Swirl Cookies
Welcome to Day #4 of Christmas Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen from Juanita’s Cocina! Each day we will be celebrating the holidays with a different set of Christmas-themed treats, it’s Swirl Cookies this week! In addition, we have a fabulous Christmas giveaway.
We hope you enjoy this fabulous event. Tune in each day starting today, Monday, December 9th, and ending Saturday, December 14th.
Here we are on the fourth day of our Christmas week already. Today I wanted to do a swirl or pinwheel cookie, lots of ideas were swimming around in my head but I came across my container of dates and then knew I wanted to do an old fashioned date and nut pinwheel.
Something that I have never made before but knew I would love due to the rich delicious dates and wonderful flavors from the walnuts.
Going Old School
The cookie dough for this recipe is called Caramel Refrigerator Cookies and it tastes amazing, it was one of the best cookies from 1940-1945 according to Betty Crocker!!
The recipe is adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book, love how they spelled cookie. This cookbook I got from my dear friend Nan who collects all sorts of wonderful vintage items and then sells them with her daughter Courtney.
They call themselves “The Kitschy Chicks”. So much fun, I love going to their sales!! Always find lots!!
Look at the size of those dates, love them!!

Swirl Cookies for #ChristmasWeek #Giveaway
A wonderfully nutty pinwheel cookie that is paired perfectly with rich dates.
Ingredients
Caramel Refrigerator Cookie
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp. soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Date and Nut Filling
- 3/4 lb. moist pitted dates, chopped
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Instructions
- For the dough, in a standup mixer with a paddle attachment mix butter and sugar together. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Whisk flour, soda, and salt together and add, mix well.
- Remove dough from bowl and divide in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill for 1/2 hour.
- To make the filling mix the dates, water, and sugar together in a small saucepan and heat over medium-low until the dates have dissolved slightly and the mixture is thickened. Stirring constantly. Set aside to cool.
- Roll each half of dough on wax paper with a floured rolling pin into an 11x7" rectangle.
- Divide the cooled date and nut filling between the two rectangles and spread evenly over the dough. Beginning at the wide end and using the wax paper to help, roll the dough up tightly.
- Pinch edge to seal. Wrap the logs now up in the wax paper and refrigerate for several hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400F and slice the logs into 1/4" slices. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 8-10 min. until lightly browned.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 60 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 66Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 24mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 1g
Recipe calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book
More Recipes For You!
I am sure having fun with my blogger buddies doing all these wonderful sweet treats for you each day. I hope you are enjoying them too!!
Visit all the other Christmas Week Peeps for more Holiday Baking Goodness:
- Mini Sugar Cookie Houses aka Hot Chocolate Mug Perches by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Eggnog Cookie Truffles by The Weekend Gourmet
- Spiked Candy Cane Hot Chocolate by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks:
- Gingerbread Texas Sheet Cake with Lemon Frosting by Chocolate Moosey
- Swirl Cookies by Noshing With The Nolands
- Caramel Apples by My Catholic Kitchen
- Homemade Caramels by Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
- Puff Pastry Ravioli Mince Pies by Food Lust People Love
- Mounds Brownie Cupcakes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Hot Chocolate Pull Apart Bread by The Dutch
- Sugared Grape and Phyllo Tart by See Aimee Cook
- Taffy Tan Fudge by Mom’s Test Kitchen
- Double Chocolate Pecan Cookies by Cooking In Stilettos
- Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Bread by Liv Life
- White Chocolate Candy Cane Fudge by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
- Devil’s Food Cake Cookies by Try Anything Once Culinary
- Cinnamon Whiskey Balls by Home Cooking Memories
- Pumpkin Chiffon Pie by Jen’s Favorite Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Truffles by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
- Candy Cane Blossoms by Like Mother Like Daughter
Today’s #ChristmasWeek giveaway comes courtesy of Swissmar. Le Cordon Bleu has been a worldwide leader in gastronomy and hospitality for over 100 years and are widely considered the guardian of French culinary technique. Swissmar now combines this culinary expertise with their own knowledge and brand recognition to introduce this fantastic new line.
The Le Cordon Bleu ceramic ovenware from Swissmar are all freezer safe, oven safe, dishwasher, and microwave safe. The French-inspired Charmant Collection 5 qt. Rectangular Roaster has scalloped edges and is beautiful enough to go straight from the oven to the table! To enter to win a Swissmar Roaster, read the details and use the Rafflecopter below!
***This giveaway is for one Swissmar Charmant Collection 5 qt. Rectangular Roaster (winner’s choice of color: blue, yellow, red, or white)! This giveaway is open to Continental US residents only. When the contest concludes, the winner will be chosen by random draw. The winner will be notified through e-mail and they will have 3 days to respond or another winner will be chosen.***
***Disclaimer: This giveaway is being provided by Swissmar. #ChristmasWeek bloggers have not received the product or been compensated as a part of this giveaway.***
Comments & Reviews
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
omigoodness, caramel refrigerator cookies??? and then swirly deliciousness??? YUM!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks Kayle!!
Veronica McLaughlin Gantley says
Your swirl cookies look absolutely amazing. It sure would be nice to enjoy them with coffee.
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks so much Veronica!!
Julie says
roast with potatoes and carrots
thanks
Liz says
I’ve been looking for a tried and true date pinwheel cookie for years! Pinning!!!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks Liz it is a good one!!
The Ninja Baker says
I love food with history – especially sweets. Thank you Tara for sharing this recipe…Dates always remind me of my grandmother, Nona, who made delicious date nut cookies =) Anyway, your pinwheels are very, very pretty =)
Noshing with the Nolands says
I love when recipe evoke memories or even ingredients. Thanks so much Kim!!
Jen @JuanitasCocina says
These look amazing, Tara! I can see why these were a favorite!
Happy day #4!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank Jen!!
carolinaheartstrings says
Baked Ziti. That would taste wonderful in this casserole. Love it.
Noshing with the Nolands says
🙂
Tammie says
I would make baked macaroni and cheese. A terrific comfort food for cold weather. Love this casserole dish. Your cookie looks wonderful. This was my mother’s favorite cookie.
Noshing with the Nolands says
They are a very traditional cookies, I loved making them. Thanks Tammie!
Laureen King says
Enjoying all the Christmas recipes you’ve been sharing Tara.
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks so much Laureen!!
Hezzi-D says
These are adorable! Love them!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks so much for coming over!!
Dina says
they look delish!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you so much!!
Val says
I would make ham scalloped potatoes. YUM! That is a GORGEOUS dish.
Sarah M. says
I’d make a roasted chicken! Then I could use it in recipes all week long.
Samantha @FerraroKitchen says
Love these!!! Love dates and always wanted to make pinwheel cookies….you make the best things Tara 🙂
Judy says
Thank you for the recipe. I made these and thought I’d share a review. The taste is delicious, though the date filling was a little sweet for my taste. My cookies spread and domed a little and did not hold their shape like yours. My dough was cold when i put the pinwheels into the oven to bake as well. I lowered the temp to 375 on the second batch and it was a little better. But if i where to bake them again, i’d try it at 350 for a longer baking time. The filling is quite thick so I rolled it out between two pieces of cling wrap and placed ot on the dough before rolling (instead of spreading it). The cookies are chewy and a little soft in the middle.
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks Judy for coming over to give a review, I really appreciate it!! They did cook quickly at that high temp. but I didn’t have any troubles with them. I will make them again as I love dates and I hope you do too!! Cheers, Tara