Spicy Fig Pinwheels

I have a stack of Christmas magazines about 3 feet high thanks to my mom saving them every year.  In 2007 I was busy doing my Christmas Cookie baking and ran across this recipe in the December 2000 issue of "Good Housekeeping".  Though a departure from my regular favorites (and perhaps skill), I thought these might be a welcome addition.  I was right....they are delicious and very easy to make!  These Fig Spirals are semi fragile when compared to hearty gingerbread cookies but really compliment the regular sugary fare.

1)   Prepare Cookie Dough:  In medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.  In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat suars with butter until cream, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.  At low speed, beat in vanilla, then eggs, 1 at a time.  Gradually add flour mixture: beat just until blended, occasionally scrapping bowl.

2)   Divide dough in half.  Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is firm enough to handle (Or, place dough in freezer for 30 minutes).

3)   Meanwhile, prepare fig filling:  From orange, grate 1 teaspoon peel and squeeze 1/2 cup juice.  IN food processer, with knife blade attached, process figs until almost smooth.  Add walnuts, sugar and orange peel and juice.  Process until filling is well blended.  Cover and set aside until ready to use.

4)   On a 20 inch length of lightly floured plastic wrap with floured rolling pin, roll half of dough in 17" by 10 inch rectangle:  spread with half of fig mixture, leaving 1/2 inch border al around (fig layer will be very thin).  Starting on one of the short sides, roll dough jelly-roll fashion, lifting lastic wrap as you roll.  Wrap roll with plastic wrap and freeze at  least 2 hours or over night, or until dough is firm enough to slice.  (If using margarine, freeze overnight.)  Repeat with remaining dough and fig mixture.

5)   Preheat oven to 400 deg.  Grease 2 large cookie sheets.  Remove 1 roll from refrigerator to cutting board.  Cut roll crosswise into SCANT 1/4 inch slices.  Place slices, 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.

6)   Bake cookies on 2 oven racks 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned, rotating cookie sheets betwee upper and lower racks halfway through baking.  Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

7)   Repeat with remaining roll.  Store cookies in tightly covered container up to 2 weeks.