Ginger-Lemon Pinwheel Cookies

The December issue of Cooking Light Magazine arrived at my door.  While flipping through it I spotted cookies, hmmm cookies light?  Really?  Butter, brown and white sugar makes for a light cookie?  Not so light but ginger lemon sounded divine and the pinwheel looks so awesome!  It took me three days from start to finish because 9pm is not an ideal time for cookie baking.  

Mixed reviews, I liked the doughy molasses flavor.  Other comments, too doughy, spicy start but taste good once you swallow it, mmm lemon.

my perfect imperfect roll

ready to go in the oven

Ginger-Lemon Pinwheel Cookies 

from Cooking Light Magazine

Ginger dough

1/4  cup  unsalted butter, softened
1/3  cup  packed dark brown sugar
1/4  cup  molasses
1  large egg yolk
6  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 1/3 cups)
3/4  teaspoon  ground ginger
3/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1/8  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
Dash of ground allspice

Lemon dough:

5  tablespoons  unsalted butter, softened

2/3  cup  granulated sugar

1  large egg white

2  teaspoons  grated lemon rind

3/4  teaspoon  vanilla extract

6  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 1/3 cups)

1/4  teaspoon  salt

~ to prepare ginger dough

~ place 1/4 cup butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes)

~ add molasses and egg yolk; beat until well blended

~ weigh or lightly spoon 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife

~ combine 6 ounces flour, ginger, and next 4 ingredients (through allspice)

~ stir with a whisk

~ add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined

~ wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.

~ to prepare lemon dough
~ place 5 tablespoons butter and granulated sugar in a medium bowl
~ beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (about 3 minutes)
~ add egg white; beat until blended
~ beat in rind and vanilla
~ weigh or lightly spoon 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife
~ combine 6 ounces flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt
~ add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined
~ wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes
~ unwrap ginger dough
~ roll ginger dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a 13 x 8 1/2–inch rectangle (3/16 inch thick)
~ chill 10 minutes
~ unwrap lemon dough. Roll lemon dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a 13 x 9–inch rectangle (3/16 inch thick)
~ chill 10 minutes
~ carefully stack ginger dough on top of lemon dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long edge
~starting with the long side without a border, roll up dough, jelly-roll fashion
~ seal edges (do not seal ends of roll)
~ cover with plastic wrap; freeze 30 minutes.
~ preheat oven to 350°.
~ unwrap dough. Cut with a sharp knife into 40 slices (about 1/4 inch thick). Reshape rounds, if necessary
~ arrange slices 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper
~ bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 8 to 9 minutes or until set and lightly browned
~ cool on wire racks