Description
Delight in these classic Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies featuring a tender vanilla dough swirled with rich chocolate dough. Perfectly sweet and buttery, these cookies are elegantly rolled into pinwheels, coated with sugar for a crisp edge, and baked to golden perfection. Ideal for sharing and perfect with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon instant coffee (optional)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar, divided (1 cup + ¼ cup)
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Mix. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar. In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This adds air to the dough for a tender texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla. Mix in the large egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until just combined, ensuring the mixture is smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing gently just until incorporated; avoid overmixing to keep the dough tender.
- Divide and Flavor Dough. Split the dough into two equal halves. To one half, add the cocoa powder, milk, and optional instant coffee; mix well to incorporate evenly.
- Chill Dough. Shape each dough half into a 4×4-inch square, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up the dough for rolling.
- Roll Out Dough. Place each chilled dough half between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into 7×14-inch rectangles to prepare for layering.
- Assemble Pinwheel. Carefully layer the chocolate dough rectangle on top of the vanilla dough, peel off the top parchment paper, trim uneven edges for a neat shape, then roll the layered dough into a log tightly.
- Final Chill. Wrap the dough log tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, rotating the log after 30 minutes to keep the shape even and firm.
- Preheat Oven and Slice. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the chilled log in the remaining ¼ cup sugar to coat the outside, then slice into ½-inch thick discs.
- Bake Cookies. Place the cookie slices 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the edges are set and lightly golden.
- Cool Cookies. Let the cookies cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring a crisp texture.
Notes
- Optional instant coffee enhances the chocolate flavor with subtle depth but can be omitted if preferred.
- Room temperature butter and eggs will help ensure smooth mixing and a tender dough.
- Be careful not to overmix once the flour is added to avoid tough cookies.
- Chilling the dough is essential to hold the pinwheel shape during baking.
- Rolling the log in sugar before slicing gives the cookies a delightful crunchy edge.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
