on top, aligning edges. Roll tightly to create the pinwheel log.
- Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or freeze for up to 1 month.
Baking
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Slice the chilled dough into thin rounds (about 1/8–1/4 inch thick) and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, checking closely until the edges are set and slightly darker but the centers remain soft.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
These cookies keep beautifully in an airtight container and can be frozen for later. Chill the log thoroughly before slicing for cleaner cuts.