Description
Swirled Christmas Cookies are delightful festive treats featuring soft, tender cookie dough in vibrant red, green, and white spirals adorned with colorful Christmas sprinkles. These visually striking cookies offer a perfect balance of almond and vanilla flavors, ideal for holiday celebrations and gifting.
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)
Decoration
- 1 cup Christmas sprinkles (nonpareils recommended)
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for several minutes until the mixture is lighter in color and fluffy. This step incorporates air to ensure tender cookies.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract or paste on medium speed until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula as needed to mix evenly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookie texture tender. Scrape bowl sides and bottom to ensure even mixing.
- Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough into three equal portions (about 10 oz or 305g each). Leave one portion plain (white), color one red with gel food coloring, and the other green with gel food coloring. Wrap each dough portion in plastic wrap and flatten into rectangles about 1/3 inch thick.
- Chill Dough: Chill wrapped dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or freezer for 10 minutes) or overnight. If chilled overnight, let dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to ease rolling.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) at least 30 minutes before baking. Line two large baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Roll Out Dough Layers: Unwrap dough portions and roll each on plastic wrap to 7×12 inches. Stack dough on parchment paper in this order: green on bottom, white middle, red on top. Gently roll the stack with a rolling pin to stick layers together and trim edges for evenness.
- Form Dough Log: Cut one long edge at an angle to have slightly less red than green on that side. Roll the dough tightly from that edge into a spiral log. Spread a bit of green dough gently on the seam to seal the roll.
- Coat with Sprinkles: Pour Christmas sprinkles into a rimmed baking sheet and roll or press the dough log in sprinkles until fully coated.
- Slice Cookies: Using a sharp knife, slice cookies to about 1/3 inch thick. If dough log is too soft or flattened, chill it for 15-30 minutes to firm up. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake one sheet at a time on the middle oven rack for 12-14 minutes, rotating halfway through for even baking. Remove cookies when edges are firm but not browned, as slight underbaking helps keep them soft.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Store: Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 20 swirled cookies; yield varies with thickness of slices.
- The recipe can be doubled to increase yield.
- Creaming butter and sugar well is essential for tender, soft cookies.
- Use gel food coloring to achieve bright, vivid colors without altering dough consistency.
- Consistent cookie slice thickness (1/3 inch) ensures even baking.
- Chill dough thoroughly to prevent excess spreading and promote soft texture.
- Error on underbaking, as cookies continue to firm after baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
