Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Grandma Bert's Whirlygigs

















I know, another cookie recipe.  But can we ever really have too many this time of year?  Just when I thought I had my baking line-up finalized, in enters this terrific recipe for Whirlygigs...and a Benne Wafer recipe...and one for pebernødder, the ubiquitous Danish Christmas cookies.  I'm starting to ask myself where does it end?  Well, it better end soon because I am going through butter like there's no tomorrow and trying my hardest not to shovel them all in my mouth.

The Whirlygig recipe was clipped out of the local paper in Bend, OR, a few years ago.  It was the winning entry for the month of October for a fundraising calendar to benefit the California Firefighters Memorial and families of fallen firefighters.  Clinton Marsalek, a California Department of Forestry firefighter, provided it.

What I love about these cookies is their pin wheel shape, the ever so subtle peanut flavor, and the ribbon of chocolate throughout.  They're fun to make and go splendidly with a glass of cold milk.  Furthermore, who doesn't love a cookie called "Whirlygig?"

I'm dying to hear what kind of cookies you're making for the holidays this year.  If you had to choose one (hard question, I know), which would be your favorite?

















Grandma Bert's Whirlygigs
Courtesy of Clinton Marsalek

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

1/2c butter
1/2c sugar
1/2c brown sugar
1/2c peanut butter (I used creamy)
1 egg
1 1/4c flour
1/2t baking soda
1/2t salt
6 oz. package semisweet chocolate chips

1.  Cream together butter, sugars, and peanut butter in medium bowl.  Add egg and beat until fluffy.  Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.

2.  Roll dough into an oval shape and 1/4-inch thick on a sheet of wax paper; set aside.

3.  Melt chocolate chips slowly in top of double boiler; cool slightly and spread thinly over dough with spatula.

4.  Starting with the long end, roll up dough and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Chill for several hours or freeze until ready to bake.

5.  Preheat oven to 375F.  Slice dough 1/4-inch thick and place on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Let cool on wire racks.

2 comments:

  1. It's a trick question, right? Because I simply cannot make up my mind. What I have been craving lately is the Danish Honning Hjerter (Honey Hearts) which has the little glansbillede (paper picture) on top. I am sure you've seen them in the stores.

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  2. I know! It's practically impossible to decide on only one! It's so funny that you said that about the honning hjerter because I bought my first one in a bageri yesterday! There was a choice between the hearts and ones shaped like men, so I chose the man...oh my so good and like nothing I'd ever tried before. I can see why you would be missing those.

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