Melt in your mouth Viennese whirl butter cookies dipped in chocolate and topped with nuts. Perfect for your tea party or holiday cookie tray.
Good morning friends, I am so excited because my friends, Annie, Cindy, Juliet, Kim, Mary Ann and Molly are joining me today for a holiday cookie exchange! I am sharing a recipe for Viennese Whirl Cookies, sometimes know as Viennese Swirls dipped in chocolate. You can find the links for their delicious cookies at the bottom of the post.
These scrumptious buttery cookies could not be easier. You simply add everything(except the chocolate) to the stand mixer, give it a whirl(no pun intended), then pipe out a swirl or a squiggle and bake. Dip in chocolate and garnish with chopped nuts. Start to finish this recipe takes less than 30 minutes. Start to finish this cookie recipe takes less than 30 minutes.
These Viennese whirls biscuits aren’t just for a cookie exchange, they are perfect for a Bridgerton watch party, a tea party and with a cup of coffee.
Viennese Whirls Cookies Dipped in Chocolate
My family has been having a cookie exchange for as long as I can remember. The cookie swap began with my 10 aunts and uncles and a few friends and now has passed to a new generation, my cousin now hosts it. It is a wonderful way to have an extended family holiday party and to share cookies, candies, breads and all sort of holiday sweet treats.
Even thought this holiday cookie exchange is virtual I cannot wait to take home the recipes for 6 other cookies to add to my cookie tray.
What is a Viennese Whirl Cookie?
A Viennese whirls cookie is actually a British biscuit but it is named Viennese whirl in a nod to similar Austrian pastries. Sometimes they are enjoyed plain, in Austria they are sandwiched together with apricot jam and in England they are made with raspberry jam and buttercream frosting. In fact Mary Berry’s recipe, of the Great British Bake Off, is one of my favorites.
Viennese Whirl Cookie Ingredients
There are very few ingredients needed for this cookie, in fact you only need 6.
- Flour-all purpose works just fine. Just be sure to weigh or measure your flour on a digital scale so the cookies don’t get tough.
- Corn starch- to make the cookies tender, and melt in your mouth delicious.
- Confectioner sugar or icing sugar
- Baking powder
- Softened Butter, unsalted, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.
- Vanilla Extract
How to Make Chocolate Dipped Viennese Whirl Cookies
- Preheat the over to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
- Put all of the ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the dough on low speed for a couple of minutes until the dough is mixed, and pliable. Make sure to scrape the bowl after a minute to be sure to get all of the flour and powdered sugar off the bottom of the bowl.
- Put a 3/8 star tip into a pastry bag and snip off the bottom. Place the bag into a tall glass and add half of the cookie dough. Squeeze the dough down towards the tip and then twist the top of the pastry bag twice.
- Make swirls of dough on the prepared parchment pans. The cookies spread a little bit so leave room on each side. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown on the edges.
- Leave the cookies to cool on the pan for a minute, then remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled prepare your chocolate according to the direction on the bag. I used the Ghirardelli melting wafers for ease but you can temper chocolate and dip the cookies.
- Melt the white chocolate and dip one 1/2 of the cookie in the chocolate. Place on a Silphat baking liner and sprinkle with the chopped nuts and cranberries. Do the same with the dark chocolate until all of the cookies are dipped and decorated.
- You can find the exact directions in the recipe card.
Piping the Swirls and Whirls
The tricky part of Viennese cookies are piping them. This dough is thick and is hard to squeeze through the star piping tip; you are going to have to use a little pressure. That said, do not put too much pressure on yourself to make a perfect circle, squiggle, swirl or whatever other shape you like. Also, do not add all of the dough to the piping bag at one time. It is better to pipe two batches.
If you want perfect cookies, draw a circle template on the parchment paper using a round cutter. Then flip the paper over so that the ink or pencil marks are on the opposite side.
Pipe the circles and then bake in a 350 preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, 10-12 minutes.
What piping tip is best for Viennese whirl cookies?
A medium or large star tip works best. This star tip can also be used to pipe frosting, ganache, whipped cream and to make twice baked potatoes!
Dipping the Viennese Whirl Cookie in Chocolate
Follow the directions on the bag of melting wafers to melt discs. Then dip one half of the cookie into the melted chocolate. Garnish with chopped nuts and cranberries. Place cookie on a non-stick Silphat liner and let the chocolate harden.
If you are using chocolate, make sure to temper it so that it does not bloom.
Viennese Whirl Variations
- Add homemade jam or jelly in the middle of the piped circle, like a thumbprint cookie.
- Use red or green glaze fruit, the same kind used in fruit cake available at your local grocery store.
- Spread a little jam on the flat side of one cookie then top with another to make sandwich cookies.
- Use apricot jam.
- Add raspberry jam and vanilla buttercream.
- Sandwich with a layer of chocolate ganache.
Recipe FAQ
Why are my Viennese Whirl Cookies flat?
Typically the cookies loose their shape if the dough is too soft. If this happens pipe the cookies on the pan and place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes then bake.
How to store Viennese Whirl cookies?
Store remaining biscuits in an airtight container on the counter. To freeze the finished cookies layer them in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap between each layer.
How to package cookies for gifting.
Holiday cookies make great gifts, either on a cookie tray or in a tin. One of my favorite ways to give cookies is to use vintage silver-plate cups, bowls and trays or platters. The recipient gets to enjoy the cookies and have a platter or bowl to use later. Two gifts in one. It is also a sustainable way to gift not to mention fun for you while you peruse the antique and thrift shops.
More Cookies to Try
If you are looking for more cookies for your cookie tray you might enjoy my snowball cookies, or these lavender lemon shortbread cookies.
Pin Me for Later
That’s All for Now
I hope that you enjoyed this recipe for Viennese Whirls cookies. If you try it let me know! You can find this recipe and many other delicious holiday recipes in Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas.
Have a great day friends, thank you for spending part of your day with me.
You can also keep up with me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. And last but not least, if you like Pinecones & Acorns share it with a friend!
No time to bake? Try this cookie and candy board.
For even more holiday cookie recipes, be sure to to stop by and see all of the delicious cookies my friends are sharing today!
Cindy Hattersley
Classic Casual Home
Make Mine a Spritzer
Molly in Maine
Most Lovely Things
Northern California Style
Pineconees & Acorns
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PrintChocolate Dipped Viennese Whirls
Melt in your mouth Viennese whirls butter cookies dipped in white and dark chocolate and topped with nuts. Perfect for your holiday cookie exchange.
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Ingredients
For Cookies:
200 grams(11/2 cups), all purpose flour
50 grams (1/2 cup) cornstarch
200 grams (3/4 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
80 grams(1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar)
Pinch of fine sea salt
White Chocolate or White Chocolate Melting Wafers
Dark Chocolate or Dark Chocolate Melting Wafers
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
2 teaspoons chopped dried cranberries
Instructions
Preheat the over to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
Put all of the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the dough on low speed for a couple of minutes until the dough is mixed, and pliable. Make sure to scrape the bowl after a minute to be sure to get all of the flour off the bottom of the bowl.
Put a 3/8 star tip into a pastry bag and snip off the bottom. Place the bag into a tall glass and add half of the dough. Squeeze the dough down towards the tip and then twist the top of the pastry bag twice.
Make swirls of dough on the prepared parchment pans. The cookies spread a little bit so leave room on each side. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown on the edges.
Leave the cookies to cool on the pan for a minute, then remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool.
Once the cookies are completely cooled prepare your chocolate according to the direction on the bag. I used the Ghirardelli melting wafers for ease but you can temper chocolate and dip the cookies.
Melt the white chocolate and dip one 1/2 of the cookie in the chocolate. Place on a Silphat baking liner and sprinkle with the chopped nuts and cranberries. Do the same with the dark chocolate until all of the cookies are dipped and decorated.
Notes
You do not have to dip the cookies in chocolate, you can sprinkle them with sugar before you bake them or bake them plain.
Sandwich two cookies together with homemade jam or jelly.
To make a sandwich cookie place a dollop of apricot jam on one cookie and top with with another.
This recipe is from the Anja Dunk and her cookbook Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: British
Good morning Elizabeth, These looks good and pretty easy. Do you think that you could use a cookie press?
Nancy, I think you could use a cookie press. That is a great idea.
Wow…these look so good. Who wouldn’t love to have a box of your cookies. Thanks so much for organizing us for this virtual cookie exchange!!
Thank you Mary Ann for participating. Loved your cookies and cannot wait to make them.
Hi Elizabeth! These look delicious — and beautiful too! Your mixed cookie platter is spectacular! Thanks for including me in this cookie exchange!
Thank you Molly! Loved your biscotti and cannot wait to make them. So happy you could join us!
Hi Elizabeth,
These cookies are so pretty, and I bet they are delish as well. Great idea of yours to do a virtual cookie exchange. I think you are the Queen of baking and probably cooking too.
Love your family tradition.
Katherine,
Thank you! I hope that you try some of the recipes, they all look delicious!
Have a wonderful day!
My husband loves these cookies. Thanks for sharing all the details. Pinned
Taking a hiatus Peanut’s not doing well and we are struggling.
Elizabeth, these are beautiful and look delicious! They remind me of cookies on the sideboard my grandmother always set up for the holidays. If you say they’re easy I believe you … I’m going to try. Thanks for organizing our cookie exchange. So many wonderful recipes and a lot of fun! xo
Elizabeth, This cookie is a stunner and I bet it tastes amazing. I have to give these a try with my kids! I am adding this to my cookie book. I love the idea of finding vintage silver and gifting it in them. Looks like a million bucks! Thank you for gathering everyone and doing this…
Like a true cookie exchange, everyone is busy and overwhelmed, but taking the time to do this, we all got to enjoy a little sweet and even go down memory lane with some family recipes and remembering traditions!!
I loved this.. xo
Elizabeth, these cookies look delish! I like the idea of a cookie an candy board, too! Festive and easily put together. I have to say your photography is just beautiful. Have the best week!