Adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens Dessert Cookbook (1960)
A Classic Pinwheel Cookie
Dates and walnuts are genuinely nutritious, so if you choose to overlook the butter, sugar, and flour, these cookies are practically a superfood. More importantly, they’re excellent. So let’s call these healthy and move on!
This is a classic refrigerator cookie, the kind of recipe that was a staple in mid-century home baking, where the dough gets rolled around a filling, chilled into a log, and sliced into neat rounds just before baking.
What Makes Them Special
The cookie itself is a simple sugar dough — buttery, tender, and just sweet enough to serve as a good backdrop for the date filling. For the filling, the dates are cooked down with sugar, orange juice, and zest into a thick, jammy mixture. The walnuts are added to the mixture after cooking to add a bit of texture.
The finished cookies have a satisfying swirl of that date and walnut filling running through a buttery shell. They’re not too sweet, not too rich, and feel distinctly old-fashioned in the best possible way.
A Few Notes on Technique
The dough comes together quickly, but it benefits from a rest in the refrigerator before rolling. This makes the dough easier to handle and helps the cookies hold their shape. When rolling the dough into logs, don’t worry about achieving a perfect rectangle; you can tidy up the edges with a bench scraper or knife, and any irregularities disappear once the cookies are sliced and baked. If the dough softens too much while you’re working with it, just return it to the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm back up.
The baked cookies keep well in an airtight container at room temperature, but they last longer and slice more cleanly when stored in the refrigerator or freezer. The unbaked logs freeze beautifully, which means you can have fresh cookies on short notice whenever you need them.
If you’re looking for more simple vintage cookie recipes, check out these Lemon Pecan Refrigerator Cookies, and these No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Bars!
Date and Walnut Pinwheel Refrigerator Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Date Filling
- 10 oz pitted dates, chopped (~ 1½ cups)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 orange, juice and zest
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
Make the dough
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing just until combined (avoid over-mixing).
- Form into a rectangular disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and rest in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
Make the filling
- In a saucepan, combine dates, sugar, water, orange juice, zest, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture boils and thickens. Add a little more water if needed. Cool completely, then stir in walnuts.
Assemble
- Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion into a 12×8-inch rectangle, about ¼ inch thick. Spread with half the filling. Roll up tightly from the short edge (or the long edge for smaller pinwheels). Use a bench scraper or knife to help lift if sticky. Tip: If dough is soft, chill briefly before rolling.
- Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Wrap rolls in parchment and chill 1–2 hours in the refrigerator (or freeze for longer storage).
Slice and bake
- Cut chilled rolls into ¼‑inch slices. Place on prepared sheets (cookies spread very little). Bake 8–10 minutes, until set and lightly golden.
- Cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container. The cookies can be stored on the counter but last longer if stored in the fridge or freezer.
[…] you love dates and nuts, these pinwheel cookies are a must-bake! These cookies feature a swirl of jammy dates, crunchy walnuts, and a hint of […]