Italian Flag Pinwheel Cookies
It’s that time of year again when the weather starts getting cooler, the leaves change colors, and the smell of fresh-baked cookies fills the air like Santa’s workshop.
There are at least a thousand ways that you can make great cookies, but today I thought I would take some classic pinwheel cookies and give them my own personal spin with the colors of the Italian flag.
I’ll also be flavoring my cookies with some almond extract to make it more like those wonderfully soft Italian rainbow cookies that I love.
Italian Flag Pinwheel Cookies
Makes about 16 cookies
Time: 1 hour, plus 3 hours of chilling
2 cups of all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of almond extract
Red and Green food coloring
Sanding Sugar
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, then set aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light, pale, and fluffy, at least 3 minutes. (see note down below)
Add the egg and both extracts, then beat until well combined, then add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth dough forms.
Divide the dough into three portions; weighing will ensure each piece has the same amount of dough. Leave one dough portion plain, then dye one portion red and the other green. Shape each portion of dough into a rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap, then chill for one hour or until the dough is firm.
Step 2: Roll the Dough and Make the Pinwheels
Lay the red dough onto a floured sheet of parchment paper, then use a rolling pin to roll it into an 8x11-inch rectangle. I find that it helps to press down on the dough a bit before rolling to soften it slightly.
Set the red dough aside, then roll out the plain dough to the same size. Lay the plain dough on top of the red dough, making sure the red dough is almost fully covered with the plain, and gently press down with your hands to allow the dough to stick together. Repeat with the green dough, and lay that on top of the plain dough.
Grab the shorter end of the parchment paper, then use that to help roll the dough up into a thick log, making sure to squish the dough together as you go and making sure to roll it as tight as you can. Chill the dough log for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
Step 3: Slice and Bake the Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, and dump sanding sugar onto a plate or other wide, flat surface.
Lightly brush the dough log with water, then roll in the sanding sugar to coat. Trim off the ends of the log, then slice into 1/2-inch thick slices, then lay them cut-side down onto the baking sheet.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until firm around the edges but still soft in the middle, let them cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
There is no reason why you shouldn’t make these Italian flag pinwheel cookies.
They’re easy to make, they’re colorful and fun for the kids, they taste great, and they’re also great as a holiday gift.
Note: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people overlook this step, they’ll beat the butter and sugar until barely combined, then add their eggs and move on (image on the left). The point of creaming is to beat lots of air into the butter for a lighter dough and also so the sugar can drill microscopic holes into the butter, which will make adding any other liquid ingredients much easier. Basically, it should be beaten until you can’t feel any sugar crystals in the butter.
