This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
It’s been many years since I baked these pinwheel cookies. I always make so much fudge and toffee to give away that I’ve somehow stopped baking some of my traditional family favorites. The moment I sunk my teeth into this cookie, the memories became so clear. It’s funny how tastes and smells can take you to a different place and time. My mom always made these cookies each and every Christmas. I think she made them mostly for my oldest brother (I have three) but I loved them too! Well brother John, if we didn’t live 1,500 miles away from each other I would be inclined to share a few with you!
 You’ll need ground nuts or shredded coconut, sugar, cocoa, Pet milk, cake flour, shortening, an egg yolk, and vanilla.
 This recipe must be as old as I am – or as old as my brother 🙂
 Combine 1 cup ground nuts (I used pecans), 2 tablespoons cocoa and 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
 Blend in 3 tablespoons Pet milk. Mix well. Set the chocolate, nut mixture aside while preparing the dough.
 Sift before measuring the cake flour. Sift enough for 1 1/2 cups. Re-sift the flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
 Using a mixer, cream together 1/4 cup shortening and 1/2 cup sugar. Mix until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg yolk. Add the flour mixture alternately with a mixture of 2 tablespoons Pet milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix until smooth after each addition.
Turn the dough out onto lightly floured wax paper. Form into a rectangular roll.
 Yes you’re right. I still have a slight obsession with my rolling pin. I’m cutting back – really!
 Roll the dough into a sheet 8×10 inches.
 Spread the chocolate & nut mixture on top of the dough.
 Leave a one inch margin on each 10-inch side.
 With the aid of the wax paper, roll up like a jelly roll.
 Wrap in the wax paper and freeze until firm.
Slice and bake baby!
 Cut the cookies into 1/8 inch slices. Bake at 375 degrees on a Silpat mat or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes or until lightly brown on the bottom of the cookie.
 Cool for a minute then transfer cookies to a wire rack. Once cool store in a sealed container.
These are so pretty and very tasty cookies. I hope they become one of your family favorites too.
Don’t forget to PIN to your favorite Cookie Board!
Pinwheel Cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes
Yield: 4 dozen
Course: Dessert
A family favorite for more than 50 years.
Ingredients
For the chocolate filling:
- 1 cup ground pecans or shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
- ¼ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons evaporated milk
For the cookie dough:
- 1 ½ cups cake flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup soft vegetable shortening (like Crisco)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Mix together the chopped pecan, cocoa and ¼ cup sugar. Blend in 3 tablespoons Pet milk. Set aside while preparing the dough.
- Sift cake flour before measuring. Resift 1 ½ cups cake flour with ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside. Cream together the shortening and ½ cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg yolk. Add the flour mixture alternately with a mixture of 2 tablespoons pet milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix until smooth after each addition. Turn out dough on a lightly floured piece of wax paper. Roll into a rectangular sheet 8x10 inches. Spread with the chocolate nut mixture leaving a one inch margin on each 10-inch side. With the aid of the wax paper, roll up like a jelly roll. Wrap in the wax paper and freeze until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the dough into ⅛ inch slices. Place the cookies on a Silpat Mat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container. Yield: 4 dozen cookies.
Recipe Notes
- Recipe from my mom
Nutrition
Calories: 647kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 315mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
I’m getting out of the kitchen for the rest of the week and into the Mall! I have a feeling I’ll be out there shopping with all the husbands and boyfriends that waited until the last minute. So I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas! I’ll be back Monday with the last and final pie of 2011.
Take care and I hope you have a blessed, safe, memorable holiday with your loved ones. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Merry Christmas
Tricia
Tom
Nice recipe Tricia thanks for sharing.Funny thing about Traditional recipes it was one of the main reasons why I got into baking, cooking and collecting traditional recipes from everyone even restaurants that just disappeared over time? Don’t know how many times I would hear people complain about certain recipes like, “I sure wish I had my mom’s or grandma’s recipe for _____?” Sad stories of many from the past that their Grandma/pa Mom/friend/Cousin’s wonderful recipes. Many Just vanished into the sunset as they were never passed down or never wrote down thus lost forever in time? Every now and then I would run across a few I had growing up that trigger my mind of great foods and treats from my past. So about 25 years ago, I started getting into collecting & saving traditional family recipes of the past. As you said, “It’s funny how tastes and smells can trigger a past memory?” I could be somewhere or watching something and then a trigger moment thing would remind me of something interesting from my past same with smells at a bakery? A recipe or image can also trigger a idea of something I wanted to recreate with a different filling in these cookies.
Tricia Buice
Thank you for the wonderful comment Tom. I have so many memories with my mom and grandmother in the kitchen. These cookies will always make me think of mom! Happy holidays and may all your baked goods be phenomenal!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland
Love these Tricia! Old family favorites are the best!
Tricia Buice
Love your melting moments too! Have a great holiday Sue!
Chatty Crone
Oh my goodness – those look so delicious. sandie
A SPICY PERSPECTIVE
YES! I love pinwheel cookies. So cute… and delicious!
thecompletecookbook
Such a pretty festive gift idea.<br />:-) Mandy
Anna and Liz Recipes
Love Pinwheel cookies! …so funny I too have so many recipes in a decrepit book of mine! Have a wonderful Christmas! All the best to you and your family, Anna and Liz
Erin
Oh these look so delicious! I've never made pinwheel cookies before, and this really makes me want some!<br />Hope you have a Merry Christmas! 🙂
Mary
These are such pretty cookies, Tricia! I love the look of pinwheel cookies. I've never made this version. They sound delicious. Have a wonderful day! Good luck with the shopping and the rest of your Christmas prep. Merry Christmas to YOU!
Tanna at The Brick Street Bungalow
Tricia, I'll be out there with you! LOL! The Little Men have kept me occupied so I am behind on my Christmas chores. They will be visiting the other side of the family tomorrow, so Noni will be hustling to finish up with the shopping!! Blessings to you and yours for this holy season ~ tanna