“Pinwheel Cookies”

filling:
1-1/2 cups chopped dates
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (if you want no nuts, I would add some spices - cinnamon, maybe ginger, nutmeg, cloves etc. just the spices you like, or maybe some dry fruit, like cranberries, apricots, cherries - just to give it another dimension)

dough:
2/3 cup butter, softened (I used parve margarine to make it lactose free)
1-2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon (I use less some times~1/4)

1 Combine the dates, sugar and water (spices), cook and stir over medium heat until thick. (add other chopped dry fruit towards the end)
Add lightly tosted nuts (if using), cool. (you may put it to the freezer for 10 -15 min - it should be cold)
2 Cream butter (margarine) and sugar, add eggs, one at the time, beating well after each addition
3 Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Add to creamed mixture. (I just sift all dry to the egg mix at once) Divide in half
(I highly recommend to chill the dough at this point, if you don't have much time, just put it to the freezer  for 10-20 min, it is too soft to work with)
4 On floured surface (very well floured!!!!), roll out the portions of dough into a 1/4 in.-thick rectangle. Spread with half of the filling. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the long side. Repeat  with remaining dough and filling. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap, refrigerate overnight (I did not have time to go over night, so I put the rolls into freezer for 1 hour or maybe little longer, until they became firm to touch. One more thing - the rolls where too soft so I kept them on a baking sheet in a freezer, so they will be straight)
5 Unwrap dough, cup 1/2 in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets (I use parchment paper). Bake at 375F for 10-12 min.