Nutella Pinwheel Cookies

Well, it is December 1st and that means the holiday baking season has officially begun. After making the pumpkin roll, I was inspired to share this swirling recipe with you.

I love Nutella. For those of you who do not know what Nutella is (I say that because I have introduced many women and children to this delectable spread), it is a hazelnut spread that is made with skim milk and cocoa powder. We enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dessert. Spread it on bread, eat it with fruit, warm it and drizzle it over ice cream, or sandwich it between two Pepperidge Farm Bordeaux cookies for a particularly nice treat.

A couple of years ago I came across this site, World Nutella Day. It was started in 2007 by Sara Rosso, an American blogger living in Italy. She felt the world needed a day to celebrate our love for Nutella. Bless her soul!

So, World Nutella Day 2009 rolled around and I saw a recipe for Nutella Pinwheel Cookies. A simple butter cookie dough slathered with Nutella, rolled into a log, sliced and baked. Yum! These cookies are some kind of good. I even had a neighbor who doesn’t care for sweets (what?!?) thoroughly enjoy them. 

Back to the holiday baking…these are perfect because you can make the dough in advance and store it in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. And once baked they will keep for up to a week in an airtight container, but I doubt they will last that long. So make a batch and share them with your family, friends, neighbors, and teachers. They will love you for it!

*Update– A reader contacted me and told me that she used Cocoa Bliss in lieu of the Nutella for allergy reasons.

Nutella Pinwheel Cookies

Prep: 20 minsCook: 15 minsRefrigeration Time: 1 hrTotal: 1 hr 35 mins Servings: 48 cookies These swirling cookies will dazzle your eyes and your tastebuds!

Equipment

• Stand mixer

Ingredients 

• 8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 extra large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ⅓ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup Nutella, divided

Instructions 

1. In a small, bowl stir together the flour and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until combined. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture. Mix until it forms a soft dough. Transfer the dough on to a lightly floured surface. Shape in to square and divide it in half. Transfer each half to a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Unwrap one half of the dough and place on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Cover with a sheet plastic wrap and roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness, about 10-inch x 8-inch rectangle.
4. Remove the plastic wrap. Using an off-set spatula, spread half (¼ cup) Nutella on to the dough leaving a ¼-inch edge all around. Using the parchment as a guide, roll the dough starting from the longest side, in to a tight log. Wrap the parchment around the log and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining half.
5. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Unwrap the log and slice into approximately ⅓-inch slices. Place the slices on the prepared baking sheet 1-2 inches apart Bake for 12-15 minutes or until just golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for 1 week. Enjoy!

Notes

An unbaked cookie log can be made ahead of time, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in a freezer bag for 2 weeks. Increase baking time by 3-5 minutes if slicing and baking frozen dough.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 14mg, Potassium: 22mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 129IU, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.