Date Nut Pinwheel Cookies I

These turned out great! I didn't have a lemon so I substituted orange and they turned out perfect!

Worth every step. Almost have a fig newton taste. And after there were some leftover after the holidays they were great dipped in coffee.

No one ever said these would be easy to make. Not that they're overly difficult, but they are somewhat labor intensive. I grew up with cookies very similar to these and wanted to recreate them. After tasting these I think I like these better. I'm pretty sure my mother didn't use lemon juice/zest, but I did. It cuts through the sweetness of the dates. The citrus really comes through. The only change I made was to add 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon to the dough. If you have an electric knife, this is a great time to use it. It makes cutting these cookies a breeze!

Wow, wow, and WOW!!!! These manage to be deicate and chewy at the same time. Luscious filling. The lemon offsets the sweetness of the dates to perfection. The only change I made is to add a tsp of cinnamon to the dough, because that's how my mom made them and I knew from experience that the subtle spice showcases the date flavor and lets it shine. Toasted pecans make a tasty substitute for walnuts. A hint to keep the round shape of your rolls. Wrap the rolls tightly in plastic wrap,then put each end into a tall glass (mine are 16 oz) and lay the glasses (with the dough in them) on their sides in the freezer. The rolls will stay perfectly round. Yes, of course it's true that these are a little labor-intensive, but that was pretty clear to me before I even started making them, just from reading the recipe. If I wanted fast and easy, I'd make a drop cookie. These are well worth the time. Besides, the filling can be made one day, the dough made, filled and frozen the next, and then they can be baked anytime afterward, up to a month or even longer if tightly wrapped airtight. Take it in steps if you don't want to make a career out of them. Once you bake them, you'll want to do it again.