Best Pinwheels And Checkerboard Cookies Recipes

PINWHEELS AND CHECKERBOARDS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough into four portions. Tint one portion red and one portion green. Stir chocolate into another portion. Wrap chocolate and plain portions in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour or until easy to handle., For pinwheel cookies, divide red and green portions in half. Roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 9x6-in. rectangle. Refrigerate 30 minutes. , Remove waxed paper. Place one green rectangle over a red rectangle. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic. Repeat. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm., For checkerboard cookies, divide plain and chocolate portions in half. Roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 6 4-in. rectangle. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into eight 1/2-in. strips. , Stack the strips in groups of four, alternating plain and chocolate strips and forming eight separate stacks. Form a four-stack block by alternating chocolate-topped and plain-topped stacks. Repeat. Press together gently. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours., Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap and cut pinwheel and checkerboard dough into 1/4-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

POINSETTIA PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat the cream cheese, butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour and salt until combined. Divide the dough between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Flatten each into a 1/2-inch-thick disk and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with more flour as needed.
• Cut out 3-inch squares using a sharp paring knife or a 3-inch square cutter (you should be able to get 6 or 7 squares). Lift the cutouts using an offset spatula and arrange 2 inches apart on one of the prepared baking sheets. Re-wrap and refrigerate the dough scraps while you shape the pinwheels.
• Cut a 1 1/2-inch slit in all four corners of each dough square to form 8 points. Fold over every other point and press into the center of the square. Refrigerate while you make the leaves.
• Cut enough leaves out of the scraps using a sharp paring knife or a leaf-shaped cutter, making 2 leaves for each pinwheel. Arrange the leaves on the other prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush with water and sprinkle with green sanding sugar. Set aside in the refrigerator.
• Lightly brush the pinwheels with water and sprinkle half with red sanding sugar and half with white sanding sugar. Brush the end of 2 leaves and tuck underneath a pinwheel on opposite sides. (No need to press the dough; it will meld together as it bakes.)
• Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the cookies are puffed and the edges are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Immediately press a chocolate candy in the center of each warm cookie. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat with the remaining disk of dough, and any remaining scraps, to make more cookies.

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.

CHECKERBOARD COOKIES

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract, lemon extract, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, scraping down sides of bowl.
• Turn dough out onto a clean work surface; it will be loose and crumbly. Knead dough by pushing small amounts away from you with the heel of your hand for 1 to 2 minutes. Divide dough in half. Sprinkle cocoa powder over one of the halves. Knead until cocoa has been fully incorporated.
• Place each half of the kneaded dough between 2 sheets of plastic. Using a rolling pin, shape dough into two 7-inch squares, about 3/8 inch thick. Using a sharp knife and a ruler, slice each square into nine 3/4-inch-wide strips.
• Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water. Cover work surface with plastic wrap. Place 3 strips of dough on plastic, alternating white and chocolate strips. Brush tops and in between the strips with egg wash. Gently press strips together. Repeat, forming second and third layers, alternating colors to create a checkerboard effect. Wrap assembled log in plastic. Repeat process for second log, reversing color pattern. Refrigerate 30 minutes, or freeze 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Slice each log into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place on baking sheet. Bake until done, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven, and let cookies cool 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

PINWHEELS AND CHECKERBOARD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
• Divide dough into fourths. Tint one portion red and one portion green. Stir chocolate into another portion. Wrap chocolate and plain portions in plastic wrap; chill for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
• For pinwheel cookies, divide red and green portions in half. Roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 9-in. x 6-in. rectangle. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Remove waxed paper. Place one green rectangle over a red rectangle. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat. Chill for 2 hours or until firm.
• For checkerboard cookies, divide plain and chocolate portions in half. Roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 6-in. x 4-in. rectangle. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into eight 1/2-in. strips.
• Stack the strips in groups of four, alternating plain and chocolate strips and forming eight separate stacks. Form a four-stack block by alternating chocolate-topped and plain-topped stacks. Repeat. Press together gently. Wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 2 hours.
• Unwrap and cut pinwheel and checkerboard dough into 1/4-in. slices. Place 1 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 9-11 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 6 dozen pinwheel and 4 dozen checkerboard cookies.