Ginger-Lemon Pinwheel Cookies

Our holiday open house was a big success with over 100 people showing up. Here is a cookie recipe that was a big hit.

Ginger-Lemon Pinwheel Cookies

Ingredients

* Ginger dough:
* 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
* 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
* 1/4 cup molasses
* 1 large egg yolk
* 6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/3 cups)
* 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* Dash of ground allspice


Lemon dough:
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
* 2/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1 large egg white
* 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
* 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/3 cups)
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. To prepare ginger dough, place 1/4 cup butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes). Add molasses and egg yolk; beat until well blended. Weigh or lightly spoon 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 6 ounces flour, ginger, and next 4 ingredients (through allspice); stir with a whisk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.

2. To prepare lemon dough, place 5 tablespoons butter and granulated sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (about 3 minutes). Add egg white; beat until blended. Beat in rind and vanilla. Weigh or lightly spoon 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 6 ounces flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.

3. Unwrap ginger dough. Roll ginger dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a 13 x 8 1/2–inch rectangle (3/16 inch thick); chill 10 minutes. Unwrap lemon dough. Roll lemon dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a 13 x 9–inch rectangle (3/16 inch thick); chill 10 minutes. Carefully stack ginger dough on top of lemon dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long edge. Starting with the long side without a border, roll up dough, jelly-roll fashion. Seal edges (do not seal ends of roll). Cover with plastic wrap; freeze 30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 350°.

5. Unwrap dough. Cut with a sharp knife into 40 slices (about 1/4 inch thick). Reshape rounds, if necessary. Arrange slices 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 8 to 9 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Cool on wire racks

December 2009--Cooking Light