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Christmas Pinwheels

Christmas pinwheel cookies feature swirls of red and green sugar cookie dough in crisp-edged, tender rounds. Roll the dough into a log, chill it until firm, then slice and bake for a festive holiday cookie.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling and resting 2 hours 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 57 minutes
Servings: 36 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 101
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 0.25 teaspoon red gel food coloring
  • 0.25 teaspoon green gel food coloring

Equipment

  • 1 large baking sheet

Method
 

  1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  2. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
  4. Mix in the flour mixture just until combined.
  5. Divide the dough in half and tint one half red and the other half green.
  6. Roll each half between sheets of parchment into a 9x6-inch rectangle.
  7. Chill the rectangles until firm but still pliable, 15 to 20 minutes.
  8. Stack the dough rectangles and peel away the top parchment.
  9. Roll tightly from a 6-inch edge into a 9-inch log.
  10. Wrap the log and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
  11. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  12. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
  13. Slice the log into 1/4-inch rounds and place them about 1 1/2 inches apart.
  14. Bake in batches for 10 to 12 minutes, until set with just barely golden edges.
  15. Cool the baking sheet completely between batches.
  16. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
  17. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For neater spirals, chill the log until firm before slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free option, use a 1:1 plant-based butter stick.