Cranberry Pinwheels
Alright already! Enough not-so-subtle hints dropped about my Mom's cranberry pinwheels! Sheesh. It's fun pretending I'm annoyed, but my Need to be Needed tendencies love it.
My Mom's been making some version of these cookies on our Christmas baking day for a few years now. This year, she used fresh cranberries and pecans. Other years, she's used dried cranberries and pistachios. I can't decide which I like better.
December usually finds a bag of cranberries in the fridge or freezer and you are probably sick and tired of all my cranberry recipes. Sorry. They're not over yet. Does anybody else stalk Foodgawker? It's the website that showcases photos from food blogs. Certainly there are lots of seasonal things on there--squash, apples, cranberries--but I'm always amazed at the preponderance of completely out-of-season things like fresh raspberries or asparagus. a) Expensive b) Very low flavor c) Huge carbon footprint d) I'm a snob. I'm no locavore (I could never do without lemons and olive oil, for instance), but asparagus?! I'll save that for spring and then make a whole meal out of it. Gives me something to look forward to.
For now, in the bleak of winter, these bright berries show up everywhere. And I promise I'll lay off the cookies once 2010 dawns. Unless, of course, you beg me to keep going.
Cranberry Pinwheels
I was in the kitchen when my Mom made these this year, but didn't watch her and haven't made them myself. They are always ambrosial, but I'm not in a position to give any special tips. Mom? Bethany? You want to chime in?
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 c pecans
1/4 c brown sugar
1 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tsp orange peel
3 c flour
For filling: Combine pecans , cranberries, and brown sugar. Pulse in food processor until nuts are finely chopped. Set aside.
In a large bowl beat butter for 30 seconds, then add sugar,baking powder and, salt. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and orange peel. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour with a spooon. Divide the dough in half,cover and chill for a hour or until easy to handle.
Roll one ball of the dough between pieces of waxed paper into a 10" square to and spread cranberry filling to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Roll dough into a log. Moisten edges to seal. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 4 to 24 hours. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Preheat oven to 375. Cut rolls into 1/4" slices and place 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 min. or until edges are frim and bottons are light brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 min. Transfer to wire rack; cool. Makes about 60 (don't believe it).
P.S. My Mom made a quick icing for the cookies pictured. Sift 1 c. powdered sugar into a bowl, then whisk with 1 Tb. milk, adding more powdered sugar or milk to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cookies.
December 15, 2009
Reader Comments (15)
Thank you Sarah! I look forward to making these and sharing with people I love!!! They are so pretty!
I am not a fussy cookie baker, but these look like something I can handle! Officially on the list for my baking day, next Wednesday. Grazie!
Yea! I have been watching for them. I saw your mom at church last week and almost asked her for them but then got distracted and she was gone. So happy - going to make them this weekend with my Gram's anise oil cookies. Mmmm. thanks Sarah!
OMFG. I am making these tonight!
Thanks for posting this recipe! They will be the festive touch my cookie plates are lacking!
Your pinwheels look delicious! thanks for sharing :)
I bet these taste DELICIOUS! Good flavor combinations - your mother is a genius...
I have a feeling they're kind of hard to cut into slices on account of the chunky pecans and cranberries, though .... am I wrong? Do you use a serrated knife or a regular blade?
Hi Katherine! Yes, definitely use a serrated knife to cut the log into slices. I should have specified that...and use a gentle, sawing motion...
These sound amazing and just yesterday I was thinking that I needed a new Christmas cookie recipe, how fortuitous of you! I plan on making these for our family's Christmas party on Sunday. Do you think they would be good with Walnuts? My husband is allergic to pecans.
i made them and they were delicous. the orange zest in the dough is delightful and i had to bury it in the back of my fridge while it was chilling so i didn't eat it raw! here are my tips: be generous with the filling...i might even make a little more than listed, role the cookies up from the widest part of your "rectangle" so you have a long but thinner role, keep the roles well chilled...don't try and slice early, use dental floss to cut the rolls...i had to search for a while to find dental floss in my house that wasn't mint (!)...but it worked PERFECTLY and there was no messy knife and the cookies were perfect spirals. Also, margaret (sarah's mom) mentioned to me that she added orange to the frosting (zest? juice?) but that the fosting wasn't essential. she was right...the cookies were perfect on their own. thanks for the recipe sarah. they are so beautifully festive.
see my comment below, but i used dental floss and it worked WAY better and any serrated knife. make sure the dough is super chilled also.
Whew, I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I HATE seeing totally out of season produce in food blogs! Makes me cringe...because apparently I'm a snob too!
I saw asparagus in the grocery store the other day and almost started a rant, but then I looked at the tag and discovered it didn't come from that far away... I still am not used to being in California (where local strawberries start in February!)
Hey! Is that your mom wearing "my" new apron!!!! Ha! Now it's doubly special!!
Yes! It's been christened by both of us. Hope it gives you good vibes in the kitchen :)
Walnuts would be a delicious substitution. Or hazelnuts or pistachios...