Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
Swirled red and white sugar cookies with a tender, slightly crisp bite, perfect for holiday gifting and gatherings.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water
Dry Ingredients
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons red gel food coloring or powdered beet root as natural substitute
Instructions
Dry Mixture
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Making the Dough
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add egg, vanilla, and water; beat until the dough is silky and smooth.
- Gradually mix in the flour mixture on low speed until the dough just comes together.
- Divide the dough in half. Place each half between parchment sheets and roll into 9×6-inch rectangles, about 1/8-inch thick.
- Tint one rectangle evenly with red gel food coloring.
Chilling and Rolling
- Chill both dough rectangles for 30 minutes.
- Stack the red rectangle on the plain one, trim edges to align, then roll into a tight 9-inch log.
- Wrap the log in plastic and chill for 2 hours.
Baking
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the chilled log into 1/4-inch rounds and place 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes until the edges are set and just starting to color.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Through testing, chilling dough rectangles precisely 30 minutes ensures firm yet pliable layers.
If cookies crack when slicing, rest the log 5 minutes at room temperature for smoother cuts.
For best flavor and texture, cookies are at their peak on day two when stored airtight at room temperature.