These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are sure to be the star of your holiday cookie plates! Bring them to a cookie swap and watch everyone’s eye light up!
Christmas baking is seriously my favorite time of year. All the fun holiday cookies call my name and I get a twitterpated. Better yet, my boys love to bake with me. We love spending time in the kitchen together. They learn to follow a recipe, practice counting, and their favorite part…taste testing. It’s a holiday tradition in my house and my favorite part of Christmas.
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I’m not going to lie, these cookies take a little time and some love, but what good Christmas cookie doesn’t? While you don’t have to cut out shapes and frost these cookies, like traditional sugar cookies, you do have to do some rolling and practice your ninja baker skills while rolling up the dough. But you’ve totally got this. If I can do it, so can you! Just be careful not to roll the dough too thin and remember to flour everything and often so the dough doesn’t stick to a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g. but itself.
I like to make these cookies in vanilla flavor since my husband isn’t big into peppermint cookies, but if you are, change things up! Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract along with the vanilla extract for a burst of fresh minty flavor. These cookies are so fun and colorful and will make you look like a genius in the kitchen for pulling off such a cool design.
- Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
- 5-Ingredient Vanilla Almond Snowball Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies
- Christmas Crinkle Cool Whip Cookies
- Ugly Christmas Sweater Sugar Cookies
- Hazelnut Nutella Linzer Cookies
- Apple Cider Cookies
- Chocolate Andes Mint Cookies
- Dark Chocolate & Hazelnut Cookies
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread
- Loaded Cookie Butter Snickerdoodles
- Chocolate Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
Christmas Cookie Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon liquid red food coloring (or more to your preferred hue)
- ½ teaspoon liquid green food coloring (or more to your preferred hue)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt, Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes, or until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing until just combined after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. (You can eyeball it or use a kitchen scale to measure the pieces.)
- Place one piece of dough back in the bowl and add the red food coloring. Beat with your mixer until the color is completely incorporated. (Be sure to use a bowl that won't stain.) Clean your mixer paddle or hand mixer blades.
- Place one piece of dough back in the bowl and add the green food coloring. Beat with your mixer until the color is completely incorporated. Leave the third piece of dough as-is.
- Press each piece of dough into a flat square and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or until firm.
- Remove the dough squares from the fridge. Place the red dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a 10-inch square. Leave dough between parchment.
- Repeat with the other 2 pieces of dough. Refrigerate cookie dough for 30 mins.
- Remove dough from the fridge, and take the top layer of parchment off each sheet of cookie dough. Place the red dough down on a counter. Top with the white dough, non-parchment sides touching. Be sure to try and line up the edges of the dough as much as possible.
- Remove the parchment from the white dough. Top the white with the green, non-parchment sides touching, being sure to line up the edges. Remove parchment from the green dough. Use a pizza cutter to trim the left and right edges of the cookie dough into straight lines.
- Very carefully, starting with one of the straightened sides, roll the dough into a long shape until you reach the other trimmed dough edge. Use the parchment paper to lift the dough to get it started. Once the dough log is complete, gently pinch the seam closed along with any breaks on the outer red layer.
- Wrap the dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough log into 1/4-inch thick slices. (Discard the ends since they don't make a nice pinwheel design.) Place the cookies on your prepared baking sheets and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are set.
- Carefully remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
This post first appeared on Yellow Bliss Road where I am a contributor.
Aarti says
Hi, can we use icing colors?
Julie Espy says
Hi Aarti! What do you mean by icing colors?
Aarti says
Like the wilton icing colors. Link is attached.
https://jet.com/product/5-oz-12-pack-Icing-Colors/ffe9d0c047e8422e98196795a543508e
Mia says
Hi! Just wondering what temperature the oven should be set at? Couldn’t find it in this post, thanks 🙂
Julie Espy says
Hi Mia! It’s 350 degrees F. The temp is way down in step 14 since there’s no point in turning the oven on before you really need to. 😉 Happy baking!!
Melanie says
Do these cookies freeze well??
Wendy Miller says
Do these cookies freeze well? Thank you.
Julie Espy says
Hi Wendy! I haven’t tried freezing them because they never last more than a day or two at my house. I would think the baked cookies (once cooled) would be fine to freeze. Lay them out on a baking sheet until frozen and then transfer to a freezer ziploc bag for storage.
Beverly Moore says
How far in advance can you make the dough before baking?
Julie Espy says
Hi Beverly! You could make and color the dough 2-3 days ahead of time. Wrap each color dough ball in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge.
AMANDA says
I want to try this recipe but I only have one stick of butter handy could I replay the rest with margarine without compromising the texture?
Julie Espy says
Hi Amanda! Margarine will change the texture of the cookies some since it’s oil based. I would hold out until you have a chance to grab another stick of butter. That being said, you could totally give it a shot with the margarine.
Sue says
My only complaint about these cookies? They are so good there’s never any left to freeze! I have to make two batches just to have some left for Christmas Day!
Taylor Gillette says
Hi. What happens if you don’t have a silicone mat or parchment paper? What else could be used for baking them??
Julie Espy says
Hi Taylor! Be sure to spray your baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. 🙂
Mari says
Add a bit more sugar then it says, and make sure to roll the first fold tightly to avoid gaps in the middle of your swirls.
Diane says
Can I freeze the log roll a couple weeks before Christmas then cut and bake after defrosting overnight in the fridge when I need them?
Julie Espy says
You sure can!
Martha Tracy says
I’m also interested in freezing the log for a week or so rather than the baked cookies. This sounds like a dough that could be frozen…what do you think? The cookies look fantastic, I love that there are 3 colors not two
Julie Espy says
Hi Martha! You can definitely freeze the dough logs. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then pop in a gallon-ziploc bag. Pop them in the fridge to thaw the day before, and then slice and bake the next day. 🙂
Christine says
Getting ready for a cookie exchange and this is perfect! About how many cookies does this recipe make? Trying to see how many times I will need to make it.
Thanks!
Julie Espy says
Hi Christine. This recipe makes about 16 cookies.
anu says
just made these…turned out really well! super fun n tasty recipe!
Stefanie says
Hi! Have you tried making this with any gluten free flour? What would you recommend?
Julie Espy says
Hi Stefanie! I have not tried this recipe with GF flour, but let me ask some of my friends who bake with it and see if they have any insight. 🙂
Joe T says
Could you roll the roll in crushed peppermint candy?
Julie Espy says
Hi Joe! You could, but… The candy canes will get melty in the oven. I haven’t tested this, so I’m not sure if the cookies bake long enough to completely melt them. I would do a test batch. Cut the dough log in half (or even 1/4) and then roll it, slice, and bake before rolling the rest of the dough. Hope this helps!
Joe says
I’m baking them to day I’ll let you know. If it works I’ll send you a photo.
Julie Espy says
That would be fantastic Joe! Thank you!!
Marisa says
Hi did the candy cane work well?
Lori says
Could I use almond flavoring in these cookies?
Julie Espy says
Hi Lori! You can absolutely use almond extract instead of vanilla… or even a combination of the two. 🙂
Beatrice says
Made these for the first time. Used gel coloring and non-perils. They are awesome and they taste good too! Definitely on my baking list for Christmas 🎄
Jess says
These turned out wonderfully! It indeed does take planning ahead, but worth it. Thank you! I added sprinkles on the edge after rolling it all up.
linda says
Hello
i was wondering 2 things, after i make it into a log and i freeze the raw dough log?
and i have made other pinwheels but i like this recipe the best i want to make chocolate pinwheels will it change the texture or will it be dry..the dough
thank you
Linda
Julie Espy says
Hi Linda! I think I read your comment right but bear with me. 🙂 You can freeze the dough log. Be sure to wrap it in plastic wrap and then foil before freezing. Thaw in the fridge overnight before slicing into cookies. As far as chocolate pinwheels go, cocoa powder adds fat content to the dough. Since baking is a very particular science, I would find a chocolate pinwheel recipe rather than just adding in some cocoa powder. This one is from Becky: https://www.thecookierookie.com/chocolate-vanilla-pinwheel-cookies/
I can work on chocolate pinwheels for you soon though!