Pinwheel Cookies

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/10/23
Chocolate and Vanilla Pinwheel Cookies

The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 8 mins
Chill: 5 hrs
Total: 5 hrs 38 mins
Servings: 40 servings
Yield: 84 to 96 cookies
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
105 Calories
6g Fat
12g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 40
Amount per serving
Calories 105
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 61mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 4mg 0%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 14mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These pinwheel icebox cookies are made with chocolate and vanilla doughs. The cookies should chill for at least 4 hours, so plan to start them early in the day or a day in advance.

The cookies are perfect for Christmas, and though they have a few extra steps, they are well worth the effort. Or try the chocolate nut cookie variation below.

These are excellent cookies to bake for the holidays and special occasions.

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Chocolate and Vanilla Pinwheel Cookies ingredients

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  2. In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; add egg and vanilla; blend well.

    butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  3. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl or on a sheet of waxed paper.

    Combine the flour and salt in a bowl

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  4. By hand or with a mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture; mix just until combined.

    cookie dough in a bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  5. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions; blend the cocoa into 1 portion.

    cookie dough balls, vanilla and chocolate

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  6. Refrigerate the 2 portions for at least 1 hour.

    cookie dough balls wrapped in plastic

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll the plain vanilla dough into a rectangle about 16 x 6 inches.

    dough rolled out on parchment paper

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  8. Roll the chocolate dough out to a rectangle the same size and carefully place on top of the plain dough.

    rolled out cookie dough on parchment paper

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  9. Roll the layered doughs out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch.

    rolling out cookie dough on parchment paper

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  10. Beginning at the wide side, roll the dough up tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

    cookie dough roll wrapped in plastic wrap

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  11. Heat the oven to 400 F. Cut the roll into 1/8-inch slices. Let the dough warm slightly if it breaks up when cutting.

    cookies on plastic wrap

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  12. Arrange the cookies on ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart.

    cookies on baking sheets

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  13. Bake for about 7 to 9 minutes, or until the cookies are set.

    cookies on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  14. Remove the cookies from the baking sheets immediately and cool completely on racks.

    Chocolate and Vanilla Pinwheel Cookies on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

Variation: To make chocolate-nut cookies, mix all of the dough with 1/2 cup of cocoa. Put 1 1/2 cups of finely chopped walnuts or pecans on a large plate. Divide the dough into two portions and shape each portion into a cylinder about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Roll each cylinder in the finely chopped nuts. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the chocolate pinwheel cookies. Slice and bake as directed above.