Chocolate Pinwheels Recipes

LIZZIE'S CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream the shortening and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla, and egg yolk and mix well.
• Sift the flour into a separate bowl with the baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately to the shortening mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and mix to form a dough. Divide the dough into 2 halves. To one half, add the chocolate, mixing thoroughly. Wrap both sections of dough in separate pieces of plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
• Unwrap and roll each half of dough between 2 pieces of waxed paper. Roll to a 1/8-inch thickness. Remove the waxed paper from the top of each layer of dough. Place the white layer on top of the chocolate layer and roll up carefully as you would a jellyroll, using the waxed paper to roll smoothly. Wrap the roll with the waxed paper and chill overnight in the refrigerator.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the roll into 1/4-inch slices (see Cook's Note) and place about 1/2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes. Do not brown. Remove carefully with a pancake turner and cool on racks.

CHOCOLATE-NUT PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half; add almonds and almond extract to one portion. Add cocoa to remaining portion., Roll out each portion between two sheets of waxed paper into a 16x8-in. rectangle. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove waxed paper. Place almond layer over chocolate dough. Roll up tightly, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate overnight or until firm. , Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

CHOCOLATE-COCONUT PINWHEELS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl beat shortening and butter until softened. Add the 3/4 cup sugar and beat until fluffy. Add milk, egg and 1 tsp of the vanilla and mix well.
• In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture and beat until well mixed.
• Divide dough in half and chill 2-3 hours or until easy to handle.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.
• Mix softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth. Stir in the coconut.
• Roll each half of the dough into a 10-inch square. Cut each square into sixteen 2 1/2-inch squares. Place 1/2 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cut 1-inch slits from each corner to center of square. Drop a level tsp of the coconut mixture onto each center.
• Sprinkle chopped nuts in the center and firmly press to seal. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm and cookies are slightly puffed. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then remove and cool thoroughly on rack.

CHOCOLATE PINWHEELS

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour and salt. Divide dough in half. Stir cocoa into one half. Stir chocolate sprinkles into other half. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Roll half of plain dough into 9x8-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Repeat with half of chocolate dough; place on plain dough. Roll doughs up together tightly, beginning at long side. Repeat with remaining plain and chocolate doughs. Wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices. Place slices about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Add melted chocolate to one portion; mix well. Refrigerate until chilled., Divide each portion of dough into fourths; shape each into a 5-in. log. Flatten into triangular-shaped logs. Brush long sides with milk. Assemble one large roll by alternating two chocolate and two plain logs. Repeat. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours., Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap each roll; cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake until set, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks.

COCONUT-CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together 8 tablespoons butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture, beating until almost combined. Add coconut and beat until incorporated. Place dough between two sheets of parchment and roll out to a 10 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, trim 1/2 inch from edges to create a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Transfer to a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Place chocolate and remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water; stir until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in condensed milk. Let cool 5 minutes. Mixture will be thick and pasty.
• Remove dough from refrigerator and peel off top sheet of parchment. Using an offset spatula, spread chocolate mixture evenly over surface of dough. Using the bottom sheet of parchment for support, roll dough into a tight log. Wrap log in plastic; refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic from log and cut log into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until firm and beginning to brown around edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

BASIC CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. , Divide dough in half; add cocoa to one portion. Divide each portion in half. On a baking sheet, roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 12x10-in. rectangle. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. , Remove waxed paper. Place one chocolate rectangle over a plain rectangle. Roll up tightly, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic. Repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Unwrap and cut into 1/4-in. slices. , Place 2 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.