Description
These Swirled Christmas Cookies are a festive and colorful treat perfect for the holiday season. Featuring vibrant red, green, and white layers rolled into an elegant spiral, these soft, tender cookies are infused with almond and vanilla extracts for a delightful flavor. Coated with holiday sprinkles, they add a fun and decorative touch to any Christmas cookie platter.
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)
Coloring & Decoration
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- 1 cup Christmas sprinkles (nonpareils recommended)
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, incorporating air for a tender cookie texture.
- Add Flavorings and Egg: Mix in the large egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract or paste on medium speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture. Mix at low speed just until the dough comes together, being careful not to overmix.
- Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough into three equal portions (about 10 oz or 305g each). Leave one portion uncolored, color one portion green and the other red using gel food coloring. Flatten each dough portion into a rectangle approximately 1/3 inch thick, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill Dough: Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 10 minutes, or overnight in the fridge. If chilled overnight, let dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) about 30 minutes before baking. Line two large baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Roll Out and Stack Dough Layers: Roll out each chilled dough portion on plastic wrap to roughly 7×12 inches. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the counter, stack the dough layers on it in order: green on bottom, white in middle, red on top. Gently roll over the stack with a rolling pin to adhere layers.
- Trim and Shape Log: Trim uneven edges with a sharp knife. Cut one long side at an angle to create a defined spiral, then carefully roll the dough into a tight log starting from the angled side, using the parchment paper to assist. Seal the seam with a gentle finger press of green dough.
- Coat with Sprinkles: Spread 1 cup of Christmas sprinkles on a rimmed baking sheet and roll the dough log in the sprinkles until fully coated.
- Slice Cookies: Using a sharp knife, slice the dough log into 1/3 inch thick cookies. If the log softens and loses shape while slicing, chill it for 15-30 minutes. 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. Watch closely and remove before edges brown. Cookies will firm as they cool.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack 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 and bake time vary with slice thickness.
- Recipe can be doubled to increase cookie quantity.
- For best results, thoroughly cream butter and sugar to add air for soft cookies.
- Use gel food coloring to maintain dough consistency and vivid colors; avoid liquid colorings.
- Maintain consistent cookie thickness of 1/3 inch for even baking.
- Chilling dough prevents excessive spreading and promotes soft texture.
- Underbake slightly to avoid dryness as cookies continue to bake on the hot pan after removal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
