Description
These Valentine’s Day Swirl Cookies are a delightful treat featuring a beautiful two-tone swirl made by blending vanilla and colored dough. Rolled in festive sprinkles and baked to a golden perfection, these cookies combine a tender, buttery texture with a fun, eye-catching presentation, perfect for Valentine celebrations or any festive occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus a few more tablespoons, if needed
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup unsifted powdered sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon food coloring of your choice
- ½ teaspoon of any desired extra extracts (optional)
Topping
- 1 ½ cups holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until thoroughly blended.
- Add Butter and Vanilla: Gradually add the chunked butter to the dry mixture while continuing to mix until the dough starts forming a ball. Then add the vanilla extract and mix to incorporate.
- Divide Dough: Remove the dough from the mixer and divide it into two equal portions.
- Color One Portion: Return one half of the dough to the mixer. Add your choice of food coloring and any additional extracts. Continue mixing until the color is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Roll Out Dough: Roll each portion of dough between two sheets of wax paper into rectangles measuring about 11 x 9 inches and ¼ inch thick.
- Chill Layered Dough: Place both rolled-out dough sheets on a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Assemble Swirl: Remove the wax paper from both dough sheets. Lightly brush the uncolored vanilla dough with water using a pastry brush, then carefully flip the colored dough on top, aligning the edges. Press edges lightly to seal and trim for straight edges.
- Roll Dough Log: Ensure the dough is cold but flexible, then roll the dough from the long side into a swirl or jelly-roll shape.
- Add Sprinkles: Spread sprinkles on a large platter. Gently roll the dough log over the sprinkles to coat the outside, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill or Freeze: Refrigerate the dough log for a few hours to firm, or freeze for up to three months if you want to bake later.
- Slice and Bake: When ready, slice the dough into ¼-inch thick slices. Arrange slices on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 15 to 17 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden brown.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- If the dough becomes too wet and difficult to roll after adding food coloring, gradually add extra flour a tablespoon at a time until manageable.
- Ensure dough remains cold but pliable when assembling and rolling to prevent cracking.
- Rolling the dough log in sprinkles adds extra festive texture and color—choose sprinkles that complement your theme.
- You can freeze the dough log for up to three months; slice and bake directly from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 40mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 18mg
