Lennel Pinwheel Cookies
A childhood favorite from a local Chicagoland cookie factory that you will fall in love with.
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Store-bought cookies can be very hit-and miss, especially in the 90s & early 00s. OH yeah. I grew up eating these from a tub of cookies that my mom would spoil us with. These butter cookies are absolutely delicious after you swirl cocoa powder in and roll the outside in red sugar crystals. Slice the cookie roll and bake. These cookies melt in your mouth fresh out of the oven and can be stored in a tub just like the original.
These cookies are fairly simple to rollout. Butter cookies start off with room temperature butter that get creamed thoroughly with sugar. This creates that melt-in-your-mouth crumbly texture that is so addicting. Be sure to let the cookie mixture setup in the fridge overnight if possible for the best shaped cookies.
After your make the butter cookie dough, divide the dough in half and mix the cocoa powder into one half of the mixture. Form the vanilla sugar cookie batter into an even rectangle then repeat with the cocoa dough. Place the chocolate dough on top and roll into a tight log. Brush the log with the egg wash and roll in that signature red sugar.
Slice the butter cookie roll into even slices and place onto a prepared sheet tray. These cookies will not spread too much, so feel free to fit more than you thick per tray.
The best combination of flavors come from the vanilla and chocolate swirl. A delicious crunchy sugary crust makes these even tastier fresh from the oven.
These were such a treat to have when we were growing up that I hope you make these for some special occasion or holiday in your life. These do make a mess, so like every messy recipe I always suggest to make extra and freeze. Slice them up and place them in a single layer inside a freezer bag.
Copycat Maurice Lennel Pinwheel Cookies
Yield(s): Makes 24
20m prep time
12m cook time
2h inactive
Allergens: Gluten
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, plus 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
- Red crystal sugar sprinkles, for rolling
Directions:
- In a mixing bowl using a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until the batter appears lighter in color.
- Incorporate the egg and vanilla into the creamed sugar.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Beat in the dry ingredients to the batter until fully incorporated.
- Divide batter in half, then add in sifted cocoa powder to one half. Fold into the dough.
- Roll each dough between wax paper to create a 6 x 5” rectangle. Stack each dough on top of each other and roll dough up into a log and place on a sheet pan.
- Roll dough in wax paper and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and prepare a parchment lined sheet tray.
- Brush dough with an egg wash and roll log in red sugar sprinkles.
- Cut dough log into 1” slices for cookies and place onto sheet trays
- Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack
- Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Steve Hacks.