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Classic Christmas Pinwheel Cookies (Slice-and-Bake Swirls)

A stack of colorful red, white, and green pinwheel cookies coated in sparkling sugar on a white plate.
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Make beautiful, buttery pinwheel cookies with striking red and green swirls using this easy slice-and-bake method. These cookies are perfect for holiday cookie exchanges and festive trays.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Red food coloring (gel preferred)
  • Green food coloring (gel preferred)
  • Optional: 1/4 cup extra sugar mixed with red and green nonpareils for rolling

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined into a soft dough.
  3. Divide the dough evenly into three separate bowls. Leave one bowl plain (this will be white). Add red food coloring to the second bowl and green food coloring to the third bowl. Mix each until the color is uniform.
  4. On plastic wrap, assemble the dough layers: place the white dough first, then the red dough next to it, and the green dough next to the red dough, forming a rough rectangle. Gently press the three colors together.
  5. Roll the combined dough block into a tight log, about 2 inches in diameter, using the plastic wrap to help shape it. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to seal the log tightly.
  6. Chill the dough log in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until firm enough to slice cleanly.
  7. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. If using sprinkles, spread the colored nonpareils on a small plate. Unwrap the chilled dough and roll the log lightly in the sprinkles, if desired.
  9. Slice the dough log into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Place the slices onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
  10. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still slightly soft. Do not overbake.
  11. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • For the cleanest swirls, chill the dough until it is very firm before slicing.
  • If you want more defined colors, you can roll each colored dough portion into a flat rectangle before layering them together.
  • These slice-and-bake cookies freeze well. Wrap the dough logs tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Slice and bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenslang.com/pinwheel-cookies-slice-and-bake-swirl-recipe/