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Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 84 reviews

Delight in these festive Christmas Pinwheel Cookies featuring colorful layers of red, green, and natural dough rolled into charming spirals. Soft, buttery, and tender with a hint of vanilla, these cookies are perfect for holiday celebrations and gift-giving, decorated with sparkling red sanding sugar for an extra touch of cheer.

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

  1. Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the softened butter and sugar at medium speed for about 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then beat well to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and baking soda until evenly mixed. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add this flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat just until combined, forming the dough. Remove from the bowl and divide the dough into three equal portions.
  3. Color the Dough: Place one portion of dough back into the mixer bowl, add red gel food coloring, and beat until the color is uniform. Remove and wipe the bowl clean. Repeat this step with a second portion using green gel food coloring. The final portion remains plain without coloring. Shape each dough portion into a ball, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  4. Roll out the Dough: After chilling, roll each ball between two sheets of parchment paper into a 7-inch square. Refrigerate the rolled dough again for 15 minutes while kept between parchment sheets to firm up.
  5. Assemble the Layers and Roll: On a piece of parchment paper, stack the dough squares starting with the red, then the green, and finishing with the plain dough on top. Place another parchment sheet over the stack and roll the layers together into a 12×8-inch rectangle. Remove the top parchment. Starting from one long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log shape. Wrap the log in parchment and freeze for 1 hour to firm up.
  6. Preheat the Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  7. Slice and Sugar the Cookies: Using a serrated knife, carefully cut the frozen dough log into 1/3-inch thick slices. Roll the edges of each cookie slice in red sanding sugar to add a sparkling festive touch. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
  8. Bake and Cool: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are set but not browned. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

Notes

  • Ensure butter is softened but not melted to achieve the best creamy texture when creaming with sugar.
  • Gel food coloring is preferred for vibrant colors without altering the dough consistency.
  • Chilling the dough between rolling steps helps maintain clean layers and prevents spreading during baking.
  • Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the dough log carefully and prevent squashing the layers.
  • Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or frozen for longer storage.
  • For more festive colors, consider adding other gel colors and adjusting layering accordingly.

Keywords: Christmas cookies, holiday cookies, pinwheel cookies, colorful cookies, festive baking, vanilla sugar cookies

Find it online: https://www.sanacooks.com/christmas-pinwheel-cookies-recipe/