Description
Bright, swirled pinwheel cookies that look fancy but are totally doable — perfect for holiday platters and cookie tins.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature is best)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Red food coloring, liquid or gel — start small, adjust to taste (about ½–1 teaspoon if using liquid)
- Green food coloring, liquid or gel — start small, adjust to taste (about ½–1 teaspoon if using liquid)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set this dry mix aside.
- In a larger bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until the mixture becomes lighter in color and a bit fluffy (about 1–2 minutes).
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until evenly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two parts, folding just until everything comes together. Avoid over-mixing.
- Divide the dough into three equal portions — eyeball it or use a kitchen scale for precision. Shape each portion into a ball.
- Put one portion back into a clean bowl, add the red coloring and mix until the hue is uniform. Wipe the beater clean. Repeat with the second portion and green coloring. Leave the third ball uncolored (white).
- Flatten each colored and uncolored ball into a rough square. Wrap each square tightly in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, or until firm.
- Remove the chilled pieces. Working between two sheets of parchment, roll each square into a roughly 10-inch rectangle — keep the thickness consistent across all three. If the dough softens, pop it back in the fridge briefly.
- Peel away the top sheets of parchment. Stack the layers (for example: red, then white, then green), aligning the edges as best you can. Trim the long sides with a sharp knife or pizza cutter so the ends are straight.
- Starting from one trimmed edge, roll the layered dough tightly into a log. Use the parchment to help lift and guide the roll. Pinch the seam and any loose spots so the log holds together. Wrap the log in cling film and chill for another hour, or until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Unwrap the chilled log and slice it into rounds about ¼ inch thick using a very sharp knife. Discard the tapered end pieces (they usually don’t show a neat swirl). Place the slices on the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the cookies set and just begin to color at the edges. Allow them to rest on the baking sheet for 4–5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt in the dry mix or omit it entirely.
- Work with chilled dough — cold layers slice cleanly and keep the spiral intact.
- Use a sharp knife and slice slowly to prevent squashing the roll.
- For brighter, truer colors, prefer gel food coloring; you’ll need far less than with liquid dyes. If using liquid coloring, add it sparingly (start with ¼ teaspoon and increase until you like the shade).
- You can make the dough logs ahead: wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before slicing and baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1cookie
- Calories: 173kcal
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 42mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 33mg