These Black Sesame-Espresso Pinwheel Shortbread Cookies are buttery and nutty, with just the right amount of coffee flavor.
Making them is just as fun as eating them. Rolling up that pinwheel swirl is so satisfying!
Plus, they look really fancy, but they’re not hard at all. Perfect for coffee lovers and anyone who enjoys a unique twist on classic shortbread.
Let’s start baking!
Equipment Needed
- Bowls for mixing
- Mixer by hand or by stand
- Spoons and cups for measuring
- Pin for rolling
- Paper for parchment
- Wrap made of plastic
- Knife with a sharp edge
- Baking pan
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened, unsalted butter
- ½ cup of sugar that has been granulated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups of flour for all purposes
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
For the Black Sesame-Espresso Dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened, unsalted butter
- ½ cup of sugar that has been granulated
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder
- ¼ cup black sesame seeds, ground into a fine powder
- Two cups of flour for all purposes
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
1. Prepare the Vanilla Dough
Put 1 cup of softened butter and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a mixing bowl and beat them together until they are light and fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and mix well. Stir in 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt until everything is well mixed. Make a disc out of it and wrap it in plastic. Let it cool down for 30 minutes.
2. Make the dough with black sesame and espresso.
Do the same steps as for the vanilla dough, but before you mix in the flour, add 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder and ¼ cup of finely ground black sesame seeds. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill for half an hour.
3. Roll the dough out
Roll each piece of dough into a rectangle that is ¼ inch thick on a floured surface.
4. Stack and roll into a log
Put the black sesame-espresso dough on top of the vanilla dough. Use parchment paper to carefully roll both layers into a tight log. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for an hour.
5. Cut and bake
Set the oven to 350°F (175°C). Cut the log into ¼-inch rounds and put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
6. Let it cool and enjoy!
After 5 minutes, move the cookies from the baking sheet to a rack to cool completely.
Tips & Tricks
- Cool the dough! This makes it a lot easier to roll and cut. Don’t skip it!
- Make sure to grind your sesame seeds well. The dough won’t be as smooth if they are too coarse. The best tool is a spice grinder.
- Roll evenly. For a nice, clean swirl, try to make both doughs the same thickness.
- Use parchment paper to roll. It stops things from sticking and helps shape the log evenly.
- Cut gently. Use a sharp knife and a light sawing motion to keep the pinwheel from breaking.
- No espresso? If you want a black sesame-chocolate swirl, use cocoa powder instead.
- No black sesame? Use regular white sesame seeds, but toast them first to bring out their flavor.
- No gluten? Use a gluten-free flour blend that is 1:1.
- More sweet? Add a little sugar to the top before baking.
- You can make the dough logs up to three days ahead of time and store them in the fridge.
- You can freeze the logs for up to two months. When you’re ready, just slice and bake them!
- Keep cookies in a container that doesn’t let air in at room temperature for up to five days.
- You can freeze baked cookies for up to two months. Just thaw them out and enjoy!
Final thoughts
It’s time to bake!
Try these cookies and tell me how they turn out! Did you change the flavors? Do you have any questions? I’d love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below. 😊