Soft Mocha Fudge Pinwheel Cookies
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 Measuring cups set
- 1 Measuring spoons set
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Baking sheet
- 2 parchment paper sheets
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 sharp knife or bench scraper
- 1 Wire rack
- 1 plastic wrap roll
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 2 tablespoon hot water
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-process preferred
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon milk as needed for dough flexibility
Instructions
- Dissolve the instant espresso powder in the hot water and set aside to cool.
- Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until smooth.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low just until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough evenly into two bowls, leaving one portion plain vanilla.
- To the second portion, mix in the cocoa powder and cooled espresso until fully combined, adding 1 tablespoon milk if the dough seems stiff.
- Pat each dough into a 6x8-inch rectangle, wrap in plastic, and chill for 45 minutes.
- Prepare the fudge filling by melting the chopped chocolate with heavy cream and corn syrup over low heat, stirring until smooth, then cool to a spreadable consistency.
- Roll the vanilla dough between parchment to a 9x12-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
- Roll the mocha-chocolate dough between parchment to the same 9x12-inch size.
- Peel the top parchment from each dough and stack the mocha layer over the vanilla layer, aligning edges.
- Spread a very thin, even layer of the cooled fudge filling over the top, leaving a 1/2-inch border on one long edge.
- Starting from the opposite long edge, roll the layered dough into a tight log using the parchment to help, sealing at the border.
- Wrap the log tightly in parchment, then plastic, and chill until very firm, at least 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the log into 1/4-inch rounds, rotating the log every few slices to keep it round.
- Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until set at the edges but slightly soft in the centers.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Chilling is crucial for clean spirals—if the dough softens while slicing, pop it back in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust thickness to taste; thinner slices bake crisper, thicker slices stay softer. If your dough cracks while rolling, let it warm for 2 to 3 minutes, then continue. Use Dutch-process cocoa for a smoother chocolate flavor; natural cocoa will be a bit sharper. For bolder coffee notes, increase espresso powder to 1.5 tablespoons, or reduce to 2 teaspoons for milder flavor. Freeze the wrapped log up to 2 months and slice from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to bake time. A light sprinkle of flaky sea salt before baking enhances the mocha and fudge flavors.
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