Cinnamon Pinwheel Cookies

As we experience the harrowing events here in Israel during this war and wait to hear news of the kidnapped people and desperately listen to the roll call of the dead, praying it is not someone we know even though every death hits you like a hammer, it is difficult indeed to write a food blog. But the days pass and you need to find some normalcy and we both need to eat and are looking for comfort food. So I decided that I would indeed post this recipe. I started writing it before the war, so bear with me here and let us pray for a swift resolution and better news – b’sorot tovot to all Am Yisrael.

And here you go…

As I’ve mentioned many times, DH and I (and the mama as well) love all things cinnamon. I wanted something pretty, crunchy and cinnamony and these fit the bill to a T. I made my own dough for this (food processor ahoy although it can be made in a mixer or with a pastry cutter) OR if ya wanna cheat, it’s basically a pie crust dough and you can simply buy a prepared pie crust or two and mix up the filling, roll and Bob’s your uncle.

It’s not diffficult and yet looks special and we can all use something to perk us up. So gather your ingredients and let’s get started.

Put your flour, baking powder and salt into your food processor (again, you can do this in a mixer or by hand as well) and whirl for a sec to combine. Cut your cold butter/marg into cubes (for mixer, let be a little softened so it’ll combine) and add to the flour mixture.

Pulse together till crumbs form, not too fine, so do this briefly.

Now slowly add the very cold water, dribbling it in while pulsing the dough, just till a ball forms.

Wrap dough and place in fridge about 30 minutes to rest. In the meantime, turn on your oven and allow to preheat to 350 F/180 C. Mix together your Demerara sugar and cinnamon and don’t forget to add the flour. The flour prevents the filling from leaking out of the dough so it’s important to include it. K.

Mix it up.

Remove dough from fridge and divide in two. Roll one half on lightly floured mat or parchment paper into a rectangle, keeping the other half covered till you’re ready to use it.

Take oil spray or regular oil and lightly brush or spray dough all over. Take half your cinnamon sugar mixture and sprinkle evenly over the rectangle of dough.

On the long edge of the dough, start to tightly roll the dough into a “jelly roll” effect like so:

Once rolled, make more or less even cuts along the dough and then slice through and transfer pinwheels to a parchment covered baking sheet.

If the edges seem a little unsecured just pinch them shut. Do the same with your second rectangle of dough and use up sugar mixture. Place on parchmented baking sheet. Place in hot oven and bake 10-12 minutes or till baked through and lightly browned on the bottom. Let cool on racks before removing and eating or storing since they will break if they don’t cool before handling. These freeze brilliantly once cooled. Crispy and delicious.

Cinnamon Pinwheel Cookies

3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour, plus additional flour to sprinkle on mat

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (227 grams) cold butter or margarine cut into cubes – if in food processor. If in mixer, use slightly softened

5 tablespoons ice water

Filling

1 1/2 cups (375 grams) light brown sugar/Demerara sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Oil spray or oil to brush dough

Directions:

Place flour, baking powder and salt in food processor (or mixer or by hand). Put cubes of butter/marg in processor and pulse briefly just till largish crumbs form. Dribble water in while pulsing mixture and stop as soon as a ball of dough forms. Place dough wrapped in fridge for 30 minutes.

Mix together sugar, flour and cinnamon and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F/180C.

After 30 minutes, remove dough and divide in half. Roll half of dough into rectangle and oil spray or lightly brush dough with oil to edges. Sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar on the dough. Roll from long edge tightly into a “jelly roll” shape and make halfway cuts evenly in dough. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and slice through dough and put pinwheels evenly spaced apart on sheet. Do the same with the other half of the dough. Bake for 10 -12 minutes or till bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. Do not touch cookies till cooled since they can break easily till they have cooled down. These store well and freeze amazingly well.