Date Nut Pinwheel Cookies
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This Date Nut Pinwheel Cookies recipe is a delightful blend of sweetness and crunch. Relish each bite as the sumptuous date filling unravels in layers amidst the soft, buttery cookie.
Crafting these Date Nut Pinwheel Cookies is like weaving a tapestry of flavors; the sticky sweetness of dates paired with the crunch of walnuts, all encased in a soft, buttery dough. I love the ritual of rolling the dough, spreading the rich filling, and watching them transform in the oven. It’s not just a cookie; it’s a bite-sized experience of warmth and nostalgia.
- Dates: Provides the sweet base for the filling. Can substitute with dried figs for a different flavor profile.
- Sugar: Sweetens the filling. Adjust according to your preference.
- Melted Chocolate: Enhances the depth of the filling’s flavor. Semi-sweet or dark chocolate can be used.
- Water: Helps in creating a smoother filling consistency.
- Walnuts or Pecans: Adds crunch and nutty taste. Can interchange based on preference.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the dough. Whole wheat flour can be used for a denser texture.
- Baking Soda: Gives the dough its rise.
- Brown Sugar: Sweetens and adds moisture to the dough.
- Vanilla: Enhances the cookie’s flavor. Almond extract can be a substitute for a nuttier aroma.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Butter: Provides the dough with richness and flavor. Use unsalted to control the saltiness.
- Eggs: Acts as a binding agent.
Begin by creating a rich, sweet filling by simmering dates, sugar, chocolate, and water until thick. Add a crunch with walnuts or pecans.
For the dough, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, incorporate eggs and vanilla, then blend in the dry ingredients. After chilling the dough, roll it out and spread the filling, rolling up to form a log. A short refrigeration helps in achieving clean slices, which are then baked to golden perfection.
Expert Tips
- Use Fresh Dates: Ensure that the dates you use are fresh and soft. Older dates can be hard and might not give the smooth texture desired for the filling.
- Dough Handling: When rolling out the dough, use a light touch to maintain the delicate texture. If the dough sticks, lightly flour your hands and rolling pin, but avoid adding too much extra flour as it can make the cookies dry.
- Sharp Knife for Slicing: Using a sharp, serrated knife will help you get clean slices without squishing the cookie roll. Chill the roll thoroughly before slicing for best results.
- Rotate Baking Sheet: For even browning, consider rotating your baking sheet halfway through the baking process. This ensures uniform baking, especially if your oven has hot spots.
- Filling Variation: Feel free to play around with the nut component. Almonds or cashews can be a delightful substitution or addition to the walnuts or pecans.
Storage
To keep your Date Nut Pinwheel Cookies tasting fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll remain delicious for up to a week. If you’d like to keep them longer, consider freezing.
Place the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag or container. They can be frozen for up to three months; simply thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Discover More Delicious Cookies
- Raspberry Pinwheels
- Chocolate Fudge Cookies
- Pineapple Coconut Crescents
- The Perfect Shortbread Cookies
- Amish Sugar Cookies
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Date Nut Pinwheel Cookies
Ingredients
Filling
- 1½ cup dates (pitted and chopped)
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup melted chocolate
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cup walnuts (or pecans, chopped)
Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus additional for work surface)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter (unsalted)
- 2 eggs
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add the chopped dates, ½ cup of sugar, water and melted chocolate and stir constantly until mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in chopped walnuts or pecans.
- In a mixer add butter, brown sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix well. Refrigerate for about an hour.
- After an hour roll the dough on a floured surface. Spread the date mixture evenly over the dough. Roll the dough jelly-roll style and trim the edges off. Brush off any excess flour. Refrigerate the roll for another half hour.
- With a serrated knife cut into ¼ inch rolls and place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 350℉ for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, consider toasting the nuts before adding to the filling.
- Use high-quality dates for a pronounced and sweet flavor.
- If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour during the rolling process.
- Rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking for even browning.
- The dough can be made a day in advance and refrigerated.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Fantastic! I substituted Nutella for the chocolate. My husband says it’s even better than his mom’s recipe! The dough is very delicate and gooey a little difficult to work with (freezing it helps). After rolled up, I froze it overnight. Very easy to cut.
Do you use light or dark brown sugar or does it not make a difference?
You can use either! Dark brown sugar will give it more of a molasses-y flavor 🙂
when you freeze these rolls, do you have to thaw out dough before baking?
Do you mean if you freeze the dough? Because the recipe doesn’t call for freezing. But yeah if you freeze the dough I would thaw it out first.
Can the baked cookies be frozen?
Yes they can!
do you sell these pinwheel cookies ? If so, how much do they cost? They were my Husband &my favorite cookies.. I am 88 and. No longer bake . Thank you Jeanne Brode
Sorry, I do not! I just provide the recipes. 🙂
Where do you live Jeanne. Perhaps I could mail you some.
How many chocolate chips or squares to make 1/4 cup melted?
1/4 cup melted would be 2 oz of chocolate chips of square
I can tell this is a good recipe just by reading it. I had a catering business for 20+ yrs thanks for the real home made recipes . They are hard to find these days everyone seems to be using cake and cookie mixes these days. Brenda
I love sites that have ”real homemade” recipes not recipes using cake mixes and ready made and cookie mixes . Thanks so much I love baking and cooking when I have more time I will share some of my own recipes with you .. Brenda
I would love that Brenda!
I’ve been looking for what my husband called a pecan pinwheel for years. I came across this a couple days ago and my daughter and I made them today. He says this is almost exactly to what he had as a kid. We made one with the chocolate and one without and he loved them both. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome 🙂
Beautiful! And I think the chocolate, date and nut mixture looks amazing on it’s own 😀 The cookies look delicious too though!
Thank you, I hope you guys will try them. They are really good. I ended up taking them to work and they were gone in no time.