Pinwheel Date Cookies
This vintage recipe for Pinwheel Date Cookies is a sweet and nutty treat especially enjoyed around the holidays.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 3 1/2 c flour plus extra for rolling out
- 2 c dark brown sugar
- 3/4th c butter room-temperature (12 TB)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Date Filling
- 1 c chopped dates remove any pits
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1/2 c water
- 1/2 c chopped pecans sprinkled on the date filling later
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the dates, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes or until the dates cook down and start breaking apart making a jam-like paste. Use a fork to break up any big lumps. Turn off the heat and set the date filling aside to cool while you prepare the dough.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar and set aside.
- Cream together the brown sugar, room-temperature butter, eggs, and vanilla by hand or with a hand mixer until smooth. Add in the flour mixture until well combined. The dough will be soft but shouldn't be too sticky to handle.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and with floured hands begin shaping into a rectangle shape. Using a rolling pin carefully roll out the dough a 1/2 inch thick and about the size of a big jelly roll pan 12 x 18 inches. You can always cut the dough in half and roll out two 9 x 12-inch rectangles and divide the date filling between the two if your workspace is too small to roll out 12 x 18 inches.
- Spread the cooled date filling over the dough with a small rubber spatula to the edges leaving the filling 1/2-inch away from one of the long edges. This allows you to make a good seal at the end of your roll.
- Carefully begin to roll the dough, rolling towards the 1/2-inch edge without filling. Use a bench scraper to help get started and you can finish rolling with your hands. Once you reach the end of the roll, press the dough together to create a seal.
- I cut the roll in half so it was easier to work with and wrapped each one in plastic wrap (or you could use wax paper) before placing it in the freezer for 2 hours or overnight to set.
- Before baking preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper slice the cookies 1/4-inch thick right out of the freezer before placing them on a baking sheet and baking for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.
- After you have removed the cookies from the oven let them rest for a minute on the cookie sheet to firm up before removing them onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.