THE GREATEST COOKIE I EVER ATE!

These cookies are my mother's legendary recipe. One of my past posts, A Little Bit of Larceny, http://morafla.blogspot.com/2010/12/for-love-of-date-pinwheels.html, will give you some insight into my relationship with these sweet treats. For me, they are the absolute best cookies I've ever eaten, even straight from the freezer. This recipe may appear time consuming, but it is well worth some dough rolling and pot stirring, I promise you.

DATE PINWHEELS
Makes 6 Dozen

½ cup soft butter                                          

½ cup light brown sugar, packed               
½ cup granulated sugar                               

1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 extra-large egg
2 cups sifted flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda
Filling recipe below

Cream butter; add sugars, vanilla and egg; beat until light. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Chill until firm enough to roll. Halve dough; roll each half on floured wax paper, into a 12” x 9” rectangle. Spread with filling; roll up tightly from end, using the wax paper to coax the dough into a log. Wrap the wax paper around logs and place in freezer Ziploc bag and chill overnight for easier slicing. Slice 1/8” thick. Bake on parchment paper covered cookie sheets in moderate oven, 375 degree F, about 10 minutes. Store in airtight container. Cookies may be frozen.

Filling: 1 package chopped (7 ¼ ounces) pitted dates (I prefer Sunsweet); bring to boil with ¼ cup sugar, dash salt, and 1/3 cup water; simmer 5 minutes, stirring often. Add 1 cup chopped walnuts and while filling is still warm spread over rolled out dough.