Christmas Mincemeat Pinwheel Cookies

Pinwheel cookies are a Christmas classic. This version uses pre-rolled puff pastry as the dough, and seasonal mincemeat as the filling. Much easier than the traditional version with two colours of home-made cookie dough stacked and rolled.

 

Ingredients

• 2 tsp (10 mL)  granulated sugar
• 1 pkg (450 g)  Butter Puff Pastry, thawed ( can be bought raw and ready to roll from most supermarkets)
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) Mincemeat                                       

Instructions

In food processor, purée mincemeat for 15 seconds or until smooth. Set aside.

 

 Unroll one sheet of puff pastry onto counter, leaving it on the parchment paper. Spread with  half of the mincemeat, leaving a 1/2-inch (1 cm) border bare on all sides.

 

Using parchment paper to help, roll up jelly-roll fashion into a long tube. Gently press on seam of pastry to seal. Wrap in parchment paper, twirling ends to hold in place. Repeat with remaining pastry and mincemeat. Freeze for 3 hours or until firm.

 

Arrange oven racks so one is in top third of oven and other in bottom third. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove puff pastry from freezer; let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Pour sugar onto rimmed baking sheet.

 

Unwrap pastry tubes. Use parchment paper to line two baking sheets. Gently roll pastry tubes in sugar to coat. Using sharp knife, trim ends and discard. Cut into 22 slices, each a scant 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick and place flat on prepared baking sheets. Discard remaining sugar.

 

Place one baking sheet in top third of oven and other in bottom third. Bake for 6 minutes. Switch baking sheets from top to bottom, rotating them from front to back as well when you switch places. Bake for a further 6 to 8 minutes or until puffed and golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

 

Chef's Tips
* I recommend doing the sprinkling of the sugar coating when you are first spreading on the mincemeat and rolling it up - the dough is thawed and it works great

*Fill puff pastry, roll in parchment then overwrap in plastic wrap and freeze up to 2 weeks in advance.

Wonderful Holiday treat, simple and better than the traditional tarts