If you’re looking to add a festive touch to your holiday baking, this Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe is an absolute must-try! These charming, swirly treats not only look stunning with their vibrant red, green, and classic vanilla colors, but they also bring a delicious buttery, subtly almond-flavored bite that’s perfect alongside a cup of hot cocoa or coffee during chilly winter days.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
Easy and fun to assemble: The process of coloring, layering, and rolling the dough into pinwheels is as enjoyable as the end result looks. It’s a great project to do with family or friends!
Perfect holiday presentation: The festive red and green swirls instantly bring Christmas cheer to your cookie platter, making these an eye-catching party favorite.
Delicate, buttery flavor with a hint of almond: The combination of vanilla and almond extracts gives these cookies a warm flavor profile that’s both classic and uniquely delightful.
Great for gifting and sharing: These cookies hold their shape well and travel beautifully, so you can pack them up for neighbors, friends, or holiday parties without losing that fresh-baked charm.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe calls for simple pantry staples, but each ingredient plays an essential role in building that perfect blend of texture, color, and taste. From the creamy buttery base to the pop of red and green food coloring, every component is thoughtfully chosen to bring these cookies to life.
- Unsalted butter: Using butter at room temperature helps create a smooth dough and adds rich flavor without any extra saltiness.
- Granulated sugar: Provides sweetness and helps in achieving a light, tender crumb in the finished cookies.
- All-purpose flour: This creates the sturdy yet tender structure needed to roll the dough without cracking.
- Egg: Acts as a binder and adds moisture for that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Vanilla & almond extracts: These subtle flavors enhance the buttery dough and add a warm, festive note.
- Food coloring: Red and green gels or liquid colors bring the iconic Christmas hues that make these cookies so special.
- Baking powder and salt: These ingredients balance the flavor and help with slight leavening so the cookies stay light, not dense.
How to Make Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Creaming the Butter and Sugar
Begin by beating the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This step is crucial because it incorporates air, giving your cookies a tender texture that melts in your mouth. Once fluffy, mix in the egg along with the vanilla and almond extracts, infusing the dough with rich, warm flavors.
Step 2: Combining the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to your butter-sugar mixture, blending them thoroughly. This forms a smooth dough that’s perfect for dividing and coloring.
Step 3: Coloring and Rolling the Dough
Divide the dough into three equal portions. Tint one with red food coloring, another with green, and leave the third plain to represent the white layer. Roll each colored dough between sheets of waxed paper into 9 by 6-inch rectangles and refrigerate them for 30 minutes—this helps the dough firm up, making it easier to handle.
Step 4: Layering and Shaping
Once chilled, remove the waxed paper and layer the dough rectangles in the order of red, white, and green on top of each other. Carefully roll this stack tightly into a jelly-roll shape starting from the longest side, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for at least two hours. The longer it chills, the easier it is to slice cleanly.
Step 5: Baking the Pinwheel Cookies
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Unwrap the rolled dough and slice it into thin 1/4-inch rounds. Place each slice about an inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are just set—overbaking will dry them out. Once baked, transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely, revealing those beautiful spirals.
How to Serve Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
While these cookies shine on their own, dusting them with a little powdered sugar right before serving adds a lovely snowy effect, perfect for the holidays. You might also consider drizzling some white chocolate or sprinkling finely chopped nuts for an extra special touch.
Side Dishes
Christmas Pinwheel Cookies pair wonderfully with warm drinks like spiced apple cider, peppermint hot chocolate, or your favorite coffee blend. For a holiday dessert spread, offer alongside fruitcake bites, gingerbread men, or even a cheese board to add texture contrast.
Creative Ways to Present
Try stacking these pinwheels on a festive platter arranged in a circle to mimic a wreath, or tie small bundles with red and green ribbons to gift as thoughtful homemade presents. Placing them in clear holiday-themed jars decorated with twinkle lights also makes a charming centerpiece for any party table.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Once cooled, store your Christmas Pinwheel Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They remain fresh and crisp for up to a week—perfect for enjoying throughout the holiday season without a rush.
Freezing
You can freeze both the rolled dough log and the baked cookies. Wrap the chilled dough log tightly in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months; slice and bake directly from frozen, adding a minute or two to baking time. For baked cookies, layer parchment paper between them, seal in a freezer bag, and freeze for similar durability.
Reheating
If you want to enjoy your cookies warm, simply heat them in an oven preheated to 300°F for about 5 minutes. This briefly refreshes their texture and revives that freshly baked warmth without making them too soft.
FAQs
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Can I use gel food coloring instead of liquid?
Yes! Gel food coloring is actually preferred because it provides vibrant colors without adding extra liquid to the dough, which helps maintain the right consistency.
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How do I prevent the pinwheel cookies from cracking?
Chilling the dough thoroughly before slicing and baking is key. Make sure to refrigerate the rolled dough log for at least two hours so it firms up, allowing you to cut clean slices without cracking.
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Can I make these cookies gluten-free?
To make a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Just be mindful of texture differences; you may need to adjust chilling times slightly to prevent the dough from becoming too fragile.
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Will these cookies keep well for gifting?
Absolutely! Pack them in airtight tins or decorative boxes with parchment paper to keep them fresh for up to a week, making them an ideal homemade gift or cookie exchange addition.
Final Thoughts
I truly hope you give this Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe a try—it’s one of those delightful holiday traditions that brings smiles and festive warmth with every bite. Whether baking solo or with loved ones, these colorful cookies add an extra sparkle to your celebrations. Happy baking and joyful holidays!
Print
Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: About 36 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These festive Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are a delightful treat featuring swirls of red, green, and classic buttery dough. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these colorful cookies combine vanilla and almond extracts for a rich, aromatic flavor, baked to a tender crispness. Their charming spiral design makes them an irresistible addition to any cookie platter.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Coloring
- 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring
- 1/4 teaspoon green food coloring
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps incorporate air for tender cookies. Then, beat in the egg along with vanilla and almond extracts to infuse the dough with rich flavors.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Gradually add this dry mixture into the creamed butter and sugar, beating to form the cookie dough.
- Divide and Color Dough: Separate the dough into three equal portions. Tint one portion with red food coloring, another portion with green food coloring, leaving the third plain to create the traditional white color.
- Roll Out Dough Portions: Roll each portion between sheets of waxed paper into a 9 by 6-inch rectangle. This uniform size ensures even layering and rolling later. Refrigerate these rolled sheets for 30 minutes to firm up the dough for easier handling.
- Layer and Roll Dough: Remove the waxed paper and carefully layer the dough sheets in the order of red on the bottom, plain white in the middle, and green on top. Then, starting from a long side, roll the layered dough tightly like a jelly roll. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or until it is firm enough to slice without losing shape.
- Preheat Oven and Slice: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Unwrap the chilled dough roll and slice into 1/4-inch thick pinwheel cookies. Place the slices about 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets to allow even baking without spreading into each other.
- Bake and Cool: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until they are set and edges are just starting to firm. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and transfer the cookies onto wire racks to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- For best results, ensure butter is at room temperature for easier creaming.
- If food coloring stains surfaces, clean up immediately.
- Dough can be wrapped and refrigerated overnight before slicing and baking.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- You can substitute almond extract with additional vanilla if desired.
