If you’re in a hurry, you can simplify this recipe by using a high-quality, chunky store-bought jam in place of the homemade fig filling.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes about 6 1/2 dozen
Ingredients
for the dough
for the filling
Preparation
Step 1
Make dough: Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Divide dough in half; wrap each half in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.
Step 2
Transfer one of the dough halves to a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Roll out to a 10 by 12-inch rectangle; trim edges with a knife. Repeat with remaining dough half. Transfer each rectangle on parchment to a baking sheet. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Step 3
Make filling: Bring figs, raisins, and juices to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until fruit has softened and only a few tablespoons of liquid remain, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely. Transfer fig mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth.
Step 4
Spread half the filling over each rectangle. Starting with a long side, roll dough into a log. Wrap each log in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.
Step 5
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices using a sharp knife, transferring to baking sheets lined with parchment paper (and reshaping into rounds, if needed) as you work. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges turn golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.
HOW TO ROLL PINWHEELS
Step 6
After spreading filling over chilled dough, gently but tightly roll the dough, starting with a long side, into a log. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour or overnight. To keep pinwheels from flattening on one side, remove the log from the refrigerator from time to time, and roll it again on a flat surface. Then cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, rerolling it as needed to retain shape.
