Pumpkin Pie Pinwheel Cookies

Pumpkin Pie Pinwheel Cookies

I first saw these cookies on Food Network and really liked the original recipe. The combination of a buttery pastry cookie and a pumpkin pie-like filling swirled together worked very well.  I did find the spice level to be a little timid for my taste though. I thought that a cookie, being such a smaller portion than a whole piece of pie, the flavor could have been concentrated more and that's what I set out to do in this recipe along with a couple of other tweaks.

I broke down the generic "pumpkin pie spice" used in the recipe and added what I like but if that's all you have on hand feel free to use it in this recipe. If you prefer less intense spice taste, just cut the spice amounts in half for your first trial batch. You can then decide if that level is to your taste or if you might like more spice flavor the next time you bake them. I actually cut this cookie roll in half and froze one portion, then thawed it in the fridge a few days later to enjoy them all over again.

By the way, the scent of these baking will fill your entire house and have you salivating until you try one of these warm from the oven. They are so buttery, spicy delicious.

Makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen cookies

Sift together:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Cream together until light and fluffy:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar

Beat in:

• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)

Fold in the dry ingredients just until a dough forms. Do not over-knead the dough. Roll the dough out on parchment paper or between two sheets of parchment paper into about a 9x12 inch rectangle. Cut the edges off to make them straight. Chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

Mix together:

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Spread this mixture evenly over the chilled dough rectangle. Starting with one of the shorter sides, begin to roll the dough and filling together as tightly as possible, peeling the parchment paper off as you go. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and place, seam side down on a flat surface in the freezer for a bout an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the cookie roll in 1/4 inch thick slices and place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the bottom edges begin to brown. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pumpkin Pie Pinwheel Cookies

I first saw these cookies on Food Network and really liked the original recipe. The combination of a buttery pastry cookie and a pumpkin pie-like filling swirled together worked very well.  I did find the spice level to be a little timid for my taste though. I thought that a cookie, being such a smaller portion than a whole piece of pie, the flavor could have been concentrated more and that's what I set out to do in this recipe along with a couple of other tweaks.

I broke down the generic "pumpkin pie spice" used in the recipe and added what I like but if that's all you have on hand feel free to use it in this recipe. If you prefer less intense spice taste, just cut the spice amounts in half for your first trial batch. You can then decide if that level is to your taste or if you might like more spice flavor the next time you bake them. I actually cut this cookie roll in half and froze one portion, then thawed it in the fridge a few days later to enjoy them all over again.

By the way, the scent of these baking will fill your entire house and have you salivating until you try one of these warm from the oven. They are so buttery, spicy delicious.

Makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen cookies

Sift together:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Cream together until light and fluffy:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar

Beat in:

• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)

Fold in the dry ingredients just until a dough forms. Do not over-knead the dough. Roll the dough out on parchment paper or between two sheets of parchment paper into about a 9x12 inch rectangle. Cut the edges off to make them straight. Chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

Mix together:

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Spread this mixture evenly over the chilled dough rectangle. Starting with one of the shorter sides, begin to roll the dough and filling together as tightly as possible, peeling the parchment paper off as you go. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and place, seam side down on a flat surface in the freezer for a bout an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the cookie roll in 1/4 inch thick slices and place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the bottom edges begin to brown. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.