Description
These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are festive and colorful treats featuring vibrant red, green, and white spirals. Soft, buttery, and lightly sweetened, these cookies are perfect for holiday celebrations and easy to make with distinct layers of colored dough rolled into a charming spiral design.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coloring and Optional
- Red food coloring
- Green food coloring
- 1 tablespoon milk (optional, for easier dough handling)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough Base: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing until a soft, uniform dough forms.
- Divide and Color the Dough: Divide the dough evenly into three portions. Leave one portion plain for the white layer. Add red food coloring to the second portion and mix until evenly colored. Add green food coloring to the third portion and mix thoroughly. If any portion feels too firm, mix in 1 tablespoon of milk to soften slightly.
- Roll Out the Dough: Roll each dough portion between two sheets of parchment paper into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick and similar in size. Transfer each sheet to a baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes to firm the layers, which will help with assembly.
- Layer and Roll the Dough: Once firm, remove the dough sheets from the refrigerator. Stack the green dough over the white dough, then the red dough over the green, aligning the edges as closely as possible. Use a rolling pin to gently press the layers together. Starting from one edge, tightly roll the layered dough into a log to create the spiral shape. Wrap the dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight until firm.
- Slice and Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, slice the chilled dough log into ¼ inch thick rounds. Arrange the cookie slices 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set but not browned. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For sharper pinwheel spirals, trim the edges of each dough rectangle before stacking.
- Use gel food coloring for more vibrant color without adding extra liquid to the dough.
- If the dough becomes too sticky during rolling or slicing, chill it further to firm up for easier handling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
