Description
These Delightful Christmas Pinwheel Cookies bring festive colors and a burst of holiday joy to your celebrations. Featuring layers of cocoa, red, and green dough rolled into charming pinwheels, they offer a perfect balance of buttery sweetness with a soft, tender texture. Easy to make and visually stunning, these cookies are ideal for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or a fun family baking activity.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Base
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Colorings and Flavoring
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup red food coloring
- 1/2 cup green food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, providing a creamy base for the dough.
- Add egg and vanilla: Incorporate the large egg and vanilla extract into the creamed mixture, mixing thoroughly to combine.
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing until a consistent dough forms.
- Divide the dough: Split the dough evenly into three separate portions for color and flavor addition.
- Add colors and cocoa: Mix cocoa powder into one portion for chocolate flavor, red food coloring into the second portion, and green food coloring into the third portion for festive colors.
- Roll out dough segments: Between sheets of parchment paper, roll each colored dough into rectangular shapes, ensuring they’re similar in size for layering.
- Layer and roll: Carefully stack the cocoa, red, and green dough rectangles on top of each other, then roll the layered dough tightly into a log shape to form the pinwheel design.
- Chill the log: Place the dough log in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up, making slicing easier and helping maintain shape during baking.
- Slice into rounds: Remove the chilled log and cut it into rounds about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Arrange the slices evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn a golden brown, signaling they are done.
- Cool before serving: Transfer the baked pinwheel cookies to wire racks to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Use gel-based food coloring for vibrant colors without altering the dough consistency.
- Ensure dough layers are rolled out to similar thickness for even pinwheels.
- Chilling the dough log is essential to maintain the pinwheel shape during slicing and baking.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking blend.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
