Description
Celebrate the festive season with these delightful Christmas Pinwheel Cookies featuring vibrant red and green dough layers wrapped around a soft, buttery center. These cookies are rolled in holiday-colored nonpareils for a sparkling finish, making them perfect for holiday parties and gifting. Simple to make and irresistibly charming, they bake to a tender, lightly crisp texture that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Dough
- 3/4 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g) powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (353g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Coloring and Decoration
- Red gel food coloring (5-10 drops)
- Green gel food coloring (5-10 drops)
- Holiday colored nonpareils
Optional Flavoring
- 1/2-1 teaspoon additional flavoring extracts or lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the base dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the softened salted butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar. Beat thoroughly until the mixture is light and fluffy, providing a well-aerated foundation for the cookies.
- Add eggs and flavorings: Incorporate the eggs and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mix, along with any optional flavorings like lemon zest or other extracts. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Mix dry ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl and mix until fully combined, creating a smooth and cohesive dough.
- Divide the dough: Separate the dough into three equal portions, shaping each into a ball. Return one ball to the mixing bowl and mix in red gel food coloring (5-10 drops) until the dough is evenly colored. Repeat for another ball with green gel food coloring. Leave the last ball plain white.
- Chill the dough: Flatten each dough ball into discs, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes or the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up and make rolling easier.
- Roll and layer dough: Roll each chilled disc on parchment paper to form rectangles of similar size and shape. Stack the layers with the white dough in the middle and the colored doughs on top and bottom, then trim the long sides evenly.
- Form dough log: Carefully roll the layered dough into a tight log using the bottom parchment paper to keep it smooth and crack-free. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours to set the shape.
- Coat with nonpareils: Once chilled, unwrap the dough log and roll it over holiday colored nonpareils laid out on a baking sheet. Press firmly to ensure the sprinkles adhere well and create full coverage around the dough.
- Slice cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Unwrap the dough roll, trim uneven ends, and slice into 1/4-inch thick cookies with a sharp knife. Arrange cookies 1-2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake cookies: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until they are set but not browned. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack to develop their crisp edges and tender centers.
Notes
- For best results, ensure butter is softened but not melted before mixing.
- Chilling times can be extended for more convenient preparation and better dough handling.
- You can add other extracts such as almond or peppermint for different festive flavors.
- Use a very sharp knife to achieve clean, even cookie slices.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to one week to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 20g)
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
