Since 2005, Barb Nack has efficiently managed the cooking school at Kitchen Conservatory as we have grown from 450 classes to 700 cooking classes each year. Barb has also specialized in teaching girls’ night out classes (especially on chocolaty desserts), dynamic participation classes for couples (especially with shellfish menus), and the introductory Basics of Cooking and Prep School classes. Each December, she leads a cookie baking extravaganza and the class bakes a dozen different cookie recipes, but these Date Pinwheels are always the favorite cookie of the day. Register for her cooking class.

Please stop by Kitchen Conservatory this week to try a warm sample of this memorable cookie or use this recipe to bake your own delicious batch.

Date Pinwheels

for the date filling:

• 1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Combine the dates, water, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Cool and fold in the nuts. 

for the dough:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffly and creamy in consistency. Stir in the egg. Fold in the flour mixture. On a lightly floured silicone pastry mat, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Spread the date mixture on top. Using the mat as a guide, roll up the dough like a jelly-roll cake. Chill for several hours or overnight. Slice and bake on a lined cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.