Description
Delight in festive Christmas Pinwheel Cookies featuring a swirl of vibrant red dough and classic vanilla flavor. These buttery, tender cookies are perfect for holiday celebrations and gift-giving, combining simple ingredients into a visually stunning treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon red liquid food coloring
Instructions
- Mix Creamy Base: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar, softened butter, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture is creamy and well blended.
- Add Egg: Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the large egg. Continue mixing until fully combined.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl. Mix on low speed until no flour streaks remain and a smooth dough forms.
- Separate and Color Dough: Scrape down the bowl again and divide the dough in half. Place half on parchment paper. To the remaining dough in the bowl, add red liquid food coloring and mix on low until the color is uniformly distributed.
- Divide and Chill Dough: Cut each half into two equal portions, yielding four pieces total—two plain dough and two red dough. Shape each into rectangles, wrap individually with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll Out Dough: After chilling, roll each piece on parchment paper into roughly 11 by 7 inch rectangles. Trim edges with a knife for clean, straight lines.
- Assemble Pinwheels: Place one red rectangle atop one plain rectangle for the first pair; for the other two pieces, position the red rectangle underneath the plain one. Carefully roll each sandwich into a long log. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an additional 1 to 2 hours or overnight for best results.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Slice Logs: Remove one dough log from the refrigerator and slice into ¼ to ½ inch thick cookies, depending on desired thickness.
- Bake Cookies: Place cookies on prepared baking sheets spaced about 1 inch apart. Bake for 11 minutes or until the edges just start to brown. Avoid overbaking to maintain tenderness.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Repeat Baking: Repeat slicing, baking, and cooling process with the remaining dough log to complete baking all cookies.
Notes
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.
- Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months in a tightly wrapped freezer-safe container or bag to prevent freezer burn.
- Watch cookies carefully while baking; they are done when edges just start to brown.
- For more vibrant red color, add extra food coloring, but use less if using gel coloring.
- Optional: Add green food coloring to one half of the dough for classic red and green pinwheel cookies.
- Roll dough between two pieces of parchment paper to prevent sticking; sprinkle flour as needed.
