Icebox Pinwheel Cookies Recipes

ICEBOX COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts if desire. , On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into three 10-in. x 1-in. rolls. Tightly wrap each roll in waxed paper. Freeze for at least 12 hours. , Cut into 3/8-in. slices and place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

TENNESSEE ICEBOX COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir will to mix. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until well mixed, about 1 minute, then beat in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating smooth after each addition. Scrape the bowl and beater well and beat in the flour mixture followed immediately by the almonds.
• Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape and squeeze it into two rough cylinders, each about 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Roll a piece of parchment or waxed paper around each piece of dough and tighten by pressing it in with the side of a cookie sheet or a piece of stiff cardboard. Chill the dough until firm. Or, at this stage, it can be double-wrapped in plastic, frozen, and kept for up to several weeks.
• When you are ready to bake the cookies, set the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Slice the cookies 1/4-inch thick, rotating the roll of dough often as you slice so it doesn't become squashed from the weight of the knife. Arrange the cookies on the prepared pans about 1-inch apart in all directions and bake them for about 12 to 15 minutes, until they have puffed somewhat and have become dull and are firm to the touch. Slide the papers from the pans onto racks. After the cookies have cooled, store them between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

GALE GAND'S PINWHEEL COOKIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat on low just until combined.
• Divide dough in half. Form 1 half into 4- by 4-inch square, wrap in plastic wrap, and set aside. Return other half to mixer. In metal bowl set over pan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Add melted chocolate to dough in mixer and beat just until combined. Form chocolate dough into 4- by 4-inch square and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate both squares of dough 30 minutes.
• Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each dough square into 4 strips. Place 3 strips of chocolate dough and 4 strips of vanilla dough on baking sheet and refrigerate. Between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll out 4th strip of chocolate dough into 6- by 7-inch rectangle (use ruler to make sure dimensions are exact). Remove 1 strip of vanilla dough from refrigerator and, between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll out into 6- by 6-inch square. Peel off top sheet of parchment from each dough and flip vanilla dough over onto chocolate, aligning top and bottom edges and allowing 1/2 inch of chocolate dough to stick out on each side. Run rolling pin lightly over doughs to adhere, then peel off top sheet of parchment. Fold extra 1/2 inch of chocolate dough over vanilla on 1 side. Starting on folded-over side and using parchment as aid, tightly roll up dough into log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Repeat with remaining strips of dough to form 4 logs.
• Refrigerate logs 1 hour, then remove from refrigerator and roll each log on counter several times to prevent bottom from flattening. Refrigerate 3 hours more, then transfer to freezer. When frozen, wrap in parchment paper, twist ends, and tie with decorative ribbon. Attach card with baking instructions for each log:
• Keep dough frozen until ready to slice and bake. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease 2 large baking sheets. Using sharp knife, slice dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices and place 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake until vanilla dough is slightly golden, 9 to 11 minutes. Makes 20 cookies.

HOLIDAY ICEBOX COOKIES

Steps:

• Using the electric mixer, mix the butter and the sugar until creamy. Add the eggs and the salt, and mix well. Beat in milk and vanilla. Add flour a little at a time, mixing it in until all of it has been incorporated.
• Divide the dough into balls, one for each color. For chocolate dough, add cocoa (1/4 cup is enough to flavor half a batch). Mix well with electric mixer. For colored dough, start with 1/4 teaspoon food coloring, and mix well. Add more in tiny amounts for darker colors. Gel-paste coloring can be intense, so add it gradually.
• Wrap each ball of dough in its own sheet of plastic wrap; pat flat into a rectangle. Refrigerate at least one hour or until ready to use.
• Parchment or waxed paper makes a good work surface. Sprinkle generously with flour, then roll out each piece of dough 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick to make the swirls; you can use thicker layers for the bull's-eyes.
• The bench scraper is a good tool for trimming dough's edges to make them even. The egg white, brushed on with a pastry brush, will act as a glue, making the layers stick together.
• For center, with your hands, roll chocolate dough into a 1/2- to 1 1/2- inch-thick rod; chill 20 minutes. Place rod on edge of rolled-out dough that's been brushed with egg white.
• Roll rod inside sheet of dough. Cut the dough where it meets up. Seal by pinching and pressing gently. Chill 20 minutes, then repeat to add other layers. To decorate, go to step 7, or jump to step 8 for plain.
• For spirals, measure and trim two or more colors of dough to same size. Brush on egg white, then stack layers. Brush top with egg white. Starting at one end, roll up the dough.
• Smooth and straighten the layers as you roll them so there are no gaps, then gently pinch and press the edge of the roll to seal it. Now the dough is ready to decorate. If you want plain cookies, skip to step 18.
• Add your favorite toppings (try coconut, colored sanding sugar, chopped nuts, or chocolate sprinkles): Spread topping in baking sheet, brush dough with egg white, and roll the log in topping.
• Roll each log in parchment or waxed paper; twist the ends of the paper closed. To help the logs keep their round shape, set each in a cardboard paper-towel roll that you have sliced open lengthwise.
• To remember what colors you have already used, with crayons, draw the designs onto key tags; tie the tags onto the paper covering the logs. Chill logs until they are solid, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Cut 15 inches of dental floss (or double thickness of thread). Let log soften for about 10 minutes. Remove parchment. Wrap floss around log and pull through. Make the slices thin: 1/4 inch or less.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place slices on an ungreased baking sheet (lined with parchment paper). A grown-up should bake the cookies 12 to 15 minutes, until firm but not browned. Let cool on baking sheet for several minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

ORANGE DATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine the dates, 1/4 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, orange juice and water. Cook, stirring frequently until the dates have softened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon orange zest and pecans. When mixture has cooled, process in a food processor or blender until pecans are finely ground. Set aside.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1/2 cup white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla and 2 teaspoons orange zest. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients to form a smooth dough. Divide dough into thirds, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm.
• Roll each third of the dough out into a rectangle 1/4 inch in thickness. Spread 1/3 of the filling over each rectangle leaving a 1 inch strip of dough uncovered on one of the long sides. Starting at the edge opposite of the uncovered strip, roll the dough up jellyroll style and press lightly to seal. Wrap the rolls in waxed paper and refrigerate until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. slice chilled rolls of dough into coins about 1/4 inch thick. Place slices 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.