Zakk Wylde: Spoke in the Pinwheel

Being a guitar great doesn't always equate to mainstream notoriety – but it does mean having a widespread influence and huge respect among heavy metal musicians and fans alike. As Ozzy’s on/off guitarist since 1987 and the brains behind the brilliant Black Label Society, they don’t come much greater than Zakk Wylde.

Spoke in the Wheel isn't exactly packed with Zakk's signature riffs, but it's the perfect namesake for this baked dedication. For one thing, pinwheels are the closest cookies get to a Zakk Wylde bullseye Les Paul. But most importantly, just like the man, they are an all-American mainstay with enormous appeal and well-deserved longevity. 

Keep the dough in the freezer, and you've got the perfect sweet standby – just slice and bake as needed. We shot these in my very own Concrete Jungle (or as I like to call it, the garden). 

Stripped of your pride like you were never nothing special...

Made to feel...

Like another spoke in the wheel. 

Spoke in the Pinwheels

(Makes about 36)

• plain flour  400g
• salt  1 tsp
• baking powder  1 tsp
• unsalted butter  230g, softened
• caster sugar  200g
• eggs  2
• peppermint extract  1 tbsp, or to taste
• cocoa powder  30g

1. Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder, then in a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until combined.
2. Add the flour mix and stir to a smooth dough. Divide the dough in half, then add the cocoa to one, and the peppermint extract to the other. Taste the peppermint dough to check the flavour, then add more extract if needed. Chill the doughs for 30 minutes.
3. Once chilled, roll both doughs out to £1-coin thickness, then put the peppermint dough on top of the chocolate dough, and press the edges together. Roll into a log as tightly as you can, cover in greaseproof paper then put in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up (or freeze until needed).
4. Heat the oven to 180C/gas 5. Slice the dough into 2cm rounds, then put on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and bake for about 10 minutes, until the peppermint dough is very lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.