Gingerbread-Lemon Pinwheels

Gingerbread-Lemon Pinwheels
(Makes about 4 dozen)

For gingerbread dough:
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup light or dark molasses
2 large egg yolks
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

For lemon dough:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1. Make gingerbread dough: In a bowl, with mixer on high speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and molasses until smooth. Beat in egg yolks until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

2. In another bowl, sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well blended. Wrap dough in plastic and flatten slightly. Chill until firm but pliable, about 1 hour.

3. Make lemon dough: In a bowl, with mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon zest until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

4. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well blended. Wrap dough in plastic and flatten slightly. Chill until firm but pliable, about 1 hour.

5. With a lightly floured rolling pin on a lightly floured sheet of waxed paper, roll out gingerbread dough into an approximately 12 by 15 inch rectangle. Slide dough, on waxed paper, onto a baking sheet. Repeat to roll out lemon dough and chill both doughs until slightly firmer, about 10 minutes.

6. Lightly brush top of lemon dough with some milk or cream. Carefully invert gingerbread dough over lemon dough, lining up edges as evenly as possible. Remove waxed paper from top of gingerbread dough. With a sharp knife, cut rectangle in half lengthwise to make two 6 by 15 inch rectangles. Transfer one of the rectangles to another sheet of waxed paper. Let stand about 10 minutes to soften slightly.

7. Lightly brush top of one rectangle with milk or cream. Starting on long side of one rectangle, lift waxed paper to roll doughs into a tight, even cylinder. Repeat to roll other rectangle. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

8. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Unwrap rolls and slice crosswise into 3/8″ thick rounds. Lay cookies 1″ apart on greased baking sheets. Bake cookies for 10-15 minutes until cookies are set and edges begin to brown. Transfer cookies to racks to cool. Store in airtight container for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 4 months.

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