Fans of traditional shortbread cookies and desserts that aren't too sugary will love this Benne Chocolate Pinwheel Cookie recipe. Created by Honeysuckle Provisions' Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate, these chocolatey, buttery, nutty slice-and-bake cookies will stand out at your Juneteenth gathering or anytime your tea needs a friend.
What Is Benne?
Benne seeds are an heirloom variety of sesame and are core to South Carolina’s Gullah Geechee cuisine. West Africans brought benne seeds, a heritage variety of sesame, to the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia in the late 17th century. These seeds have less oil and are more aromatic, with nutty and burnt honey notes. In the Colonial era, benne seeds were boiled to draw off the oil then dried and pounded with a mortar into flour. The mills today press the seeds to draw off some oil and compress them into bennecakes, which are milled into flour. Find the seeds and benne flour (aka bennecake flour) at Anson Mills and some specialty spice retailers.
Ingredient Tip: To enjoy the most authentic taste and texture of these pinwheel cookies, it’s worth sourcing benne seeds and benne flour. If can't find it, substitute natural almond flour (made from unblanched almonds) for benne flour.
Tips for Making Benne Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies
Follow these tips to achieve beautiful, delicious spirals.
- Keep benne cookie dough and the chocolate cookie dough covered with waxed while prepping the other dough to prevent it from drying out.
- Softened butter is key to helping the dough come together. If your butter is firm, warm it in a microwave 10 seconds on 100% power. Watch closely. You don't want the butter to melt. Rather, it should be very soft.
- If the doughs start to crack as you're rolling them together, don't panic! Simply use your fingers to gently reseal the cracks and continue.
Ingredients
Benne Shortbread
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3/4 cup butter, softened
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3 tbsp white miso
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1 1/2 cups (200 g) whole wheat flour
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1 cup (100 g) powdered sugar
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6 tbsp (50 g) benne flour
Chocolate Shortbread
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1 cup butter, softened
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1 1/2 cups (200 g) whole wheat flour
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1 cup (100 g) powdered sugar
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1/2 cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder
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1/4 tsp salt
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3 to 4 tbsp benne seeds
Directions
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For benne shortbread, in a medium mixing bowl beat the 3/4 cup butter and the miso with a mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 cup powdered sugar, and benne flour. Mix on low until combined.
Test Kitchen Tip: The food processor is an excellent method for preparing the two doughs. Combine dough ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Cover and process until the dough comes together. -
Working between two pieces of waxed paper, roll dough to a 10x12-inch rectangle (just under 1/4 inch thick). Keep covered with waxed paper; set aside while making chocolate shortbread dough.
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For chocolate shortbread, in a medium mixing bowl beat the 1 cup butter with a mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 cup powdered sugar, the cocoa powder, and salt. Mix on low until combined. Working between two pieces of waxed paper, roll dough to a 10x12-inch rectangle (just under 1/4 inch thick).
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Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove the top piece of waxed paper from both pieces of dough. Place chocolate dough on top of the benne dough; use the waxed paper as necessary to align the two rectangles. Press down gently with rolling pin to help the doughs adhere together. Remove top piece of waxed paper. Tightly roll up, jelly-roll style, starting from a short side, using the waxed paper underneath to lift as you go. Dough may crack as you roll; don't worry—simply work the crack back together with your fingers. Roll log in benne seeds. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper; chill 1 to 2 hours until firm.
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Tightly roll up, jelly-roll style, starting from a short side, using the waxed paper underneath to lift as you go.
Dough may crack as you roll; don't worry—simply work the crack back together with your fingers.
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Roll log in benne seeds. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper; chill 1 to 2 hours until firm.
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Unwrap log. Using a sharp knife, cut into 28 to 30 slices (about 1/4 inch thick). Place slices about 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
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Bake until edges are set and still soft to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes. The cookies don't shrink. Look for the lighter-color dough to turn a warm brown. There might be a little cracking. They should be soft to the touch and will crisp up when cool. If they are crisp in the oven, they are overbaked.
