Description
Festive Christmas cookie pinwheels swirl holiday cheer with delightful red and white spirals of buttery dough. Crisp, sweet layers promise delicious memories for winter celebrations you’ll savor with family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups (480 ml) all-purpose flour
- 12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 egg
Leavening and Seasoning:
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Flavoring and Coloring:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2–1 teaspoon red food coloring
- 1/2–1 teaspoon green food coloring
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl to create a uniform dry mixture.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and airy using an electric mixer, then incorporate egg and vanilla extract until well blended.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing just until a cohesive dough forms.
- Separate dough into three equal portions. Use gel food coloring to tint one section vibrant red and another festive green, leaving the third portion its natural color.
- Roll each colored dough portion into a thin, even 10-inch square on parchment paper, ensuring consistent thickness.
- Layer the dough squares carefully: red at bottom, plain white in middle, and green on top.
- Tightly roll the stacked dough from one side to create a compact cylindrical log, ensuring minimal air pockets.
- Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 60 minutes to firm up and enhance flavor melding.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Unwrap chilled log and slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds using a sharp knife.
- Arrange cookie slices on prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until edges are lightly golden and centers appear set.
- Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.
Notes
- Try natural food coloring like beet juice for red and spinach powder for green to avoid artificial dyes.
- Use room temperature butter and egg for smoother, more evenly mixed dough that creates better cookie texture.
- For gluten-free version, swap wheat flour with almond or gluten-free blend and add extra xanthan gum for binding.
- Chill dough longer than 1 hour for sharper color definition and more stable swirl pattern when slicing cookies.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg