Christmas Pinwheel Sugar Cookies
These stunning red and green spiral cookies deliver the perfect balance of buttery sweetness with a festive appearance that will impress everyone at your holiday gathering. Using just 8 basic ingredients, these visually stunning cookies are simpler to make than they appear!
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheets
- Plastic wrap
- Sharp Knife
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted for the lightest texture
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Coloring
- red food coloring gel preferred for vibrant color
- green food coloring gel preferred for vibrant color
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions. Add red food coloring to one portion, mixing thoroughly until the color is evenly distributed. Repeat with green food coloring for the second portion.
- Place each colored dough between separate sheets of parchment paper. Roll each portion into a rectangle approximately 9x12 inches and ¼-inch thick.
- Transfer both rolled dough sheets (still on parchment) to baking sheets and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes until slightly firm but still pliable.
- Remove both dough sheets from the refrigerator. Peel off the top parchment from both colored doughs. Place the green dough (still on its bottom parchment) on your work surface.
- Carefully flip the red dough onto the green dough, aiming to align the edges. Gently press the layers together and trim the edges to create a neat rectangle.
- Starting from the long edge and using the bottom parchment as a guide, tightly roll the dough into a log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough log from the refrigerator, unwrap, and let stand for 5 minutes. Using a sharp knife, slice the log into ¼-inch thick rounds.
- Place the slices about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn golden.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For the best results, chill the dough overnight—the flavors meld beautifully, and the colors set for maximum visual impact.
You can roll the edges in nonpareils or sanding sugar before the final chilling step for a festive, sparkly edge.
Try peppermint extract in the red dough and almond extract in the green for complementary holiday flavors.
For natural coloring alternatives, use beet powder for red and matcha powder for green.
Nutrition
Calories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 35mgSugar: 10g
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