Festive Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

Get ready to bake some magic with these stunning Christmas Pinwheel Cookies! They might look intricately designed, but I promise you, they are surprisingly easy to make. Using a simple sugar cookie dough base, these festive spirals are perfect for adding a touch of homemade charm to your holiday baking and sharing. Let’s create some delightful edible art!

Why You’ll Love These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

You’ll adore making these delightful Christmas Pinwheel Cookies for so many reasons.

• They boast an impressive, festive appearance that truly brightens any holiday platter.
• The dough comes together quickly, often in under 5 minutes of active prep time.
• These versatile cookies allow you to customize colors beyond traditional Christmas hues for any occasion.
• Every bite offers irresistible crisp edges and a wonderfully tender interior.
• They are absolutely perfect for holiday gifting, cookie exchanges, and festive treats.

Ingredients

• 12.75 oz (3 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 8 oz (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 8.75 oz (1.25 cups) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Red and green food coloring (Americolor gel colors recommended for vibrancy)
• Optional: 6.75 oz (1 cup) Christmas sprinkles
• Optional: Corn syrup (for sprinkles)

Notes & Substitutions

Always use room temperature unsalted butter for a smooth, well-combined dough; as highlighted by various baking resources, room temperature butter blends more easily with other ingredients. Similarly, ensure your large egg is at room temperature; this helps it emulsify better with the other ingredients. For flavor, you can easily substitute vanilla extract with almond, orange, or lemon extract. I highly recommend gel food coloring over liquid dyes for achieving vibrant, deep colors without altering the dough consistency, a tip supported by culinary experts for its concentrated nature. When it comes to sprinkles, jimmie-style or nonpareils work beautifully. Avoid very large or heavy sprinkles, as they might fall off or melt.

Equipment

You won’t need much specialized equipment for these beautiful holiday pinwheels.

• Large stand mixer (or a hand mixer with a large bowl)
• Mixing bowls
• Rubber spatula
• Parchment paper
• Rolling pin
• Baking sheets
• Sharp chef’s knife
• Wire cooling rack

Instructions

Let’s make these gorgeous Christmas Pinwheel Cookies step-by-step!

1. Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: Combine the room temperature butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat them at medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the large egg and vanilla extract, mixing until everything is well-incorporated and smooth.
4. Form Dough: With the mixer still on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix only until just a few streaks of flour remain visible. Stop the mixer, and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, ensuring all ingredients are combined. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
5. Color Dough: Divide the dough into three equal portions, approximately 10 ounces each if you use a kitchen scale. Leave one portion uncolored. Use red gel food coloring for one portion and green gel food coloring for the other. You can knead the color in by hand or briefly use the mixer, being careful not to overmix.
6. Chill Dough Discs: Form each colored dough portion into a flat disc. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, or until the dough is firm enough to handle easily. This chilling step is crucial for the festive design of your Christmas Pinwheel Cookies.
7. Roll Dough Rectangles: Place each chilled dough disc between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll out each color into a long rectangle, roughly 6.5 inches by 13 inches. If the dough becomes too soft at any point, simply pop it back into the fridge to firm up.
8. Stack Dough Layers: Carefully peel the top parchment from each rectangle. Stack the dough layers in this order: green on the bottom, then the plain white dough, and finally the red dough on top. Gently press them together.
9. Roll Dough Log: Starting from one of the longer sides, tightly roll the stacked dough into a long, uniform spiral log. Aim for a compact, even roll to achieve beautiful swirls.
10. Add Sprinkles (Optional): For extra sparkle, lightly brush the outside of the dough log with a very thin layer of corn syrup. Scatter your Christmas sprinkles on a baking sheet. Roll the log around on the sprinkles, pressing gently to ensure they adhere and cover the log completely.
11. Chill Dough Log: Wrap the entire dough log tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate it again for at least 45 minutes, or until it is very firm. This second chill helps maintain the shape of your Christmas Pinwheel Cookies during slicing and baking.
12. Preheat Oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
13. Slice Cookies: Using a large, sharp chef’s knife, carefully slice the chilled dough log into rounds that are about ½-inch thick. You can make them thinner (¼-inch) for more cookies.
14. Bake Cookies: Arrange the sliced cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a few inches between each cookie. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until they have spread slightly, puffed up, and no longer have a raw sheen in the center. Avoid overbaking; they will firm up as they cool.
15. Cool & Serve: Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, enjoy your festive swirl cookies!

Pro Tips & Troubleshooting

Keeping your dough very cold is paramount for clean, distinct spirals in your Christmas Pinwheel Cookies. Dough that is too warm will squish and blend. Avoid overmixing the dough when adding flour; this develops gluten and can lead to tough cookies. Also, resist the urge to add excessive extra flour during rolling.

To maintain a nice round shape, roll your log as evenly as possible. If a cookie looks a bit misshapen after slicing, you can gently reshape it with your fingers before baking. For sprinkles, know that certain types, like very dark ones, might bleed slightly into the dough during baking. Jimmie-style sprinkles hold up best. Always use a sharp knife for even slicing; this prevents squishing the dough and ensures uniform cookie thickness and baking.

Serving, Storage, and Variations

These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are incredibly versatile. They are perfect for holiday cookie platters, make charming homemade gifts, or serve as a festive treat alongside a cup of hot cocoa.

Storage (Baked): Once completely cool, store baked holiday pinwheels in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days to maintain freshness.

Make Ahead (Dough Log): You can prepare the raw dough log, wrapped tightly, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and baking.

Make Ahead (Unbaked Slices): Freeze individual unbaked slices (without sprinkles, as they can sometimes degrade in the freezer) on a baking sheet until solid. Then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.

Freezing Baked Cookies: Freeze tightly wrapped baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before serving.

Color Variations: Get creative! Change the colors for any holiday or theme – pastel for Easter, orange and black for Halloween, or school colors for a special event.

Flavor Variations: Instead of vanilla, try almond, orange zest, or peppermint extracts for different festive flavors.

Other Coatings: Experiment with rolling the log in finely chopped nuts (like pistachios or pecans) or toasted shredded coconut for a unique texture and flavor instead of sprinkles.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie

• Calories: 133 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 18g
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 6g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Trans Fat: 1g
• Cholesterol: 22mg
• Sodium: 42mg
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 8g
• (Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Potassium: 31mg, Vitamin A: 197 IU, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 1mg)

FAQ

What kind of sprinkles should I use? Jimmie-style sprinkles or nonpareils work best for these Christmas Pinwheel Cookies. They hold their shape and color well during baking, unlike some larger or softer sprinkles.

Is it okay to bake the sprinkles? Yes, most sprinkles are designed to be baked. However, very cheap or dark-colored sprinkles might bleed their color slightly into the dough or lose some shine.

Tips for keeping your cookies round. Ensure your dough log is rolled tightly and evenly. Chilling the log thoroughly before slicing and using a very sharp knife also helps prevent flattening or squishing.

Will this pinwheel method work with other recipes? This technique works best with a sturdy, low-spread cookie dough, like a classic sugar cookie. A very soft or high-fat dough might be too difficult to roll and slice cleanly.

Make-ahead and storage information. You can make the dough log up to 3 months in advance and freeze it. Baked cookies store well in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.

Conclusion

Creating these beautiful and delicious Christmas Pinwheel Cookies is truly a joyful holiday experience. With their vibrant swirls and tender texture, they are sure to be a showstopper on any dessert table. Don’t be intimidated by their intricate appearance; the process is straightforward and rewarding. So, gather your ingredients, follow these simple steps, and create your own festive cookie magic. We encourage you to try this recipe and share your delightful creations!