Ginger-Lemon Pinwheel Cookies

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2009

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Yields: 40 cookies

Ingredients

• Ginger dough

• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1⁄3 cup  packed dark brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup molasses
• 1  large  egg yolk
• 6  ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1  dash ground allspice

• Lemon dough

• 5  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
• 1  large  egg white
• 2  teaspoons  grated lemon rind
• 3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6  ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. To prepare ginger dough, place 1/4 cup butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes).
2. Add molasses and egg yolk; beat until well blended. Weigh or lightly spoon 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
3. Combine 6 ounces flour, ginger, and next 4 ingredients (through allspice); stir with a whisk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.
4. To prepare lemon dough, place 5 tablespoons butter and granulated sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (about 3 minutes).
5. Add egg white; beat until blended. Beat in rind and vanilla. Weigh or lightly spoon 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
6. Combine 6 ounces flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.
7. Unwrap ginger dough. Roll ginger dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a 13 x 8 1/2–inch rectangle (3/16 inch thick); chill 10 minutes.
8. Unwrap lemon dough. Roll lemon dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a 13 x 9–inch rectangle (3/16 inch thick); chill 10 minutes.
9. Carefully stack ginger dough on top of lemon dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long edge. Starting with the long side without a border, roll up dough, jelly-roll fashion. Seal edges (do not seal ends of roll). Cover with plastic wrap; freeze 30 minutes.
10. Preheat oven to 350°.
11. Unwrap dough. Cut with a sharp knife into 40 slices (about 1/4 inch thick). Reshape rounds, if necessary.
12. Arrange slices 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 8 to 9 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.