German Pinwheel and Checkerboard Cookies

Serves 36

30 mins prep

10 mins cook

60 mins resting

100 mins total

These German pinwheel cookies were always high up on the cookie-baking list at my Oma's house (and at 15% of all German households). Making the pinwheel pattern is easy and I will explain to you how to make them step-by-step.

This pinwheel cookie is a beautiful vanilla and chocolate swirl cookie that's not too hard and not too soft and is always a delicious go-to for us.

I will also show you how to turn the same recipe into checker cookies, which is the pattern my Oma preferred. Checker cookies take a little longer to make, but are super impressive for anyone coming over for a coffee or when gifting them.

2 servings

16 ⅔ gramsall-purpose flourI use all-purpose flour for most of my baking, so I buy in bulk.

5 ⅗ gramspowdered sugar

⅕ teaspoonvanilla extractor the scraped seeds from one vanilla bean, 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or 1 Tablespoon of vanilla sugar

⅕ pinchsea salt

⅕egglarge

7 gramsbutterRoom temperature. I use grass-fed butter. If using salted butter, leave out the added salt in this recipe.

⅕ Tablespooncocoa powderuse the good stuff!

⅕ Tablespoonmilkcan use dairy free milk or even water instead

⅕egg whiteFor brushing on the dough when assembling. This creates the glue to not have the cookies fall apart.

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Make Dough

Knead together all dough ingredients except the cocoa powder and milk (making sure the butter is room temperature - if not, warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time).
16 ⅔ grams all-purpose flour
5 ⅗ grams powdered sugar
⅕ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅕ pinch sea salt
⅕ egg
7 grams butter
Divide out half of the dough and knead in the cocoa powder and milk.
⅕ Tablespoon cocoa powder
⅕ Tablespoon milk
Wrap up each dough separately in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Pinwheel Cookies

To make the pinwheel cookies, roll out each color of the dough to about 1/4 inch thick rectangle. They should be around the same size.
Brush each rolled-out dough with egg white, then layer the dough on top of each other. Trim off the sides to make them straight.
Tip: I also roll up the trimmings and cut those into cookies, then chill them with the other dough before baking. They won’t be as pretty, but still just as tasty!
⅕ egg white
Now roll up the dough tightly, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Checkerboard

The checker or checkerboard cookie pattern is a bit more advanced. I usually divide my vanilla and chocolate dough in half and make both the pinwheel and checkerboard patterns from one batch of dough. Or you could double the dough to make both.
Roll out each color to 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Trim to make the sides straight. Cut each color into 9 long logs and set aside. You'll have 18 logs total, 9 chocolate logs, and 9 vanilla logs.
Now combine the trimmings and roll out to a thin layer. It needs to be thin enough to cover the 9 stacked logs.
Brush some egg white onto the rolled-out dough, then add the first layer of logs, alternating in color.
When stacking logs on the chocolate dough, you will start with the vanilla logs on each side and the chocolate in the middle. Brush on more egg whites between each layer to help make it all stick. Then alternate in color and finish the same way you started. You’ll have 9 logs stacked in 3 rows of 3 logs each.
When stacking the vanilla dough, you will start with the chocolate logs on each side and the vanilla log in the middle.
Now wrap this stack of logs in the thinly rolled-out dough and pinch together the seams. Fill in holes with extra trimmings where needed.
Wrap the cookie roll in plastic wrap, and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Cut & Bake Cookies

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 310 F or 150 C convection.
Trim the excess from the ends place on the baking sheet upside down.
Slice the cookie rolls into 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) slices, set on baking sheets covered in parchment paper or silicone baking mats, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until barely starting to turn a golden color.