Date pinwheel cookies are buttery cookies with crisp edges and the most delicious date pistachio filling. They are surprisingly easy to make and will be the star of any holiday cookie exchange!
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Sweet and flavorful, these date nut pinwheel cookies come together quickly and easily. Date pistachio filling is rolled up inside a buttery cookie to make beautiful swirls!
These pinwheel date nut cookies are festive, beautiful and delicious. Everyone will love them during the holiday season!
For more delicious holiday cookies, try my orange chocolate cookies, cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies, and this recipe for cornmeal cookies.
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Why This Recipe Works
- These slice and bake cookies look fancy, but they’re surprisingly easy to make just like shortbread chocolate chip cookies!
- You’ll love their crisp edges and chewy delicious date and pistachio filling! For another yummy cookie with pistachios, try my chocolate chip cookies with pistachios.
- The date filling is made extra delicious with fresh orange juice and orange flower water.
- The date and pistachio swirl will impress everyone!
Ingredients
Here are useful notes about some of the ingredients for this pinwheel date cookies recipe.
- Butter: Use unsalted room temperature butter for the cookie dough.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar: Use light or dark brown sugar. Make sure your brown sugar is fresh.
- Cinnamon: Adds a hint of extra warm flavor to the dough, but it doesn’t overpower the other flavors.
- 1 orange: Orange juice and zest makes the date filling extra fresh tasting and flavorful.
- Dates: Dates are the star ingredient in these cookies. They’re are sweet, sticky, chewy and make the filling taste amazing! I prefer Medjool dates. Be sure to also try my recipe for date scones!
- Pistachios: Chopped pistachios add flavor and a crunchy texture. Pistachio fans will also love this pistachio and ricotta cake.
- Orange blossom water: Orange blossom water is optional, but I recommend it. It is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine. I love its floral, citrusy flavor and it pairs so well with the dates and orange. I also love adding it to my Lebanese sfouf and Christmas cranberry cake.
Please see recipe card below for full list of ingredients and their measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- To make these cookies gluten free, swap in a 1-to-1 all purpose gluten free baking flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill).
- Instead of orange blossom water, use rose water.
Instructions
Step One (Photo 1 above): Beat the butter with the sugars til light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla and egg. Mix in the dry ingredients til just combined.
Step Two (Photo 2 above): Form the dough into a ball with your hands. Set the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap. Gently form it into a rectangular shape. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
Step Three (Photo 3 above): While the dough chills, make the filling. Combine the chopped dates, granulated sugar, orange juice and water in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and leave mixture at a simmer. Add the orange blossom water. Stir occasionally, until mixture is a paste-like consistency. Remove from heat. Stir in the chopped pistachios. Set aside to cool before using.
Step Four (Photo 4 above): Lightly flour a piece of wax paper or parchment paper. Roll the chilled dough out to a 12 x 8 inch rectangle.
Step Five (Photo 5 above): Use an offset spatula to spread the cooled date mixture evenly over the dough. Leave about 1/2 inch border on all sides.
Step Six (Photo 6 above): Start at one of the long ends and roll dough into a log. Wrap the rolled dough in the parchement or wax paper and a layer of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
Step Seven (Photo 7 above): Slice the chilled log into ¼-inch slices.
Step Eight (Photo 8 above): Set cookies two inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 F for 9 to 11 minutes. Cool five minutes on the baking sheet then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to chill the dough as directed.
- Add the pistachios when directed. If you cook them with the dates, they won’t be as crunchy.
- I like to use a cookie scoop to place the filling on the dough. An offset spatula works best to then spread the filling.
- Leave a ½-inch border along the edges. The border will keep the filling from leaking when the cookies bake.
- If the dough cracks while rolling it, it is probably still stiff from chilling in the fridge. Let it rest for a minute until it’s a bit more pliable.
- Do not overbake.
Recipe FAQs
Slice an empty paper towel roll down the middle. Place the log of dough in the paper towel roll. Tape the roll to tighten it around the cookie dough log. This will keep the log round while it lays in the fridge.
I prefer to bake with Medjool dates.
Store these date and nut pinwheel cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze cookies in a freezer safe bag for up to 2 months.
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Date Pinwheel Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
Date Filling
- 8 ounces dates pitted, chopped, about 1 cup
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup orange juice or water
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 teaspoons orange blossom water optional
- ¾ cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowk, beat the butter with the sugars with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes til light and fully. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Mix in the vanilla and egg.
- Turn the mixer to low speed. Mix in the dry ingredients til just combined.
- Use your hands to form the dough into a ball.
- Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap. Press dough lightly and gently into a rectangular shape. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- While the dough chills, make the date filling. Combine the chopped dates, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and water into a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the dates are a paste-like consistency, remove from heat. Stir in the orange blossom water (if using) and chopped pistachios. Set aside to cool.
- Once the date mixture has cooled and after the dough has chilled for at least 1 hour, roll out the chilled dough o a lightly floured piece of parchment paper or wax paper to a 12- x 8-inch rectangle.
- Spread the cooled date mixture on the dough. Leave a ½ inch border on all the edges so that the filling doesn't leak out while the cookie bakes. Beginning at one of the long ends, roll the dough into a log. Wrap the rolled dough in the parchment or wax paper and refrigerate and wrap in a sheet of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Once ready to bake, take dough out of the fridge and set it on a cutting board. Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Use a long sharp knife to slice the roll into ¼-inch slices. Set the cookies two inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool on th baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
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