Delightful Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe
Brighten up your holiday baking with these festive Christmas Pinwheel Cookies! These delightful cookies feature vibrant red, green, and white spirals, making them a fun and eye-catching addition to your holiday dessert table. With a buttery, vanilla-flavored dough and a playful look, they’re perfect for cookie exchanges, Christmas parties, or as a gift for loved ones. Easy to customize with sprinkles or glitter, these cookies bring the holiday cheer! Holiday cookie recipes, festive pinwheel cookies, and Christmas baking ideas are trending keywords for this recipe.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 42 minutes
- Yield: 24–30 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- Optional: Holiday sprinkles or sanding sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. - Cream Butter and Sugar:
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. - Combine Ingredients:
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. - Divide and Color the Dough:
Divide the dough into three equal portions. Leave one portion plain, then color one portion red and the other green using the gel food coloring. Mix each until evenly colored. - Roll Out Layers:
Roll each portion of dough between sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4-inch thickness, creating three rectangular layers of the same size. Chill in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes to firm up. - Assemble the Pinwheel:
Stack the layers: place the green layer on the bottom, the white layer in the middle, and the red layer on top. Use a rolling pin to gently press them together. Trim the edges for evenness. - Roll the Dough:
Starting from one long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm (or freeze for 30 minutes if short on time). - Slice and Bake:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the dough log into 1/4-inch thick rounds and place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. - Bake:
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are just set but not browned. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For extra holiday flair, roll the dough log in holiday sprinkles before chilling.
- Dough can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw slightly before slicing.
- These cookies make great edible gifts when packaged in festive tins or bags.
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