These Christmas pinwheel cookies are always the prettiest cookies at my yearly cookie exchange. The red and white swirls make them look like candy canes or starlight peppermints, and they have a great peppermint flavor to match. I made them with all butter for a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Everyone is always so impressed by the swirl, but it’s so easy to create with these slice-and-bake cookies.
Christmas Pinwheel Cookie Recipe
If you’ve never made pinwheel cookies before, don’t worry. They’re a lot easier to make than you may think! The gorgeous red and white swirl in these cookies is pretty simple to achieve with my wonderfully easy-to-follow steps.
These easy Christmas cookies aren’t just pretty, either. They’re also deliciously sweet, buttery, and festive with just a touch of pure peppermint extract. Made with just 7 inexpensive ingredients, my Christmas pinwheel cookies are a stunning and budget-friendly cookie recipe!
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How to Store
Store leftover Christmas pinwheel cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Tips for Success
- I’ve found that gel food coloring yields the most vibrant color.
- These cookies would be just as festive with green food coloring or even a combination of red, green, and white.
- For pinwheel cookies with 3 colors, simply split the dough into 3 sections (color 1 section red, 1 section green, and keep 1 section plain) and layer the dough in whichever order you desire.
- Instead of having a plain white layer, add a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder to create a rich chocolatey flavor.
- Use a sharp knife to ensure nice clean cuts when you slice the dough log into cookies.
- When you slice the log, make sure you’re cutting the dough into perfect ½-inch slices. Use a ruler for the most exact measurements.
- CHILL THE DOUGH! It’s essential for this refrigerator cookie recipe, otherwise, your cookies will spread like crazy in the hot oven.
- You can also roll the log in sprinkles (like nonpareils) before slicing and baking the cookies. Make sure they’re festive colors like green, red, and white.
Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (2 sticks)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Red food coloring
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Stand Mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Baking Sheet
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter, powdered sugar, and sugar together on high speed for 1 minute.1 cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Add the flour, peppermint extract, and salt and beat together until smooth.2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Divide the dough into 2 equal sections. Keep one section in the stand mixer bowl and place the other section in a separate bowl.
- Add a drop or 2 of red food coloring to the dough that is still in the stand mixer bowl. Beat together until all of the dough is red.Red food coloring
- Place a large piece of plastic wrap onto the counter. Place the white (no food coloring added) dough on top. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle (approximately 7×9 inches).
- Remove the red dough from the bowl and carefully press or roll it out on top of the white dough. It should completely cover the white dough (and become the same shape as the white dough).
- Before rolling, slice about ¼ inch of dough off of the end closest to you so there’s a nice, neat line of dough to start with. This ensures pretty pinwheel centers.
- Use the plastic wrap the help you roll the dough into a log. Do not wrap the plastic wrap into the log. Once the dough is in a tight log, tightly wrap with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.
- Once the dough log has chilled, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and place on a cutting board. Cut the log into cookies about ½-inch thick.
- Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheet leaving 2 inches of space between them.
- Bake cookies for 10 minutes – the cookies will still look soft at this point.
- Remove them from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool before serving.
Notes
How to Make Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Step-by-Step
Cream the Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 1 cup of unsalted butter, ¼ cup of powdered sugar, and ¼ cup of granulated sugar together on high speed for 1 minute.
Mix the Dough: Add 2 cups of all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon of peppermint extract, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and beat together until smooth.
Color the Dough: Divide the dough into 2 equal sections. Keep one section in the stand mixer bowl and place the other section in a separate bowl. Add a drop or 2 of red food coloring to the dough that is still in the stand mixer bowl. Beat together until all of the dough is red.
Roll out the Dough: Place a large piece of plastic wrap onto the counter. Place the white (no food coloring added) dough on top. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle (approximately 7×9 inches).
Layer the Dough: Remove the red dough from the bowl and carefully press or roll it out on top of the white dough. It should completely cover the white dough (and become the same shape as the white dough).
Roll Up the Dough: Before rolling, slice about ¼ inch of dough off of the end closest to you so there’s a nice, neat line of dough to start with. This ensures pretty pinwheel centers. Use the plastic wrap the help you roll the dough into a log. Do not wrap the plastic wrap into the log. Once the dough is in a tight log, tightly wrap it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.
Slice the Cookies: Once the dough log has chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a cutting board. Cut the log into cookies about ½-inch thick.
Bake the Cookies: Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheet leaving 2 inches of space between them. Bake cookies for 10 minutes – the cookies will still look soft at this point. Remove them from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool before serving.
Hi! I’m curious how hard these cookies get when you bake them? Are they on the softer, chewy side? Or are they more crisp?
Obviously I will cook them for the specified time. 😊 Thank you!
These cookies are more crisp and shortbread-like!