Description
These festive Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are a delightful holiday treat featuring red, green, and white swirled dough rolled into elegant pinwheels. They are sugar cookies coated with colorful nonpareils, delivering both a festive look and a sweet crunch. Perfect for holiday parties or gifting, these cookies combine classic buttery sugar cookie flavors with attractive multi-colored layers for a charming seasonal presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g) powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (353g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1/2-1 teaspoon additional flavoring extracts or lemon zest
Coloring and Decoration
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- Holiday colored nonpareils
Instructions
- Prepare the butter and sugars: In a mixer, combine the softened salted butter with granulated sugar and powdered sugar. Beat well until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add eggs and flavorings: Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and any optional flavorings like additional extracts or lemon zest to the bowl. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
- Mix dry ingredients and form dough: Gradually mix in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until a dough forms. Divide the dough into three equal portions.
- Color the dough portions: Return one third of the dough to the mixer and add 5 to 10 drops of red gel food coloring, mixing until fully incorporated and evenly colored. Repeat with another third of the dough adding green gel food coloring. Leave the remaining third uncolored (white).
- Chill the dough: Flatten each dough portion into a disc, wrap individually with plastic wrap, and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up.
- Roll out and layer dough: Roll each chilled dough disc into a rectangle of similar size on parchment paper. Stack the colored doughs with white in the middle, red and green on top and bottom. Trim the long edges to make even sides.
- Roll the dough log: Using the bottom parchment paper to assist, carefully roll the dough stack into a tight log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 to 2 hours to firm before slicing.
- Coat with nonpareils: Unwrap the chilled dough log and roll it onto a baking sheet covered in holiday colored nonpareils. Press the dough gently into the sprinkles to ensure good coverage.
- Slice the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trim uneven ends from the dough log and slice into 1/4-inch thick cookies. Arrange cookies spaced 1 to 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 12 minutes until the cookies are set but not browned. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack before serving or storing.
Notes
- For best results, chill the dough thoroughly to prevent spreading while baking.
- Optional flavor extracts like almond or lemon zest add a nice variation to the basic vanilla flavor.
- If you do not have gel food coloring, paste food coloring can be substituted for vibrant colors.
- These cookies can be stored wrapped tightly in the refrigerator for up to 1 week before baking.
- Pressing the dough firmly into the nonpareils ensures they adhere well and provide a festive appearance.
- Use a very sharp knife for clean slicing to avoid cracking the dough log.
- Cookie thickness may be adjusted slightly, but 1/4 inch ensures even baking and the best pinwheel effect.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
