Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies - Handle the Heat
Filed Under: Cookies | Dessert

Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies

By Tessa Arias
  |  
March 9th, 2015

Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies are perfectly bright, fun, and festive for a special St. Patrick's Day treat plus they're surprisingly easy to make!

Yield: 20 cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook: 12 minutes

This post was written by me on behalf of Imperial Sugar. All text, photos, and opinions provided are my own.

Tessa's Recipe Rundown...

Taste: I just love the refreshing yet sweet combination of chocolate and mint! Texture: Just slightly crunchy at the edges and tender and soft throughout. Ease: These look so impressive and luckily they are deceptively easy! Appearance: So gorgeous and festive, you can also use any food coloring and even omit the cocoa you want to change the theme for occasions year round. Pros: Fun, festive, and easy. Cons: None! Would I make this again? Definitely!

PERFECT for St. Patrick's Day and so adorable! Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies recipe

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner I couldn’t think of a more perfect recipe to share than for these Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies. They’re SO fun and festive and would look adorable at any St. Patty’s Day celebration. If you usually stay in with your family on this holiday, these cookies are also super fun to make and would be a great activity for any little ones in your life. What is your tradition for this green and gold-filled holiday?

Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies Recipe
With this recipe all we’re really doing is mixing up some sugar cookie dough, then simply dividing the dough in half and adding green food coloring to one half and cocoa powder to the other half. Then we roll out each half with a rolling pin while the dough is room temperature and super pliable (it’s almost like play dough!) and place one sheet of dough on top of the other and roll up. Before slicing into cookie rounds, we chill the dough to ensure it keeps its round shape. It’s that easy!
I can't believe how EASY these are! Perfect for St. Patricks Day... I can also use different colors for different holidays! Love.

The full Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies recipe can be found on Imperial Sugar’s website!

How to make
Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies

Yield: 20 cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies are perfectly bright, fun, and festive for a special St. Patrick's Day treat plus they're surprisingly easy to make!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups (10.13 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until well-combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add egg and extracts and beat until combined. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Remove half of dough from bowl and set aside. Beat green food coloring into remaining dough until evenly colored. Into other half of dough, stir in cocoa powder and milk until combined.
  3. Place chocolate dough between two large sheets of parchment paper. Roll dough into a large rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with remaining green dough. Carefully place green dough rectangle on top of chocolate dough rectangle, peeling away parchment from green dough. Trim edges if necessary. Using the parchment paper under chocolate dough as a guide to prevent sticking, roll the long side of dough into a tight log, creating a pinwheel effect. Wrap log in plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes, or until firm.
  4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  5. Use a sharp knife, cut dough log into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until set. Remove baking sheets to the cooling racks and let cool for 2 minutes before removing the cookies to racks to cool completely.
  6. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Course : Dessert
Cuisine : American
Tessa Arias
Author: Tessa Arias

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

Tessa Arias

About Tessa...

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

Find Tessa on  

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Recipe Rating




  1. #
    Devona — November 27, 2022 at 11:27 pm

    I made my pinwheel cookies ahead of schedule and froze them. How long should I thaw them before slicing and baking?

    • #
      Kiersten @ Handle the Heat — November 28, 2022 at 3:00 pm

      Hi Devona! We recommend thawing overnight in the fridge, before baking (or before slicing and baking, in your case). Let us know what you think once you’ve given these cookies a try! 🙂

  2. #
    LZ — December 14, 2021 at 10:29 am

    Can I keep the prepared dough in the fridge a couple days before baking them?

    • #
      Emily — December 15, 2021 at 11:49 am

      I don’t see why not if it’s well sealed! Let us know what you think of this recipe when you give it a try 🙂

  3. #
    Linda Bramblett — October 4, 2020 at 10:11 am

    Would like to try, but link to other website isn’t working.

  4. #
    Paul Mirocha — December 22, 2018 at 6:45 pm

    WHY NO RECIPE!!!! whats the point bringing us to A different page [email protected][email protected]$^$#%%$$^&&&^%%$%&$)&&^^%$$%%$ AND THATS ALL I HAVE TO SAY %$#$$#$# YOU @!#^$#$#^&*&&%&*(*$$##@!#

  5. #
    Jenn — August 3, 2018 at 1:41 pm

    Couldn’t find the recipe. What’s the point in sending your readers to a different site? Why not just post the recipe?

  6. #
    Zoe Tise — July 20, 2018 at 4:36 am

    The recipe does not download when I select go to recipe.

  7. #
    Deep cleaning Balham — March 13, 2015 at 1:23 am

    I haven’t tried to do it that way. But I kind of like it! I will try your recipe with mint. Thanks for sharing.

  8. #
    Danae @ Recipe Runner — March 11, 2015 at 12:44 pm

    These are so perfect for St. Patrick’s Day! I’ve never tried making pinwheel cookies, but these look like some great ones to start with!

  9. #
    Gaby — March 9, 2015 at 3:14 pm

    Perfect St. Patty’s Day cookies! Great recipe!

  10. #
    Jen @ Baked by an Introvert — March 9, 2015 at 10:53 am

    These are just adorable, Tessa! I love the mint swirl.

  11. #
    Cookbook Queen — March 9, 2015 at 5:22 am

    Best flavor combo, and these are SO CUTE!! Love that pretty swirl.

  12. #
    Melanie @ Carmel Moments — March 9, 2015 at 4:13 am

    Love those gorgeous swirls. They’re so fun. And I never could resist mint for dessert. Perfect!

    Have a great week!

  13. #
    Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg — March 9, 2015 at 3:53 am

    Tessa – I have never had a pinwheel cookie! These look too cute and I would definitely need to share with my coworkers. 🙂

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