Description
Swirled Christmas Cookies are festive, soft, and colorful treats perfect for holiday celebrations. These cookies feature a beautiful spiral pattern made by layering red, green, and white dough, coated with Christmas sprinkles for a fun and crunchy exterior. The dough is tender and mildly flavored with almond and vanilla extracts, offering a classic buttery cookie taste with a visually striking twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
- 2 tsp almond extract (10g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (5g)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (390g)
- 1 tsp cornstarch (3g)
- 1 tsp baking powder (4g)
- 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
Decorations
- 1 cup Christmas sprinkles (nonpareils recommended)
- Red and green gel food coloring
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat 1 cup unsalted butter and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar on medium-high speed for a few minutes until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy. This incorporates air to create a tender cookie.
- Add egg and extracts: Mix in 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons almond extract, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste on medium speed until fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl sides and bottom as necessary to ensure even mixing.
- Add dry ingredients: Combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine salt. Add the dry mix to the butter mixture and mix at low speed just until combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender texture. Scrape the bowl again to incorporate any flour bits.
- Divide and color dough: Divide dough into three equal portions, about 10 oz (305g) each. Leave one portion uncolored (white), color one portion green and the other red using gel food coloring. Flatten each dough portion into a rectangle about 1/3 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill.
- Chill dough: Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, freeze for 10 minutes, or chill overnight. If chilled overnight, allow dough to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling to soften slightly for easier handling.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Set oven to 350°F (175°C) about 30 minutes before baking. Line two large baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll out and layer dough: Roll each chilled dough portion on plastic wrap to 7×12 inches. Lay parchment paper on counter and stack dough layers in order: green bottom, white middle, red top. Gently roll stacked layers with a rolling pin to adhere them together.
- Trim and shape dough log: Trim uneven edges with a sharp knife. Cut one long side at an angle to create a spiral with more green than red on that edge. Roll the dough tightly from this angled edge into a log, using parchment paper to help lift and roll evenly. Seal the seam by gently pressing with your finger.
- Coat with sprinkles: Pour 1 cup Christmas sprinkles into a rimmed baking sheet. Roll or press the dough log into the sprinkles until fully coated all around.
- Slice cookies: Use a sharp knife to cut the dough log into 1/3-inch thick slices while still cold to maintain shape. If dough becomes too soft and squashes, chill for 15-30 minutes before slicing. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake cookies: Bake one sheet at a time on the middle oven rack for 12-14 minutes, rotating halfway through for even baking. Remove cookies before edges brown—they will firm up as they cool. Undercooking slightly prevents dryness.
- Cool and store: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 20 swirled Christmas cookies; thickness of slices affects yield and bake time.
- The recipe can be doubled to increase quantity.
- Cream butter and sugar well to incorporate air for tender cookies.
- Use gel food coloring to avoid altering dough consistency and achieve vibrant colors.
- Consistent 1/3-inch thickness helps cookies bake evenly.
- Chilling dough prevents excessive spreading and contributes to a soft texture.
- Avoid overbaking and remove when edges just set to keep cookies tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 30g)
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
