There’s just something magical about these swirly, colorful bites that instantly feel like the holidays. This Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe is pure joy in cookie form—fluffy, buttery, and festive enough to brighten any cookie platter (and any grumpy December morning!).
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I remember the first time I rolled up the colorful dough and sliced into those perfect spirals—it’s such a fun process and the end result never fails to impress. This Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe isn’t just about looks; it’s about that tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture with a festive crunch from holiday sprinkles that’ll have you reaching for one (or three) more.
- Festive Appearance: The vibrant red, green, and white swirls bring instant holiday cheer to any cookie tray.
- Buttery & Tender: Made with real butter and creamed sugars, these cookies are soft with just a hint of crisp on the edges.
- Easy to Customize: You can swap colors, sprinkles, or even add flavors to make them your own signature treat.
- Great for Gifting: They look so special, people will think you spent hours perfecting them (though they’re quite straightforward to make!).
Ingredients & Why They Work
The magic behind these Christmas Pinwheel Cookies starts with simple, trusted ingredients that work in harmony to give you the perfect slice-and-bake dough. Each component plays its part in texture, flavor, or visual appeal—plus, a few tricks on picking the best will make your life easier (and tastier!).
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure without weighing down the dough.
- Baking powder: Just enough leavening to keep them tender and light.
- Salt: Enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter: Room temperature so it creams perfectly with the sugars; provides richness and tenderness.
- Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and a subtle caramel note that rounds out the flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Gives a gentle crunch and sweetness.
- Egg: Binds the dough and adds richness; room temperature helps with smoother mixing.
- Vanilla extract: Classic flavor enhancer, ties everything together.
- Red and green food coloring: The stars of the show for that iconic Christmas swirl—gel colors work best because they don’t thin out the dough.
- Holiday sprinkles: Adds festive crunch and color on the outside; choose smaller sprinkles for even coating.
Make It Your Way
One of the best things about this Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe is how easily you can put your own creative spin on it. I often switch up the colors depending on the season or add a splash of almond extract for a twist, and you can totally customize the sprinkles too!
- Variation: I once swapped food coloring for natural beet and spinach powders—yes, the colors softened, but it added a subtle earthiness and made me feel a little healthier while indulging.
- Dietary tweaks: Try using vegan butter and egg replacer if you want to make them dairy-free and vegan; just keep an eye on chilling times since dough consistency changes.
- Flavor swaps: Cinnamon or peppermint extract stirred into the dough adds that seasonal jingle-jangle flavor I love around Christmas.
- Shape play: Instead of layering three colors, try just two and make a swirl or heart shape—fun for gifting personalized cookies.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Mix your dry ingredients with care
I like to whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a big bowl first—this ensures everything is evenly distributed and you won’t get any pockets of baking powder or salt when the cookies bake. Set this aside and clear your workspace for the fun part!
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugars until dreamy
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the softened butter with light brown sugar and granulated sugar for about two minutes until it’s light, fluffy, and has that melt-in-your-mouth texture. Add your egg and vanilla, then beat again until just combined—don’t overmix here or the cookies might get tough.
Step 3: Bring it all together
Slowly add your flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring gently with a spatula or on low mixer speed. Stop as soon as you don’t see any streaks of flour—overworking the dough tightens the gluten and we want these cookies tender, not chewy.
Step 4: Divide, color, and roll out
Divide the dough evenly into three parts. Add red food coloring to one, green to another, and leave the last plain—this tricolor effect really pops. Mix each until the colors are uniform, then roll each into roughly 12×8 inch rectangles on a floured surface. Here’s a tip: don’t be too precious about the shape; slight irregularities add charm to each cookie slice!
Step 5: Layer, roll, and chill
Place the green rectangle on your work surface, then layer the white on top, followed by the red. Starting from the long end, roll the dough up tightly but gently to avoid squeezing out the layers. Roll the log in your holiday sprinkles, wrap it in cling film, and pop it in the fridge—chilling is crucial here for those clean, sharp pinwheels.
Step 6: Slice and bake
After at least three hours chilling (I usually let it go overnight), preheat your oven to 350°F (or 160°C for fan ovens). Line baking sheets with parchment and slice your log into ¼ inch discs. Place them with the cut side down and bake for 8-10 minutes until they’re slightly puffed and just golden at the edges. Don’t forget to rotate your trays halfway through for even baking!
Step 7: Cool and enjoy
Let your cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Trust me, it’s hard to wait, but cooling lets them firm up and reveals those beautiful pinwheel patterns in all their glory.
Top Tip
My journey with this Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe taught me that chilling is absolutely non-negotiable. It’s the secret weapon that keeps the layers neat, the dough firm, and the slices clean. Here are a few nuggets from my kitchen experiments that might make your life easier:
- Chill Time is Key: Don’t rush the chilling step—even if you’re eager to bake, the dough needs those hours to rest and set.
- Use Gel Food Coloring: It won’t watery your dough and gives brighter colors, which makes slicing easier and keeps the swirl distinct.
- Roll Gently But Tightly: If you roll too hard, the dough layers squish and blend colors; too loose, and cookies lose that compact spiral look.
- Rotate Baking Sheets: Every oven bakes a little unevenly, so flip your trays halfway through for that perfect golden edge all around.
How to Serve Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I tend to keep garnishes simple here—the holiday sprinkles wrapped around the dough log give enough color and crunch. Sometimes I dust with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar for an extra wintry feel just before serving. For a grown-up touch, a small drizzle of white chocolate adds festive flair without overpowering the cookie.
Side Dishes
These cookies shine alongside a cozy cup of hot cocoa or mulled cider. If you’re planning a holiday party, they pair beautifully with other seasonal treats like peppermint bark, gingerbread, or spiced nuts for a delicious and colorful dessert spread.
Creative Ways to Present
When gifting or setting up a holiday cookie platter, I love arranging the pinwheels in concentric circles on a festive plate, alternating colors for that wow factor. Wrapping a few stacked in parchment paper tied with twine makes a charming DIY gift. And if you want to get fancy, press icing snowflakes or little edible pearls on top after baking for a personalized touch.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep leftover Christmas Pinwheel Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They maintain their flavor and texture remarkably well, but I do recommend adding a slice of bread inside the container to keep them soft and fresh.
Freezing
Freezing the dough log is a game changer—I wrap it tightly in plastic, then pop it in a freezer bag. When I’m ready to bake, I slice directly from frozen and add a minute or two to the baking time. This means you can prep well ahead of holiday madness!
Reheating
If I want to refresh slightly stale cookies, I warm them in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes wrapped in foil to bring back softness without over-baking. This trick really revives them wonderfully.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! While gel food coloring gives you the brightest hues, you can use natural powders like beet for red and spinach for green. Just keep in mind the colors will be more muted, and the dough might feel a tiny bit different to roll.
The key is chilling the dough log before slicing—it firms up the colors and prevents blending. Also, rolling the log gently but tightly is crucial to get those crisp spiral patterns.
Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, these cookies stay fresh up to one week. Adding a slice of bread inside the container helps keep them soft.
Yes! The dough log freezes beautifully when wrapped well. Slice from frozen for baking and add extra minutes to your baking time. Baked cookies can also be frozen, though I prefer freezing dough for maximum freshness.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe holds a special place in my holiday baking lineup. It’s impressive but approachable, fun but classic, and always a hit whether I’m sharing at family gatherings or just sneaking a sweet moment with my coffee. I hope you give it a try and enjoy every colorful, buttery bite as much as I do!
Print
Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 36 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Festive Christmas Pinwheel Cookies featuring layers of colorful red, green, and white dough rolled into a beautiful swirl, coated with holiday sprinkles, and baked to a light golden perfection. Perfect for holiday gatherings or as a cheerful gift.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Coloring and Decoration
- ½ teaspoon red food coloring
- ½ teaspoon green food coloring
- ½ cup Holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside for later.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a separate mixing bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add egg and vanilla: Add the large egg and pure vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture and mix well until fully incorporated.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until no streaks of flour remain and the dough is uniform.
- Divide and color dough: Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Add red food coloring to one portion, green food coloring to another, and leave the third portion white. Mix each portion until the color is evenly distributed.
- Roll dough into rectangles: On a lightly floured surface, roll each color of dough into roughly a 12×8 inch (30×20 cm) rectangle.
- Layer dough: Layer the rectangles with the green dough first, then the white, and finally the red on top to form a layered stack.
- Roll into log: Starting at the long end, tightly roll the layered dough into a log. As you roll, the log may lengthen slightly.
- Coat and chill: Roll the dough log in holiday sprinkles until coated, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to chill and firm up.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) or 160°C if using a fan oven. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Slice and bake: Slice the chilled dough log into ¼ inch thick slices. Place each slice cut side down on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly puffed and lightly golden.
- Cool cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
- This recipe yields approximately 36 cookies, depending on how tightly you roll and slice the dough.
- Keep the dough chilled before slicing to maintain firm, defined colors in the pinwheels.
- Use the trimmed dough from shaping to create additional pretty swirled cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Leave a Reply