Chewy Date Pinwheels Recipes

DATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, cream the butter with remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Mix on medium speed for a minute or two. Add the egg and vanilla and continue mixing until well incorporated.
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir with a spoon until combined. Using clean hands, work the dough until it holds together in a ball. Wrap the ball of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
• Meanwhile, place the chopped dates, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the dates have cooked down and the mixture is paste like, mix in the chopped nuts and remove the pan from the heat. Set aside to cool.
• Roll chilled dough out on a lightly floured piece of wax paper to a 12- x 8-inch rectangle. Spread the cooled date mixture on the dough to within about 1/2-inch of the edges. Starting at one of the long ends, begin to carefully roll the dough into a log. Wrap the rolled dough in the wax paper and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice roll into 1/4-inch slices. Place on lightly greased or parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container.

CHEWY DATE PINWHEELS

Steps:

• 1. In a large saucepan, combine the dates, sugar and water. Cook and stir over medium heat for 7-9 minutes or until thickened. Stir in nuts; set aside to cool. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, soda, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll out one portion of dough into a 1/4-in. thick rectangle. Spread with half of filling. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• 2. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight. Unwrap dough; cut into 1/2-in. slices.
• 3. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

DATE NUT PINWHEEL COOKIES II

Steps:

• Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Sift the cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and flour together in a second mixing bowl. Slowly stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until evenly blended.
• Divide the dough evenly into three portions and place each on a square of waxed paper. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the filling by combine the dates, pecans, water and white sugar in a saucepan set over low heat. Cook and stir until the filling has a paste-like consistency. Cool slightly.
• Working with one portion at a time, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to make a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread 1/3 of the filling evenly over the dough; roll up to make a log. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly grease two baking sheets.
• Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut the rolls into 1/4 inch slices. Place the slices on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in preheated oven until set and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool on racks.

DATE-NUT PINWHEELS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough into 3 portions; shape each into a disk. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., For filling, place dates, water and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until dates are tender and liquid is almost evaporated. Stir in walnuts; cool completely., Roll each dough portion between 2 sheets of waxed paper into a 12x10-in. rectangle. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove waxed paper. Spread a third of the filling over each rectangle. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Wrap securely. Refrigerate until firm., Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into 1/3-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

DATE NUT PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla, and blend thoroughly.
• Add flour mixture, blending to make a soft dough. Refrigerate dough about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make filling. In a small saucepan, add dates, sugar, and water. Cook until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Mix in peel and nuts. Cool.
• Divide cookie dough in half. Roll 1/2 into 8x10 rectangle. Spread 1/2 of filling over rolled dough. Beginning at long end, roll dough, jelly roll fashion, and wrap in plastic. Repeat with other half of dough. Refrigerate both rolls several hours or overnight.
• With a thin, sharp knife, slice cookies into 1/4" slices. Place on cookie pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes.
• ORANGE-FIG cookies: Make filling of 1-1/4 C figs, 1/4 C sugar, 3/4 C water. Cook approximately 10 minutes, then add 1 tbsp orange peel and 1/2 C finely chopped walnuts. Proceed as above using orange-fig filling instead of date filling.

CHEWY DATE AND WALNUT PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine dates, sugar and water in saucepan.
• Cook until thickened and dates have broken down to a paste about 5 minutes, stirring constantly (add water a tsp at a time if you feel it is sticking).
• Remove from heat and blend in lemon juice, lemon rind and the nuts.
• Set aside to cool thoroughly.
• Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
• Cream the butter, brown sugar and orange rind.
• Beat in the egg and vinegar (the vinegar will slightly"curdle" the butter, don't worry this is normal).
• Blend in the dry ingredients (dough will be somewhat stiff).
• Chill dough several hours or overnight.
• On wax paper, roll dough into a 15x10 inch rectangle.
• Spread with the date mixture to within 1/4 inch of all sides.
• Starting with the long side of the dough roll as for jelly roll, using the wax paper to help you.
• Slice roll in half place on platter cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Slice into 1/4 inch thick slices and place on cookie sheet (grease the sheet if you are not using a non-stick sheet).
• Bake in 375F oven for 12 minutes until slightly golden (do not brown).
• Remove from oven and let sit on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing and cooling on rack.