Best 5 Pinwheels And Checkerboard Cookies Recipes

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Calling all cookie lovers! This article has everything you need to make two delightful treats: pinwheels and checkerboard cookies. With step-by-step instructions and helpful tips, you'll be baking like a pro in no time. Whether you're looking for a fun activity with the kids or a sweet treat to impress your friends, these recipes have got you covered. So, preheat your oven and let's get started! We'll begin with the classic pinwheels, known for their colorful swirls and buttery flavor. Then, we'll move on to the checkerboard cookies, a unique and visually stunning treat that's perfect for any occasion. Both recipes are relatively easy to make and require basic ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. So, gather your supplies, put on your apron, and let's embark on this delicious baking journey together!

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

PINWHEELS AND CHECKERBOARDS



Pinwheels and Checkerboards image

My mom used to make these cookies every Christmas, and I still love them. They are so colorful...and you can get two kinds of cookies from one dough! They're perfect for including in gift boxes.-Jill Heatwole, Pittsville, Maryland

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 40m

Yield 6 dozen pinwheel and 4 dozen checkerboard cookies.

Number Of Ingredients 11

1-1/4 cups butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Red and green gel food coloring
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 45 calories, Fat 2g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 8mg cholesterol, Sodium 43mg sodium, Carbohydrate 6g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

POINSETTIA PINWHEEL COOKIES



Poinsettia Pinwheel Cookies image

Despite the intricate design, these festive pinwheels are simple to create. The cream cheese in the cookie dough adds just the right amount of pliability, so you can cut, fold and shape with ease. We decorated the cookies with white, red and green coarse sanding sugar, sometimes called pearlized sugar, but you can feel free to swap in plain confectioners' sugar. They'll look stunning either way!

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 4h30m

Yield about 18 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 9

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (see Cook's Note)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
Red coarse sanding sugar, for decorating
White coarse sanding sugar, for decorating
Green coarse sanding sugar, for decorating
18 to 20 yellow candy-coated chocolates, such as M&Ms

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.

LIZZIE'S CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIES



Lizzie's Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies image

Provided by Trisha Yearwood

Categories     dessert

Time 9h55m

Yield 2 dozen cookies

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 cup vegetable shortening, such as Crisco
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk
1 ounce (1 square) unsweetened baking chocolate, melted

Steps:

  • Cream the shortening and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla, and egg yolk and mix well.
  • Sift the flour into a separate bowl with the baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately to the shortening mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and mix to form a dough. Divide the dough into 2 halves. To one half, add the chocolate, mixing thoroughly. Wrap both sections of dough in separate pieces of plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
  • Unwrap and roll each half of dough between 2 pieces of waxed paper. Roll to a 1/8-inch thickness. Remove the waxed paper from the top of each layer of dough. Place the white layer on top of the chocolate layer and roll up carefully as you would a jellyroll, using the waxed paper to roll smoothly. Wrap the roll with the waxed paper and chill overnight in the refrigerator.
  • The next day, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Cut the roll into 1/4-inch slices (see Cook's Note) and place about 1/2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes. Do not brown. Remove carefully with a pancake turner and cool on racks.

CHOCOLATE PINWHEELS



Chocolate Pinwheels image

Keep a box of buttery pinwheels in your freezer for that time when you really need them.

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Dessert

Time 9h50m

Yield 48

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Betty Crocker™ chocolate candy sprinkles, if desired

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 90, Carbohydrate 10 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Fat 1, Fiber 0 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, ServingSize 1 Cookie, Sodium 75 mg

PINWHEELS AND CHECKERBOARD COOKIES



Pinwheels and Checkerboard Cookies image

Make and share this Pinwheels and Checkerboard Cookies recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Karen..

Categories     Dessert

Time 40m

Yield 60 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
red and green gel food coloring
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 89.5, Fat 4.3, SaturatedFat 2.6, Cholesterol 16.4, Sodium 87.5, Carbohydrate 11.8, Fiber 0.3, Sugar 5.3, Protein 1.2

Tips:

  • Use a sharp knife: A sharp knife will give you clean, even cuts, which is essential for creating beautiful pinwheels and checkerboard cookies.
  • Work quickly: The dough for pinwheels and checkerboard cookies is delicate, so it's important to work quickly to prevent it from becoming too soft and sticky.
  • Chill the dough: Before cutting and baking the cookies, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. This will help the cookies hold their shape and prevent them from spreading too much in the oven.
  • Don't overbake the cookies: Pinwheels and checkerboard cookies are best when they are slightly underbaked. This will help them stay soft and chewy.

Conclusion:

Pinwheels and checkerboard cookies are a delicious and festive treat that is perfect for any occasion. With a little planning and preparation, you can easily make these cookies at home. Just be sure to follow the tips above to ensure that your cookies turn out perfectly.

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