Wouldn’t these cute pinwheel cookies be the perfect addition to a 4th of July BBQ or picnic? This sweet little pinwheel is filled with delicious raspberry jam too for a festive look. I made these cookies with a vegan cream cheese and a butter substitute in order to be dairy free but you could use regular cream cheese and butter too. They’re slightly tart with the cream cheese but this kinda perfectly balances out with the sweet jam center.
As I was eating these I kept thinking how yummy they would be with a touch of almond extract. The possibilities are endless and they’re just oh-so-cute.
INGREDIENTS
8 oz Cream Cheese alternative (I like Kite Hill plain or Miyoko’s brand)
1 C Butter substitute (I used Miyoko’s Vegan butter but love the soy-free Earth Balance too)
2 C All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 C Powdered Sugar + More for rolling out dough
1/4 tsp Almond Extract (optional)
Raspberry Jam
INSTRUCTIONS
This cookie has no egg to hold it together so the dough can get quite crumbly if you don’t get the proportions right and actually does better when you don’t overly chill the dough. Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.
In the microwave, soften the cream cheese and add to a large mixing bowl. Soften the butter almost to a melt, so there is both melty and a more solid piece. We’ll call this half melted, super technical. Haha! Add almond extract (if you’d like) and powdered sugar. Blend together until light and fluffy, I used a handheld mixer on medium speed.
Mix dry ingredients together and add to the large bowl. At this point I used a large spoon rather than the handheld mixer, to incorporate the flour so as to not over mix. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes just until it isn’t too sticky. Add some powdered sugar to your work surface and roll out the dough to less than 1/2″ thick.
I initially used a ruler to mark out a 2″ by 2″ square. At this point, transfer the square to a parchment lined baking sheet (if you wait to transfer them after you’ve made the pinwheel, they get misshapen during the transfer). Once they’re on the baking sheet, cut the edges of the square away with your knife. Using your knife, make diagonal cuts about 1/2″ long from the corners halfway into the center of the square. See the pictures.
Add a small scoop, about a heaping teaspoon of jam to the center of each square. I used raspberry jam.
Carefully place every other corner up and in towards the center. See the pictures for clarification. I found my dough was very soft and I had to help it with the back of a frosting spatula and then occasionally reshape/smooth the dough so there weren’t cracks.
Pulling the edges to make the pinwheel takes a bit more time than your standard shaped cookie but the look is so darn cute and perfect for the 4th of July or summertime. Bake at 350 degrees F until the edges are just starting to brown. I found the tips of mine got dark first, before the whole cookie so I used that as my browning reference. Let sit on the pan until cooled down a bit, 5 or so minutes and then remove to a cookie rack. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy! These are best enjoyed the day you make them, when they sit long the jam makes the whole cookie soft and doughy vs crisp and flakey.
I hope you enjoy these! They’re so cute, perfect for a summer picnic. And how pretty are these pictures by Ruth Eileen Photography. I’m so lucky to get to watch her work. If you’re looking for some more 4th of July inspiration, this tablescape is one of my favorites to date and these peanut butter rice krispie treats are SO good.
