These crunchy Nutella Pinwheel Cookies, start with a delicious buttery dough that is spread with lots of that amazing creamy hazelnut spread. Then rolled, sliced and baked to make the best Nutella Cookies!
These crunchy Nutella Cookies have become one of our favorite cookies. We have decided that these are perfect for Breakfast, Snack and even Dessert. I love one or two with a cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon.
This time of the year I always have this mad urge to make dough, any kind of dough, from Pie Dough to Bread Dough and yes one of my favourite kinds, Pizza Dough.
But finding a good cookie dough is something we all need. And this one is perfect, buttery and so crunchy.
The Italian’s idea was to spread it with Nutella and don’t be stingy with the Nutella I was reminded by my youngest daughter!
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour – all purpose flour at least 11% protein, this will keep the cookies from spreading
- Egg – room temperature
- Butter – room temperature
- Sugar – granulated sugar
- Vanilla – vanilla extract
- Salt – if you use unsalted butter then increase the salt a little
- Nutella – either store bought or Homemade Nutella
Why use room temperature ingredients?
With cakes, doughs and other baking, it’s always better to use room temperature ingredients. So, take any cold ingredients out of the refrigerator an hour ahead of time or sooner if it’s cool in your kitchen. Room temperature ingredients blend easier, creating a softer dough, which will help to create a lighter tender or even crunchier baked good.
How to make Nutella Pinwheel Cookies
In a large mixing bowl add the flour and butter, mix with a fork until crumbly, then add the egg, sugar, salt and vanilla.
Again mix with the fork until the mixture almost comes together.
Move to a lightly floured flat surface. Knead the dough until it comes together and is smooth, form it into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it into a rectangle on a lightly floured large sheet of parchment paper.
Spread the Nutella or your favourite hazelnut cream filling evenly on the dough. Leave a 1/2 inch boarder around the edges.
Roll up from the long side (as tightly as you can) using the parchment to help with the rolling to form a dough log. Wrap with the parchment paper and chill for another 30 minutes.
15 minutes before removing the dough from fridge Pre-heat the oven.
Remove the dough log from the fridge and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices with a sharp knife (or thinner if you prefer), place the slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, you can gently reform the cookies into circles with your fingers.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Can Pinwheel Cookies be made ahead of time?
Although this dough does need time in the fridge, 30 minutes after it comes together and another 30 minutes after it has been rolled and sliced. You could leave it rolled up in the fridge overnight and slice and bake the next morning.
How to soften Nutella if it is too hard
I also softened up the Nutella by heating it in a pot of boiling water just to make it easier to spread, or you can soften it in the microwave.
Recipe Tips
After you have rolled out the dough into a rectangle, it is helpful to place it on parchment paper before spreading the Nutella on. By placing it on parchment paper, this helps you roll up the dough more easily by pulling up on the paper as you roll. It also helps prevent sticking.
Slicing the pinwheels thinner may need to bake less time. Slicing the pinwheels thicker may need to bake in more time. Keep an eye on your cookies in the last 5 minutes or so to ensure proper baking time.
If you want your cookies to bake evenly at the same time, try to cut them as evenly as possible.
When the cookies are still rolled up, trim the ends so that you get nice and perfect cookies for each slice.
Wipe your knife blade after each slice to make sure you can see the pinwheel pattern nicely. Although the swirl pattern will show more after baking.
How to store the cookies
The cookies should be stored in an airtight container, and can keep for up to 2 days at room temperature. They will keep for up to 5-6 days in the fridge.
How to freeze the cookies
Place the baked completely cooled cookies in a freezer bag or container. They will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
If you prefer you can slice the dough, and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, then place in the freezer until firm. Then move to a freezer container, with parchment paper between the layers to keep them from sticking. The unbaked cookies will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer, they can be baked from frozen, they may take a couple of minutes extra to bake.
FAQs
There are just 7 ingredients in Nutella pinwheel cookies: flour, egg, butter, sugar, vanilla, salt, and Nutella.
First you have to roll your dough out flat. Then top with Nutella, and begin rolling from the long edge until it’s completely rolled up. You then cut the rolled dough into slices, revealing the swirl or “pinwheel” pattern inside.
You can substitute with a simple cinnamon and sugar mixture, your favorite jam or even a Chocolate Spread or Pistachio Spread.
The dough can be made with a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Do not over mix, combine the dough until almost combined then move to a flat surface to form in to a dough ball.
So if you are looking for a crunchy buttery cookie, why don’t you give these Nutella Pinwheel Cookies a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!
More Nutella Recipes You may enjoy!
- Nutellotti Cookies – Nutella Cookies
- Italian Nutella Crumb Cake
- Thick Nutella Chip Shortbread Cookies
- Easy Nutella Puff Pastry Balls
- Nutella Pudding Cup
Nutella Pinwheel Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons all purpose flour (at least 11% protein) (155 grams total)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- ¼ cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons butter (room temperature) (70 grams total)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pinch salt*
- 1 cup Nutella** (softened so that it is easily spreadable)
*If you use unsalted butter then add ¼ teaspoon salt.
**I softened up the Nutella by heating it in a pot of boiling water just to make it easier to spread, or you can soften it in the microwave.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl add the flour and butter, mix with a fork until crumbly, then add the egg, sugar, salt and vanilla. Again mix with the fork until the mixture almost comes together.
- Move to a lightly floured flat surface. Knead the dough until it comes together and is smooth, form it into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it into a rectangle (7×11 inches/ 18x28cm) on a lightly floured large sheet of parchment paper. Lightly flour the rolling pin also.
- Spread the Nutella or your favourite hazelnut cream filling evenly on the dough. Leave a 1/2 inch boarder around the edges.
- Roll up from the long side (as tightly as you can) using the parchment to help with the rolling to form a dough log. Wrap with the parchment paper and chill for another 30 minutes.
- 15 minutes before removing from the fridge, pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C).
- Remove the dough log from the fridge and cut into ½ inch thick slices with a sharp knife, place the slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, you can gently reform the cookies into circles with your fingers.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from October 21, 2017.
MarySC says
How can you cut an 11 inch log into ½ inch slices and only get 11 cookies?
Rosemary says
Hi Mary, yeah you can’t :). I must have cut them into 1 inches slices. Corrected thanks.
Steve Kay says
There are a few typos here. At least on my device, the recipe calls for 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour, or 1.63 KILOGRAMS plus 3 tablespoons flour, according to the automatic conversion. One cup should be roughly 128 grams. Same with the butter. 1/4 cup butter should be roughly 56 grams, not 170 grams. Clearly, these are not correct, and not what you had in mind.
Rosemary says
Hi Steve, thanks for letting me know, sometimes it calculates incorrectly, that’s why now I type it in myself, although there are older recipes that I haven’t caught yet. Thanks again, have a great week.
2pots2cook says
If Meringue Ghost Chocolate Sugar Cookies are made for my son this is made for me ! You make miracles ! Thanks a million !
Rosemary says
Thanks so much. They are really good.