Description
Delightfully festive Christmas Pinwheel Cookies featuring layers of red, green, and plain dough rolled into a spiral and garnished with sparkling red sanding sugar. These buttery, soft cookies are perfect for holiday celebrations, combining vibrant colors with a classic vanilla flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Coloring and Garnish
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- Red sanding sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Butter and Sugar: Beat the softened butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Then add the egg and vanilla extract and mix well to combine.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and baking soda. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed until just combined.
- Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough evenly into three portions. Color one portion red with the red gel food coloring, another green with the green gel food coloring, and leave the third plain. Wrap each dough portion tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Roll Dough Layers: Remove each chilled dough portion from the fridge and roll it between parchment paper into a 7-inch square. Return them to the refrigerator for an additional 15 minutes to firm up.
- Assemble Pinwheel Layers: Stack the rolled dough layers in the order of your choice (red, green, plain), then roll up the stacked layers tightly into a 12×8-inch rectangle log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour to make slicing easier.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Slice and Garnish: Slice the chilled log into 1/3-inch thick rounds. Roll the edges of each cookie slice in red sanding sugar to add sparkle and extra sweetness, then place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake and Cool: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set but the centers remain soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chilling the dough at each stage helps maintain the shape of the pinwheel during baking.
- You can substitute the red and green gel food coloring with natural food dyes if preferred.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- For sturdier slices, freeze the dough log for longer than 1 hour if needed.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Christmas cookies, pinwheel cookies, holiday baking, festive cookies, vanilla cookies, colored cookies
