These made from scratch cookies are my little brother’s favorite cookies.  Since today is his BIRTHDAY, I decided to dedicate this post to him.  He was born 34 years ago today, on the same day Jimmy Carter was elected president.  Happy Birthday Jason!  And I’m so sorry your favorite cookies are disappearing fast.  Wish you lived a little closer.

Mix together in a large bowl and set aside:

• 4 cups plain unbleached bread flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Cream together in large mixing bowl with electric mixer:

• 1 stick soft butter
• ½ cup organic vegetable shortening (original recipe calls for Crisco)
• 1 ½ cups sugar 

Add to the sugar butter mixture:

• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• Flour mixture 

Mixwell forming a stiff dough.  Take half the dough and add 6 Tablespoons of cocoa and mix well.

Tear off 2 pieces wax paper about 18” in length.  Place each on a damp counter top (this holds the wax paper in place while you roll out the dough).  Dust wax paper with flour.  Place chocolate dough on one piece of wax paper, and the vanilla dough on the other piece of wax paper.  Roll out each ball of dough into equal sizes and proportions, trying to form a rectangle. Feel free to dust the top of the dough and the rolling pin with flour as needed.  

The next step is a little tricky.  Pick up one of the sections of dough by grasping the corners of the wax paper.  Position it over the other section of rolled out dough and then flip the wax paper over, allowing the paper to release the rectangle of dough.  Lightly press the top layer to the bottom layer of dough.  Use a pizza cutter to even the edges of the rectangle.  Set the uneven pieces aside.  Then begin rolling the longer edge of the rectangle of dough away from yourself.  As you roll the wax paper and dough towards the opposite side, you will be able to peel the wax paper away from the bottom layer of dough, and also use the wax paper to smooth the dough as you roll all the dough into a spiral log.  Using a sharp knife, cut dough into ½” cookies and place each on an ungreased cookie sheet, about an inch apart.

Cook in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from rack. 

Share on Facebook

Tags: cookies, pinwheels