Lemon Vanilla Swirl Pinwheel Cookies
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 microplane zester
- 1 Measuring cups set
- 1 Measuring spoons set
- 1 Kitchen scale optional
- 2 sheets parchment paper
- 1 plastic wrap roll
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 ruler optional
- 1 sharp knife or bench scraper
- 2 baking sheets
- 1 wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract divided
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest finely grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 drop yellow gel food coloring optional
- 2 tablespoon milk as needed
- 1/4 cup sanding sugar optional for edges
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla until fully combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low just until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough evenly into two portions and place one portion back in the mixer bowl.
- To the dough in the mixer, add lemon zest, lemon juice, and a few drops of yellow gel coloring (if using), mixing just to combine; if sticky, mix in 1-2 tablespoons flour.
- To the remaining plain dough, mix in the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla until combined.
- Shape each dough portion into a rectangle, wrap separately in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes to firm slightly.
- Roll the vanilla dough between parchment into a 9x12-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
- Roll the lemon dough between parchment to the same 9x12-inch size and thickness.
- Peel top parchment from each sheet and carefully place the lemon sheet directly over the vanilla sheet, aligning edges and trimming to square if needed.
- Starting from a 12-inch long side, use the bottom parchment to help tightly roll the stacked dough into a log, smoothing as you go to prevent air gaps.
- Wrap the log tightly in plastic, twist the ends to compress, and chill for at least 2 hours until very firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- If desired, unwrap the log, lightly brush with a little milk, roll in sanding sugar, and rewrap briefly to set.
- Using a sharp knife, slice 1/4-inch thick rounds, rotating the log occasionally to keep it round, and place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes until the edges are just set and the bottoms are pale golden.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For the cleanest spiral, keep both doughs the same thickness and temperature when stacking so they adhere without cracking; if the dough softens while rolling, refrigerate for 10 minutes and continue. Measuring with a ruler helps maintain a tight, even log and prevents lopsided spirals. Use gel coloring to avoid adding extra liquid, and add a teaspoon of milk only if the dough seems dry or crumbly. A serrated knife makes tidier slices, and chilling the sliced rounds on the tray for 10 minutes before baking helps minimize spread. Store cookies airtight for up to 5 days or freeze the unbaked log up to 2 months; thaw just enough to slice.
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