Rolled cookies with a date-filled center.
Wow, wow, and WOW!!!! These manage to be deicate and chewy at the same time. Luscious filling. The lemon offsets the sweetness of the dates to perfection. The only change I made is to add a tsp of cinnamon to the dough, because that's how my mom made them and I knew from experience that the subtle spice showcases the date flavor and lets it shine. Toasted pecans make a tasty substitute for walnuts. A hint to keep the round shape of your rolls. Wrap the rolls tightly in plastic wrap,then put each end into a tall glass (mine are 16 oz) and lay the glasses (with the dough in them) on their sides in the freezer. The rolls will stay perfectly round. Yes, of course it's true that these are a little labor-intensive, but that was pretty clear to me before I even started making them, just from reading the recipe. If I wanted fast and easy, I'd make a drop cookie. These are well worth the time. Besides, the filling can be made one day, the dough made, filled and frozen the next, and then they can be baked anytime afterward, up to a month or even longer if tightly wrapped airtight. Take it in steps if you don't want to make a career out of them. Once you bake them, you'll want to do it again.
Read More Tasted good enough, but they were a little too much work.
Read More Wow, wow, and WOW!!!! These manage to be deicate and chewy at the same time. Luscious filling. The lemon offsets the sweetness of the dates to perfection. The only change I made is to add a tsp of cinnamon to the dough, because that's how my mom made them and I knew from experience that the subtle spice showcases the date flavor and lets it shine. Toasted pecans make a tasty substitute for walnuts. A hint to keep the round shape of your rolls. Wrap the rolls tightly in plastic wrap,then put each end into a tall glass (mine are 16 oz) and lay the glasses (with the dough in them) on their sides in the freezer. The rolls will stay perfectly round. Yes, of course it's true that these are a little labor-intensive, but that was pretty clear to me before I even started making them, just from reading the recipe. If I wanted fast and easy, I'd make a drop cookie. These are well worth the time. Besides, the filling can be made one day, the dough made, filled and frozen the next, and then they can be baked anytime afterward, up to a month or even longer if tightly wrapped airtight. Take it in steps if you don't want to make a career out of them. Once you bake them, you'll want to do it again.
No one ever said these would be easy to make. Not that they're overly difficult, but they are somewhat labor intensive. I grew up with cookies very similar to these and wanted to recreate them. After tasting these I think I like these better. I'm pretty sure my mother didn't use lemon juice/zest, but I did. It cuts through the sweetness of the dates. The citrus really comes through. The only change I made was to add 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon to the dough. If you have an electric knife, this is a great time to use it. It makes cutting these cookies a breeze!
These are the best pinwheels I've tasted. The cookie is light and the date/nut mixture adds just the right sweetness. They're more difficult that drop cookies, but about as much work as any other rolled cookie.
I made this with lemon zest substituted. The dough is a little sticky and hard to make a perfect pinwheel with but the taste was great!
I love the taste of this cookie but found i had to add flour to roll them up. My family & friends liked them also
These cookies are worth all the time and trouble they take to make! They are SOO GOOD! I couldn't wait several hours for the pinwheels to freeze as per instructions but 35-40 minutes in the freezer made them really firm before baking them. If your going to try these (and you really should) don't change a thing about the recipe and be sure to clean up as you go because it saves alot of time in the end. I for one will make these again and again and again. Thanks Jo-Anne for the great recipe!
These were great! Just the way my mom makes them, so I was happy! My only problem was that they were a little undercooked and soft - even after 15 minutes.
Tasted good enough, but they were a little too much work.
It has been 50 years or so since I've had these. They are very close to what Mom made back then. Sure they are a lot of work, but worth every minute. The lemon zest and juice are just brilliant. The right amount of tangy to offset the sweetness of the dates. Mmmm, think I'll have another one.
MY MOM USED TO MAKE THESE AND I HAD LOST THE RECIPE IN KATRINA. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT SHE USED PECANS INSTEAD OF WALNUTS. THANKS SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS FOR ME.
Thank you for posting this recipe. My Grandmother and I made date pinwheels every Christmas and since her death, the recipe got lost. This is almost identical in flavor to hers and I'm just thrilled. Thanks again.
Worth every step. Almost have a fig newton taste. And after there were some leftover after the holidays they were great dipped in coffee.
Pretty good cookie. I wasn't sure how thin to roll the dough so would have liked that information. The date pinwheels from my childhood had more flavor but maybe with thinner dough?
Very good. I used orange zest rather than lemon juice and zest as that's how my mother used to make them. I made these as part of my Christmas baking.
Too much taste testing as I went along! The lemon adds a FABULOUS flavor. I didn't find theses too time consuming. I didn't change a thing. I did take another reader's suggestion and used an electric knife for slicing. Thanks for posting.
I made these cookies for the first time and everyone loved them. Will definitely make it again. I added orange zest to the cookie batter. It was so delicious. Great recipe. Thank You!
These turned out great! I didn't have a lemon so I substituted orange and they turned out perfect!
My mother used to make these cookies when I was a child, and I am 66 years old. So it's a very old recipe. Date-nut pinwheel cookies just say Christmas! They are delicious and if you only make them at Christmastime, it's not too much work, rather, it's a labor of love.
These aren't bad - but they aren't great. They are less sweet and don't taste like traditional date nut pinwheels.
