Name: Best Date Pinwheel Cookies (A Classic Holiday Recipe)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature; 2 cups Packed Brown Sugar; 3 Large Eggs, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract; 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon Salt; ½ teaspoon Baking Soda; 4½ cups All-Purpose Flour; 8 ounces Dates, pitted and chopped; 1 cup Pecans, finely chopped; ½ cup Water; ½ cup Granulated White Sugar

Description

Create beautiful, bakery-quality pinwheel cookies that are as fun to make as they are to eat. This classic holiday recipe features a soft brown sugar cookie dough rolled around a rich, cooked date and pecan filling. The key to the perfect swirl is patience and chilling time, resulting in a tender, delicious cookie every time.

Ingredients

For the Brown Sugar Cookie Dough

$1$ cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
$2$ cups Packed Brown Sugar
$3$ Large Eggs, at room temperature
$1$ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
$1$ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
$1/4$ teaspoon Salt
$1/2$ teaspoon Baking Soda
$4 1/2$ cups All-Purpose Flour

For the Date & Pecan Filling

$8$ ounces Dates, pitted and chopped
$1$ cup Pecans, finely chopped
$1/2$ cup Water
$1/2$ cup Granulated White Sugar

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Instructions

Make the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, cream the room-temperature butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk the cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and flour. On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into three equal portions. Form each into a disc, wrap tightly in waxed paper, and refrigerate for about 1 hour until firm.
Prepare the Filling: While the dough chills, combine the chopped dates, pecans, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens into a jam-like paste. Let cool slightly.
Roll and Fill: On a lightly floured surface, roll one chilled dough disc into a ¼-inch thick rectangle. Spread one-third of the warm date filling evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border on one long edge.
Shape and Chill Logs: Tightly roll the dough up from the other long edge to form a log. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Wrap each log tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 more hour, or until very firm.
Preheat and Prep: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to $350° F$ ( $175° C$ ). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice and Bake: Unwrap one chilled log. Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut it into uniform ¼-inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.
Bake and Cool: Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes

Don’t Overmix the Dough: When adding the flour, mix only until the last streaks disappear. This is key to a tender, not tough, cookie.
The Second Chill is Crucial: The second chill, after the logs are rolled, is the most important step. A very cold, firm log is the secret to getting clean, round slices without squishing the beautiful swirl.
Stir the Filling Constantly: As the date filling thickens, stir it continuously to prevent the sugar from scorching on the bottom of the pan.
Keep it Round: To prevent the logs from getting a flat side as you slice, give the log a slight quarter-turn after every few cuts.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dessert, Cookies, Holiday
Method: Baking, Rolling
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 120kcal
Sugar: 10g
Sodium: 35mg
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
Trans Fat: 0.1g
Carbohydrates: 18g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 15mg