Swirly Goodness

So what's more fitting for my "post-workout post" than a cookie post!  

At least these went with the boy to his work where he's buying his popularity with baked goods.  

I made pinwheels!  How cute are these?  

They have a simple chocolate and vanilla taste that isn't over powered by raisins, or peanut butter, or almonds, or chocolate chips, or any of that stuff.  Just a good clean cookie - that I wasn't expecting to like as much as I did.  They had a nice soft texture without being crunchy or sandy.  And, really, they're just nice to look at.  :)

The Recipe (from the Cookie Companion):

Vanilla Dough

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla.  Add the flour, stirring to make a cohesive dough.  Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap (I used wax paper), and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.

Chocolate Dough:

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla.  Add the flour and cocoa, stirring to make a cohesive dough.  Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap (I used wax paper), and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.

To make the pinwheels:

1 batch of each dough

Egg white wash (1 large egg white, 1 tablespoon water, whisk until very slightly foamy)

1. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper on your work surface.  Lay one piece of dough on the parchment and roll it into a 9x12-inch rectangle.  Set aside.

2. Using another piece of parchment or wax paper, roll the other piece of dough just slightly smaller than the first, into an 8.5 x 11-inch rectangle.  Brush the egg white glaze over the larger piece of dough.  Place the smaller piece of dough on top of the larger piece, using the parchment to transport.

3. Starting with a long edge, use the parchment to help you gently roll the stacked doughs into a tight log, with no gaps.  Press the edge to seal, then wrap the log in plastic wrap or parchment, and freeze until firm.

4. Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets. 

5. Remove the dough from the freezer, unwrap it, and place it on a clean work surface.  Let it thaw for 15 minutes.  Use a sharp knife to gently cut the log into 1/4-inch slices.  if the dough becomes too soft, place it back in the freezer briefly.  Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets.

6. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until they feel firm.  Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

7. Enjoy!

Much love!

Renee