Pinwheel Cookies

    This is a dessert we make for holidays like Purim or Tu BiShvat – the birthday of the trees. It has a few steps but it is worth every moment spent.

  Filling:
    1 & ½  Cups Chopped Dates
    1 Cup Sugar
    1 Cup Orange Juice
    ½  Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (If you don't want to use nuts nuts, you may add some spices - cinnamon, maybe ginger, nutmeg, cloves etc. Use just the spices you like, and combine with some dry fruit, like cranberries, apricots, cherries - just to give it another dimension.)

  Dough:
    2/3 Cup Softened Butter, (I used parve margarine to make it lactose free)
    1&2/3 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
    ¼ Cup Sugar
    2 Eggs
    3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
    3/4 tsp Baking Soda
    3/4 tsp Salt
    3/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

  Preparation:
    1) Combine the dates, sugar and juice (spices), cook and stir over medium heat until thick. (add other chopped dry fruit towards the end)
Add lightly toasted and crushed nuts (if using) and let it cool. (you may put it to the freezer for 10 -15 min.)
    2) Cream butter (margarine) and sugar, add eggs, one at the time, beating well after each addition
    3) Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture. (I just sift all dry to the egg mix at once) Divide in half
(I highly recommend to chill the dough at this point, if you don't have much time, just put it to the freezer for 10-20 min, it is too soft to work with)
    4) On floured surface (very well floured!!!!), roll out the portions of dough into a ¼” - thick rectangle. Spread with half of the filling. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the long side. Repeat  with remaining dough and filling. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap, refrigerate overnight (I did not have time to go over night, so I put the rolls into freezer for 1 hour or maybe little longer, until they became firm to touch.
5) Unwrap dough, cut ½”. slices. Place 2”. apart on greased baking sheets (I use parchment paper). Bake at 375F for 10-12 min.