Lemon Pistachio Pinwheel Icebox Cookies with a White Chocolate Finish

Adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens Dessert Cookbook (1960)

My mom loves pistachios, so she asked me to make something featuring these vibrant green nuts. Never one to let my mom down, and always up for a challenge, I set about trying to find a recipe in my vintage collection.

Unfortunately, pistachios weren’t a common baking ingredient in the 1920s-1950s, so I decided to riff on an old recipe and give it new life.

The Lemon Pecan Icebox Cookies from my Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook (1960) are a shining example of what an excellent refrigerator cookie should be — easy to make and absolutely delicious, studded with toasted pecans and a lemony kick. So I decided to use that recipe as a base.

I didn’t want to just swap pistachios for pecans, though. I wanted something that would really stand out on a dessert table, so I decided to make a pinwheel version. Inspired by the Dubai chocolate trend, I thought, why not dress these up with a little chocolate? White chocolate seemed like the obvious pairing with the lemon, so I smeared the backs with white chocolate and topped that with another hit of chopped pistachios.

You can certainly skip the white chocolate — these cookies are delicious without it. And if you don’t want to fuss with making a pinwheel, you can simply add pistachios to the whole batch of dough and call it a day.

The lemon and pistachio pair beautifully together, the white chocolate adds a lush, creamy element, and the chopped pistachios on top of the chocolate bring a nutty crunch.

These now have a permanent spot on my favorite go-to cookie recipe list and perhaps they’ll find a spot on yours, too!

If you made this recipe, drop a note in the comments – I’d love to know!

Lemon Pistachio Pinwheel Icebox Cookies with a White Chocolate Finish

Adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens Dessert Cookbook (1960)

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Ingredients

  

Cookies

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup salted butter softened (about 11 tablespoons)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup finely chopped toasted pistachios
• A few drops of green food coloring (optional)

White chocolate garnish (optional)

• 6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped toasted pistachios

Instructions

 

Cookies

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside
• In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg and beat until incorporated.
• Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla; beat until well combined.
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
• Divide the dough in two equal pieces; set one half aside and place the other back in your mixing bowl.
• Optional: Add a drop or two of green food coloring and mix to incorporate; try not to overmix.
• Stir in the pistachios.
• Place the plain dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a rectangle about 10×13 inches, give or take.
• At this point you can gently remove the top layer of parchment and trim the dough to the correct size, and you can patch it together to create the shape you need – don’t worry if it’s not perfect! Place the parchment paper back on top of the dough when done.
• Repeat the same process with the pistachio dough.
• Stack on a baking sheet, one on top of the other, and pop into the fridge to chill for about an hour.
• Once chilled, remove from the refrigerator and place the plain dough on the counter; peel off the top layer of parchment.
• Repeat with the pistachio layer.
• Carefully flip the pistachio layer over onto the plain dough, aligning the rectangles as best you can.
• Gently run your hand over the parchment to adhere the two doughs together a little bit; use a light hand.
• Remove the parchment from the top of the pistachio dough.
• Trim the edges if needed.
• Roll gently into a log, starting from the long edge of the rectangle. Use the parchment paper to help in the process.
• Wrap the log tightly in parchment, waxed paper, or plastic wrap.
• Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until very firm.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove the log from the refrigerator and roll lightly on the counter to smooth out any flat edges or bumps.
• Slice the log into ¼-inch-thick rounds and place on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are firm to the touch and lightly golden on the bottom.
• Cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.

White chocolate garnish (optional)

• Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler over low heat, stirring until smooth. (See notes below for how to melt white chocolate in the microwave instead.)
• Make sure your cookies are completely cool, then spread a thin layer of white chocolate on the back of each one, and garnish with chopped pistachios if desired.
• Let the chocolate fully set before storing.
• You’ll get a pretty pinwheel effect on the front, and a surprise chocolate layer on the back!
• YIELD: Approximately 50 cookies
• See storage notes below.

Notes

YIELD: Approximately 50 cookies

TO MAKE THE COOKIES WITHOUT THE PINWHEEL: Simply add pistachios to the whole batch of dough and call it a day!

STORAGE: Store in an airtight container. While they can be stored on the counter, I prefer to store these in the refrigerator or freezer. You can store the unbaked logs in the freezer to bake whenever you have a craving—the dough slices and bakes really well straight from the freezer, just add a minute or two to the baking time.

MELTING WHITE CHOCOLATE IN THE MICROWAVE: Chop the white chocolate into small, even pieces, or use chips. Smaller pieces melt more evenly and are less likely to scorch. Put it in a dry glass or ceramic bowl; even a drop of water can cause the chocolate to seize. Microwave at 50% power (or use a “melt” or “defrost” setting) since white chocolate is more heat sensitive than dark or milk chocolate due to its higher sugar and milk fat content. Heat it in 20-30 second bursts, stirring thoroughly after each one even if it doesn’t look melted yet, since stirring redistributes heat and prevents hot spots from scorching. Keep repeating until the chocolate is about 80-90% melted with just a few small lumps left, then take it out of the microwave and keep stirring – the residual heat will melt the rest smoothly without any more time in the microwave, which helps avoid a grainy or seized texture.