Finnish Pinwheels

Total Time

Prep: 1 hour Bake: 15 min./batch + cooling

Makes

about 7 dozen

Updated: Feb. 15, 2022
When my sister was hosting an exchange student from Finland, she served these cookies I'd made to her guest. The young lady instantly recognized what they were. So I know they're still being made in our ancestors' country. —Ilona Barron, Ontonagon, Michigan
Finnish Pinwheels Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • FILLING:
  • 1/4 pound pitted dried plums (prunes), chopped
  • 1/4 pound pitted dates, chopped
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons butter
  • PASTRY:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cold butter
  • 1 large egg, room temperature, beaten
  • 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Confectioners' sugar

Directions

  1. In a saucepan, combine dried plums, dates, water and sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in butter. Cool.
  2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter as for a pie crust. Blend in egg, cream and vanilla. Form into 2 balls.
  3. Place 1 ball at a time on a floured surface and roll to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into 2-in. squares. Place on ungreased baking sheets. With a sharp knife, make 1-in. diagonal slits in corners. Place 1/2 teaspoon filling in the center of each square. Bring every other corner up into center to form a pinwheel and press lightly. Bake at 325° until the points are light golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Nutrition Facts

1 pinwheel: 64 calories, 3g fat (2g saturated fat), 9mg cholesterol, 44mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.