Fig Pinwheel Cookies
If you’re looking for a unique, fruity cookie, look no further than these award-winning Fig Pinwheel Cookies. These sweet rolls of sugar cookie dough and fig jam make for a fantastic addition to any dessert tray or cookie box. They’re delicious to bake year-round.
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2024 Update: This recipe was originally shared in December 2011. The recipe has been rewritten to include better instructions, easier to find ingredients and also ingredient weights. The post now includes new photos, as well as more tips and tricks. I hope you love them!
Fig Pinwheel Cookie Recipe
If you love figs, you know they are a fickle fruit. Once plucked from the tree, fresh figs can spoil in a matter of days. That’s why so many people use them to make fig jam.
Fig jam is at the heart of these figgy cookies, and — like picking figs and making fig jam — they are a labor of love. These cookies are freaking awesome and delicious, so they are well worth the effort if you ask me.
Here’s a fun fact: I entered this recipe in a Harlequin romance recipe competition, and this baby won first place! Back then I used homemade fig jam from our fig tree, but you don’t have to go that far with your labor of love unless you want to! Regular fig preserves will work great, too.
Please note that these aren’t the classic Sicilian Fig Cookies or Italian Fig Cookies, but both these recipes celebrate the goodness of fig season.
Why I love this recipe:
OK, it’s hard for me not to gush about this cookie recipe because they were initially made at our home in Louisiana with figs from our fig tree.
To me, this recipe makes the perfect cookie. The dough is soft. The figs are jammy. The swirls are mesmerizing. The combined less-sweet cookie dough with the natural sweetness of the figs is a lovely combination.
Here are a few reasons why you might love these delightful cookies:
- Fruity and figgy, these cookies are the perfect addition to parties and cookie boxes.
- They may seem like a lot of work, but they are absolutely worth the effort.
- And while they take a while, you don’t have to possess a pastry chef apron to make them — this recipe is easy and approachable to bake up.
More fig recipes to try: Fig Tart | Fig & Lemon Cheesecake Bars | Fall Cheese Board
What you need to make this recipe:
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- An electric mixer, like a stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Rimmed sheet pan or cookie sheet
- Nonstick baking mat
- Rolling pin
- Plastic wrap
- Parchment paper
- Sharp knife
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
The base of these cookies is my All-Butter Tea Cake recipe, which is a beloved family recipe. They’re lighter and fluffier than traditional sugar cookies. They’re also less sweet, which we really dig, and have a nice little tang without being out of control.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter — this is a must for baking! If you use salted, use less salt in the cookie dough.
- Granulated sugar — you’re looking for white sugar, not brown, here.
- Pure vanilla extract — the better the vanilla, the better your baked goods.
- Egg — fresh eggs are best for baking.
- Buttermilk — don’t have any? You can make a buttermilk substitute with regular milk and lemon juice or white vinegar.
- All-purpose flour — we like to use unbleached AP flour in our household, but the regular kind works, too. I have not tried this with a gluten free flour blend, so I cannot vouch for that swap.
- Baking powder — check yours to make sure it isn’t expired! This will result in flat cookies.
- Baking soda — like baking powder, this can expire once opened and will affect the texture if it’s gone bad.
- Kosher salt — this is best for baking, but sea salt can work too. Don’t use table salt.
- Fig preserves — you can use any fig jam or fig preserves. It’s okay if it’s chunky. Initially, I made this recipe with fresh preserves, which I made using fresh orange juice and fresh mission figs that grew in my yard. I know that is not possible for most, so I changed the reflect an easier way that can be made year-round.
Customizations and substitutions
Feel free to try these cookies with other types of jam! Try these cranberry pinwheels at Christmas time or use strawberry jam in the spring. Orange marmalade or apricot jam would be a fabulous any season filling.
You can also experiment with other toppings. Sprinkle them with sesame seeds, finely-grated orange zest or lemon zest OR even chopped nuts before baking for extra texture.
You can also drizzle on melted chocolate or sprinkle powdered sugar to the finished cookies for an extra impressive look.
How to make Fig Pinwheel Cookies
Ready to make these fun fig cookies?
You’re in for a wild ride — but there’s a pot of gold filled with these cookies at the end of the rainbow!
Make the Cookie Dough recipe:
First, combine the room temperature butter and sugar in the base of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer.) Beat butter and sugar until creamed together, about 2-3 minutes.
Pour in the vanilla and break the egg. Beat with the creamed mixture until combined and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Finally, add the buttermilk to the rest of the wet ingredients. Beat until combined. The batter will look broken or curdled. This is OK! This buttermilk gives the batter a unique tangy flavor, and the batter will come back together when the dry ingredients are added.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into another large bowl. Whisk to combine.
Pour the flour mixture (AKA the dry ingredients) into the wet ingredients incrementally, mixing on low speed until just combined.
Roll out a length of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Dollop the batter into the wrap in the rough shape of a rectangle.
Refrigerate for at least one hour because this soft dough will not roll out nicely otherwise.
Shape the Cookies
Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat, and set aside.
Once dough has chilled, roll into a 11-inch by 17-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin. It should be about ⅓-inch thick.
Slather a cup of your sweet fig filling onto the dough, spreading as evenly as possible until about 1″ from the edges.
If you spread it all the way to the edges, it will leak out of the cookies.
Carefully, roll the dough up like you would a cinnamon roll in a round, doing your best to keep the dough as tightly wound as possible.
Place the rolled up dough on the lined sheet pan. Refrigerate for another hour to firm up the dough.
Bake the cookies
When you’re ready to bake them, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
Remove the log of dough from the refrigerator. Use a sharp knife to slice it into 24 separate cookies. (They will be about ½-inch thick.)
Transfer these cookies to a prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops of the cookies are puffy and slightly golden brown.
Transfer them to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before eating. When jam cooks, the sugars get really, really hot so they will need to sit on the sheet pan for a bit before you transfer them to a wire rack. The baked cookies might be sticky! That’s OK.
You can finish them with a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar or serve as is, and enjoy!
How to store/freeze
Store these cookies in a food-safe, airtight container for up to one week. But I bet they won’t last that long!
These cookies freeze very well, so if you have leftovers, freeze them in a single layer on a large baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container. Thaw them and bring them out for a future get-together — they are fun to share with people because they’re more unique cookies.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
These delicious cookies are wonderful for any occasion and any time of year, though we certainly love them about the holiday season.
Here are some things I would do if sharing these cookies with the people I love:
- Don’t worry if the cookies are imperfect. No one cares and they will still taste good.
- Box them up into cookie boxes or add them to a dessert tray for a party. You will want to share these beauties!
- Freeze them for a future hangout. Let them thaw overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chilled dough is easier to handle and less likely to stick to your rolling pin or work surface. Be sure your surface is floured, too.
As you roll the dough into a log, use your fingers to gently guide and tighten the roll, starting from one end and working your way to the other. Apply gentle pressure evenly along the length of the dough to create a compact, uniform roll. If the dough starts to crack or tear, you can gently press it back together as you roll. Once rolled, chilling the dough again before slicing will also help maintain the shape of the pinwheels when cutting.
Quick tips and tricks to making the best fig cookies
- DO NOT RUSH THIS RECIPE! I have tried and failed, and they really need the two separate chills in the fridge. You might also have to gently shape the cookies back into rounds after slicing if they’re not as cold as they can be.
- If your jam is chunky, the layer might be a little inconsistent. That’s OK. The swirls might still be messy since the cookies are filled with jam. That’s OK too.
- They’re soft cookies, so they can fall apart if you’re not careful. Pack them carefully in layers of parchment paper in an airtight container.
More fruity cookie recipes to try:
- Raspberry Linzer Cookies
- Lemon Cooler Cookies
- Orange Raspberry Shortbread
- Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
Fig Pinwheel Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
- 1 cup fig preserves
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Instructions
Make the Cookie Dough
- Combine the softened butter and sugar in the base of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer.) Beat until creamed together, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the vanilla and break the egg. Beat with the creamed butter and sugar until combined and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Finally, add the buttermilk to the rest of the wet ingredients. Beat until combined. The batter will look broken or curdled. This is OK! This buttermilk gives the batter a unique tangy flavor, and the batter will come back together when the dry ingredients are added.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into another large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients incrementally, mixing until just combined.
- Roll out a length of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Dollop the batter into the wrap in the rough shape of a rectangle. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
Shape the Cookies
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat, and set aside.
- Once dough has chilled, roll into a 11″ by 17″ rectangle on a floured surface with a rolling pin. It should be about ⅓" thick.
- Slather a cup of fig preserves onto the dough, spreading as evenly as possible until about 1" from the edges. (If you spread it all the way to the edges, it will leak out of the cookies.)
- Carefully, roll the dough up like you would a cinnamon roll in a round, doing your best to keep the dough as tightly wound as possible.
- Place the rolled up dough on the lined sheet pan. Refrigerate for another hour to firm up the dough.
Bake the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Remove the log of dough from the refrigerator. Use a sharp knife to slice it into 24 separate cookies. (They will be about ½" thick.)
- Transfer these cookies to a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tops of cookies are puffy and slightly golden brown.
- Let cool and then enjoy!
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Ohhh, these look divine. :]
I am obsessed with fig lately, I want to try making this. They are very different but look tasty!
These are my favorite!