Print

Classic Christmas Two-Tone Pinwheel Cookies

Three slices of red and white swirl pinwheel cookies arranged on a white rectangular plate.
Print Recipe

Make beautiful, buttery slice-and-bake pinwheel cookies perfect for holiday cookie exchanges, featuring a distinct red and white swirl.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • Red food coloring (gel preferred)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
  3. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined into a dough.
  4. Divide the dough evenly into two separate bowls. Leave one bowl plain (white dough).
  5. Add several drops of red food coloring to the second bowl and mix until the color is uniform throughout the dough.
  6. Place each color of dough between two sheets of wax paper. Roll each piece into a rectangle approximately 1/4 inch thick.
  7. Place the red dough rectangle directly on top of the white dough rectangle, aligning the edges. Gently press them together.
  8. Starting from one long edge, roll the layered dough tightly into a log. Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap.
  9. Chill the dough log in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or until firm enough to slice easily.
  10. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  11. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Slice the log into rounds about 1/4 inch thick.
  12. Place the slices onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
  13. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly set but the centers are still slightly soft.
  14. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Use gel food coloring for the most intense red color without adding excess liquid to the dough.
  • For a tighter swirl, chill the dough longer. If the dough becomes too hard to slice, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting.
  • You can substitute the almond extract with peppermint extract for a peppermint pinwheel variation.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sundayflavor.com/pinwheel-cookies-recipe-christmas-swirl/