Peanut Butter Pinwheel Cookies with Melted Chocolate Swirl
Sneak Preview: These vintage peanut butter pinwheel cookies wrap melted chocolate inside a peanut butter dough, then slice into old-fashioned spirals worthy of a retro holiday cookie tray. They’re a little fussy — the dough needs just the right chill before cutting — but when you nail it, the results are gorgeous.
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This recipe reminds me of the kind of cookie you’d see in a 1960s holiday cookbook — beautiful, impressive, and just fussy enough to make you feel like a real home baker. I saved it years ago from a kitchen calendar and finally gave it a whirl.
The dough rolls out nicely most of the time, and judging the chill takes a bit of instinct — too soft and it smears, too cold and the chocolate cracks. But when you hit that sweet spot? Those spirals slice clean as a whistle and look like you’ve been practicing for the county fair bake sale.
Definitely not a kid-project (unless you enjoy chocolate fingerprints), but perfect for holiday bakers who love a good hands-on challenge with a big payoff.
Ingredients and Substitutions
• BUTTER: Use softened unsalted or salted butter—either works.
• GRANULATED SUGAR: Keeps the dough light and crisp.
• CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER: Adds texture and flavor. Creamy works too, but won’t give the same crunch.
• MILK: Helps moisten and smooth out the dough. Use skim, 2%, or full-fat.
• VANILLA EXTRACT: Optional but recommended for depth.
• EGG: I used a “Large” (50 grams ±) egg.
• ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: Use unbleached or bleached; both work well.
• SALT: Enhances the peanut butter and balances the sweetness.
• BAKING SODA: Leavens the cookies and helps with browning.
• SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Melted and spread inside—can substitute bittersweet or dark chocolate if preferred.
Step-by-Step: How To Shape Peanut Butter Pinwheel Cookies
⬇️ Jump to the recipe below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
Tips That Make a Difference
- Chill, but don’t overchill: Slice when the dough is firm but still pliable—about 30–45 minutes in the fridge. Too cold, and the chocolate may crack.
- Use a serrated knife: A warm, sharp knife glides through the log and keeps the swirls clean.
- Keep dough cool while shaping: If your kitchen is warm or the dough gets soft, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes before rolling or slicing.
- Creamy peanut butter works too: But chunky adds texture and helps balance the chocolate layer.
Peanut Butter Pinwheel Cookies with Melted Chocolate Swirl
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) butter (softened)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (129 g) chunky peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large (50 g) egg
- 1-3/4 cup (210 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon table or sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 6-ounce package (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mix the dough: Cream 1/2 cup (113 g) butter and 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in 1/2 cup (129 g) chunky peanut butter, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 large (50 g) egg.Stir in the 1-3/4 cup (210 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon table or sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
- Melt the chocolate: Microwave 1 6-ounce package (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips for 1 minute. Stir until smooth, then let it cool slightly.
- Roll out the dough: Press dough into a ball and place between two long sheets of waxed paper. Roll out into a 10 x 17-inch rectangle.
- Add chocolate and roll up: Remove top sheet of waxed paper. Spread melted chocolate evenly over dough. Starting from a long edge, roll into a tight log.
- Chill and slice: Wrap log and chill for 30–45 minutes until firm but not hard. Slice into ½-inch rounds using a serrated knife.
- Bake the cookies: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12–14 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
FAQ About Peanut Butter Pinwheel Cookies
Yes. Wrap it tightly and freeze before slicing. Let it thaw slightly in the fridge, then slice and bake as usual.
It’s likely too cold. Let it sit at room temp for a few minutes or use a warm serrated knife.
Yes, but slice it while still slightly pliable. If the chocolate hardens too much, slicing will be more difficult.
Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Freeze for longer storage.
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Final Thoughts
If you are a peanut butter lover and need more, check out the recipes for my Glazed Peanut Butter Cookie Bars, my daughter-in-law’s Peanut Butter Fudge, and the popular PB2 Recipe for Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt. If you have leftover cookies, consider making cookie truffles with them; they might be even better than the original cookies.
Need help troubleshooting? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com—photos welcome!
I have been making these cookies for over 45 years. When I was given the recipe. they were called Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl cookies. They are still a family favourite to this day!
Hi Cindy,
What fun to hear your experience with this recipe! Do you have any quick tips to share with my readers?
Does the filling run out?
Hi Lorie,
No, it should not run out because you will chill the dough for 30-45 minutes after you roll up the dough with the chocolate inside and before you slice the dough. This recipe benefits from a practice run. ?
Paula
Love these cookies since childhood. My Grandmother made them for me. Looking forward to try making them.
Hi Nancy,
I hope it is the same recipe–got it from an old calendar. I can’t wait to hear how they turn out for you.
Love this recipe! Can I use all natural peanut butter (no extra oils added to the peanut butter)?
Hi Lori,
I haven’t tried it, but I’m guessing it would work just fine.
Yes, I have made this recipe for chocolate pinwheel cookies for years and they are wonderful. At first had a hard time rolling them out but practice makes perfect I do make them often.
Hi Ginny, I’m so glad you added this encouraging comment. I agree that practice helps.
Yummy cookies. I had no problems except that the way I cut them, I got more than 50 cookies out of that recipe, rather than the 18 that it says, and they are nice sized cookies. Since the roll is 17 inches long, it only makes sense that you’re going to get more than 18 cookies if you cut them 1/4 inch thick.
Jane,
Hmmmm. What you say about the number of cookies makes complete sense. Math was never my best subject. However, this gives me an excuse to make these cookies and do a re-count. Thanks for writing.
Love the photo of you and your sisiter playing Scrabble! =)
This pinwheel recipe sounds so good! I really enjoy looking around your blog, have a great weekend!
I would love to be able to make chocolate peanut butter pinwheels, but I have had no luck. After the recommended waiting period, 30 min., the chocolate becomes very hard to cut but the dough is still very soft. As a result I cannot slice the roll. This recipe calls for 6 oz of chocolate which is a whole lot better than the recipes that call for 12 or even 16oz. What am I doing wrong???
Yes, the dough will still be somewhat soft. You might try the freezer for a few minutes. My other tip is to use a very sharp serrated knife to cut the slices. Let the knife sit in hot water a few minutes to heat it up and cut through the chocolate easier. I will admit this part is a little tricky but practice helps.
This looks like a fun cookie recipe that I’d like to try. One question though. Is that 16 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate or 1(one) 6 oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate as in a package of chocolate chips?
Carmen,
That is an excellent question. It should be 1(one) 6-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips. I will make the correction. pr
These cookies are absolutely gorgeous looking. Combine that with the fact that it’s my absolute favorite flavor combination….these are definitely going on my do-bake list!
These are so yummy looking, and I love the old scrabble picture too. My daughter was the same way about fixing her own hair too 🙂
I know two little girls who would think I was the coolest thing ever if I made these.
We spent many an evening with Scrabble too, and just as you, are continuing the tradition with Words With Friends. What a priceless picture of you and your sister! My sister was quite a bit older than me, so she definitely had the advantage way back when. I like to think I can give her a run for her money now though. 🙂 Those cookies look absolutely wonderful- Chocolate and peanut butter are the best, aren’t they?
Love that you and your sister are continuing your love of word games via cyberspace! Cute picture from *back in the day* too.
The chocolate PB pinwheels looks delicious. A must save and try recipe for sure.
Oh dear… this recipe looks dangerously delicious.
Love the photograph! Isn’t it wonderful to have memories like these.
Such a cute post, Paula – love that picture of you and your sister. I think I might really like playing scrabble if I had a plate of these yummy treats to nibble on! 🙂
What a great idea! So many people, including me, love the peanut butter/choc. combo. Cute photo–reminds me of playing cards endlessly with my older sister when we were kids.
That first picture with the Scrabble prop in the background is worthy of a prize!
Love the photo of you and your sisiter playing Scrabble! =)
This pinwheel recipe sounds so good! I really enjoy looking around your blog, have a great weekend!
That picture is certainly worth a thousand words. :+)
This recipe couldn’t look or sound better! I have a love of peanut butter cups too!
Sweet photo of you and Bonnie. You look intent on finding a really good word 🙂