Swirl cookies

Swirl cookies are a very decorative dessert, perfect to accompany tea or to delight children with their fun and colorful shape. Here is a recipe you can follow:

Ingredients

• 300 g of all-purpose flour
• 150 g of soft butter
• 130 g of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 yolk (for brushing)

Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix the flour with the soft butter until you get a sandy mixture.
2. Add the sugar, the whole egg, the vanilla extract, and the salt. Knead until you form a homogeneous dough. If the dough is too soft, you can add a little more flour.
3. Divide the dough into two equal parts. To one of the two parts, add the unsweetened cocoa, kneading again until the color is uniform.
4. Roll out both doughs into two rectangles, trying to keep the same thickness and dimensions.
5. Brush the light dough with the beaten yolk, and carefully overlap it with the cocoa dough rectangle.
6. Roll up the two doughs from the longer side, forming a tight cylinder.
7. Wrap the cylinder in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, to harden and facilitate cutting.
8. Once firm, cut the cylinder into slices about 5 mm thick, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
9. Let the swirl cookies cool on a wire rack before serving.

Curiosity

Swirl cookies, also known as “pinwheel cookies” in English, owe their name to the shape that recalls that of windmill toys. They are very popular in the United States but have also won over European palates. For a more Italian touch, you can flavor the light dough with grated lemon zest or add a hint of orange liqueur to the cocoa dough.