Raspberry Pinwheels

Because I tend to lean toward chocolate sweets, I try to remember to include a non-chocolate sweet during the holidays. These cookies have become a favorite of mine because of how simple and tasty they are. They go perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea.

It is also very convenient because you can make the dough and freeze it ahead of time. No thawing necessary either. The dough is actually easier to slice cleanly when it's frozen.

I did manage the dough a little differently than the original recipe suggests. I divided the dough in half but then just spread the jam on each rectangular and rolled them from there. That made it so that I couldn't really slice the pinwheels very thickly without making enormous cookies, so they were baked sideways. I don't think it did anything detrimental to the texture, and it was easier that way, rather than having row after row of tiny cookies to slice and bake off. I did it that way when I made them before, so they were kind of pop-in-your-mouth cookies. But they're just as tasty this way.

I'll include the original recipe so that you can decide how you would like to do it.

Raspberry Pinwheels
Courtesy of Real Simple



3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 8-ounce bar cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar or coarse sanding sugar

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour, mixing until just incorporated.

Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and gently knead it 2 to 3 times, just to bring it together. Form the dough into two 1-inch-thick squares. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll one of the dough squares into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread half the jam over the dough. Cut the dough crosswise into thirds, making three 9-by-4-inch rectangles. Starting from a long side of each rectangle, roll into logs. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.

(To freeze: Instead of refrigerating the logs, freeze them for up to 2 months. To bake, follow the recipe instructions, cutting and baking the dough from frozen, and using the upper end of the time range.)

Heat oven to 350°F. Slice the logs into 1-inch pieces and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 1½ inches apart. Brush with the egg and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.