Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

chocolate pinewheel cookies in a white tray.

Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies are buttery, slice-and-bake cookies with a delicious swirl of chocolate and vanilla dough — all made from one basic cookie dough. They’re easy to make yet look impressively beautiful!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate pinwheel cookies, chocolate swirl cookies, pinwheel cookies, pinwheel swirl cookies, swirl cookies

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Total Time 8

Servings cookies

Calories 44kcal

Author Maria Doss

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter (113.5 gms) 1 stick, room temperature
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar (62.5 gms)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup + 3 tablespoons all purpose flour (142.5)
1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder (9.4 gms)

Instructions

Make vanilla dough. Add the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a medium bowl. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for about 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Add the flour and mix on low speed, gradually increasing to medium, until the dough comes together and looks slightly sticky. Do not overmix.
Make Chocolate Dough. Transfer half of the dough to a separate bowl. Add the cocoa powder to the remaining dough and beat until fully combined.
Roll. Shape the vanilla dough into a rectangular disc and roll it between two sheets of parchment paper to about ⅛-inch thickness. Repeat the same process with the chocolate dough.
Shape into a log. Carefully remove the top sheet of parchment from one rolled dough and gently place the other dough on top, aligning as best as you can. Don’t worry if the layers aren’t perfect — simply trim any overhanging dough and use it to patch thin or uneven spots.
Gently roll the layered dough into a tight log. If the dough cracks or sticks to the parchment, chill it in the fridge for 10–15 minutes before rolling. Wrap the log in parchment and roll it lightly on the counter to slightly lengthen it; this helps remove air bubbles and ensures the two dough layers stick together.
Chill. Place the dough log, still wrapped in parchment, in the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
Bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into ¼-inch-thick pieces and arrange them on the baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the cookies are golden, rotating the pan halfway through for even baking. Cool in the pan.

Video

Notes

Chill the dough log: Refrigerate the dough log for at least 2 hours (or up to 1 day) before slicing and baking. This helps the cookies hold their shape and prevents the beautiful swirl pattern from spreading.

Cut even-sized discs: Make sure each slice is the same thickness. Uneven discs will bake unevenly — the thinner ones may brown before the thicker ones are done.

Don’t roll directly on the counter: Roll out the doughs on parchment paper for easy lifting and stacking; this prevents tearing and sticking.

Make ahead: The rolled dough log can be frozen for up to 2 months. Transfer it to the fridge overnight to thaw, then slice and bake as directed.

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