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
Scale
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.
