Checkerboard & Pinwheel Cookies
These pretty cookies would impress young and old! They are beautiful in appearance and incredibly delicious too!Recipe source: Checkerboard Cookies
Ingredients
- 5 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 lb unsalted butter at room temperature (2 cups or 4 sticks)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and mix to combine. Finish the mixing with your hands or a wooden spoon.Divide the dough in half. Knead ½ cup of cocoa into one portion of the dough.Divide the chocolate and vanilla dough in half. Form each of total four portions into a rectangle, wrap individually in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to a day.Before proceeding, take one portion of the chocolate and one portion of the vanilla dough and let them sit on the counter for about 15-20 minutes to soften slightly.On parchment paper (preferred) or a lightly floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll one portion of the vanilla and one portion of the chocolate dough (separately, of course) into ½ -inch thick rectangles, with the sides about 12 x 5 inches long. Using a pizza wheel (such a wonderful tool for this job) cut out total of 9 ½ -inch wide strips from the each dough. Handling the strips delicately, form two checkerboard logs alternating the chocolate and vanilla strips (see the photo of the finished cookies). I never use an egg white or water to adhere the strips one to another. If you don’t use a lot of flour during the dough rolling it’s not necessary, everything stays together without any problem. Cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate until firm, at least for 2 hours.When ready to continue, on the parchment paper roll the remaining chocolate (or vanilla) dough into a rectangle about 1/3-inch thick and measuring 12 x 6 inches. Place the firmed checkerboard log into the center, long sides parallel, and with the aid of parchment, wrap the dough around the checkerboard log pressing firmly to adhere. Roll the finished log from side to side to form sharp corners. Wrap in the parchment and/or plastic and refrigerate well. The best would be to leave the formed cookie log in the refrigerator overnight. Don’t rush if you are after the uniform shape of the cookies. Repeat with the rest of the dough and the second chilled checkerboard log to form another, opposite in colors, cookie log. Wrap, place in the fridge. As I mentioned, you can freeze the logs. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before using.When ready to bake, center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 350F. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Using a very sharp knife, slice the cookie-dough log into ¼-inch thick slices. Place on the prepared baking sheet leaving about 1 inch all way around them. Bake the cookies, in batches, for about 12 minutes until firm and golden brown on the bottom. Don’t let them bake for too long, or the color contrast between the chocolate and vanilla dough will be lost. Cool on the baking sheet on a rack for 15 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to the rack and cool completely.Pinwheel cookiesThis is a variation in the preparation of the above recipe. Using half the measurements of the same recipe, make the dough and then divide it into two equal portions. Add the cocoa into one of the portions. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.Roll out first the dark and then the vanilla dough (preferably on parchment) into rectangles of about 9”x14”. Place one rolled out sheet very carefully on top of the other and then roll starting with the longer side into a cylindrical log, similar to a swiss-roll. Smoothen it by rolling the log using the palm of your hand on the counter.Cover tightly in plastic and refrigerate until firm (over-night). Slice and bake!
plz need step by step!!!
plz fauzia sis..may allah bless you!
step by step please
Need step by step please
by refrigerate do u mean freezer?
Nope, put it in the fridge/refrigerator not the freezer. When I write freeze is when it needs to be in the freezer.
did the pinwheel cookies… first cookies av eva baked and thy were sooo great… thnx… cnt wait to try out several other recipes
a.alkm. .what is parchment.thank u
W/Salaam, baking paper or greaseproof paper. 🙂
Salam dear. This is complicated. Cant understand. If u can give a step by step pictures n method. It will b very nice of u. Thanku
plz need step by step!!!
Could u plzz tell step by step recepie plzzzzzzz…m a big fan of urs…:)
Yeah Madam, I am not that clever enough to understand, kindly try to post step by step.. 🙂
Plz step by step..
Plz step by step..
Can you please demonstrate
Can you please demonstrate the whole process through a video or some more step by step pictures?
Will do inshaAllah.
Will do inshaAllah.
A.aleikum fauzia.please show
A.aleikum fauzia.please show the receipe step by step
Salam ..thank u fozia..please
Salam ..thank u fozia..please show step by step urgently..keen to make…nd please tell us how to make khoya from milk powder.and roughni Nan’s.
Fauzia waiting for step by
Fauzia waiting for step by step..plz do it
salam fauzia!
salam fauzia!
can you please tell me half quantity of this recipe!
W/Salaam, difficult to get
W/Salaam, difficult to get the calculations and measurements right after halving because the dough has to be rolled out to certain sizes etc.
8 dozens is a large quantity
8 dozens is a large quantity for my 4 people family.please any idea!
You can freeze one of the
You can freeze one of the logs and then whenever you need cookies just remove slice and bake. That is what I do too. 🙂