The charm of the holiday season is often captured in its visual details—the twinkling lights the perfectly wrapped gifts and the stunning symmetry of a well-arranged Christmas dessert platter. Among the most eye-catching and traditional treats are Christmas Pinwheel Cookies the swirling design immediately signals festive cheer and skilled baking.
However many home bakers hesitate to tackle pinwheels believing the dough is too tricky or the rolling process too complex. They often resort to simpler drop cookies sacrificing that FESTIVE visual impact.
I wanted a foolproof recipe that delivered a perfect swirl every time.
This Christmas Pinwheel Cookies recipe is the definitive guide to mastering this classic holiday cookie recipe. We use a sturdy simple vanilla dough that is divided and colored red and green. The secret lies in chilling the dough twice and using parchment paper to achieve a tight spiral that bakes into a stunning pattern.
This recipe is a must-pin for anyone searching Christmas Cookies Recipes because it delivers a professional, high-impact aesthetic using a surprisingly simple make ahead cookies method. If you are looking for the BEST Festive Cookie that will be the star of your cookie exchange this is your guaranteed winner.
Why You’ll Love These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
This recipe is a massive holiday favorite because it’s beautiful versatile and designed to minimize stress during the busiest baking season.
- The BEST Make Ahead Cookies Pinwheels require extensive chilling which makes them an ideal make ahead cookies recipe. The dough logs can be prepared and kept in the freezer for up to three months. You can slice and bake them as needed meaning you can have fresh warm cookies ready in minutes during the holiday rush.
- FESTIVE and High-Impact Visual The red and green FESTIVE spiral is what makes these cookies so striking. They look complicated and elegant but the technique is simply rolling two sheets of dough together. This visual appeal is essential for a beautiful Christmas dessert platter.
- Perfect for Cookie Exchange Because they are sturdy and hold their shape well these holiday cookie recipe favorites travel perfectly. Their unique pattern makes them a top choice for cookie exchange events as they stand out among the dozens of cookies.
- Delicate and Delicious Flavor The base is a simple almond or vanilla sugar cookie dough that bakes up crisp on the edges and soft in the center. The flavor is clean and delicate ensuring they pair well with all the rich flavors of the season.
Ingredients and Instructions The Two-Tone Dough
The key to the Christmas Pinwheel Cookies is making a sturdy sugar cookie dough and using gel food coloring for the vibrant festive colors.
| Component | Quantity | Notes |
| All-Purpose Flour | 3 cups | Spooned and leveled |
| Unsalted Butter | 1 cup | Softened to room temperature |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 cup | |
| Egg | 1 large | Room temperature |
| Vanilla Extract | 1 teaspoon | Or almond extract for more flavor |
| Baking Powder | 1/2 teaspoon | For a slight lift |
| Salt | 1/2 teaspoon | |
| Red Food Coloring | Gel recommended | For a rich red color |
| Green Food Coloring | Gel recommended | For a vibrant green color |
- Make Dough Base In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl whisk the flour baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixing until the dough is just combined.
- Divide and Color Divide the dough precisely in half. Return one half to the bowl and mix in the red food coloring gel until the color is uniform. Repeat the process with the remaining half using the green food coloring gel.
- Chill Dough Disks Wrap each colored dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. This prevents stickiness before rolling.
- Roll the Dough Working with one color at a time roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a 9×12 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with the second color.
- Layer and Roll Remove the top parchment layer from both colors. Flip the red dough sheet directly onto the green dough sheet. Trim the edges to create a perfect 9×12 rectangle. Roll the layered dough tightly into a log starting from the 12-inch side.
- Second Chill Mandatory Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Chill the log for at least 3 hours or until completely firm. This is essential for clean slicing.
- Slice and Bake Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to slice the chilled log into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are very lightly golden. Cool completely.
Step by Step Mastering the Pinwheel Technique
The challenge with Christmas Pinwheel Cookies is getting a tight uniform spiral and preventing the colors from bleeding together during the resting or baking process. My early attempts sometimes had loose swirls; I learned that keeping the dough cold is key.
Here is the detailed human-written guide to mastering this spectacular Festive Cookie recipe:
- Use Gel Coloring Only To achieve those BRIGHT crisp lines and prevent color bleed use gel food coloring instead of liquid coloring. Gel coloring is highly concentrated so it achieves the vibrant red and green without adding excess moisture to the dough which would thin it out.
- Rolling Between Parchment Rolling the dough between two sheets of parchment paper is an ULTIMATE hack. It prevents the dough from sticking to the counter or rolling pin and allows you to easily flip and manipulate the soft dough sheets without adding extra flour which would make the cookies tough.
- The Second Chill is Crucial Do not skip the second long chill time (3 hours minimum). If the log is not completely firm when you slice it the dough will squish or tear resulting in loose misshapen spirals. A firm log guarantees a clean precise slice and a perfect FESTIVE swirl.
- Slice Cleanly Use a very sharp knife to slice the chilled log. You can lightly flour the knife if the dough starts to stick. Rotate the log slightly as you slice to maintain the round shape.
- Don’t Overbake As with most holiday cookie recipes avoid overbaking. The cookies should be set and the edges just starting to turn color. Overbaking will dull the beautiful red and green colors and result in a dry texture.
Variations Serving and Storage Tips
This core Christmas Pinwheel Cookies recipe is a stunning Festive Cookie that is easy to customize for variety.
Delicious Variations to Try
- Peppermint Pinwheels Substitute 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract with 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract in the dough base.
- Chocolate Swirl Substitute the red food coloring with 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder mixed into the dough half. This creates a striking dark brown and green swirl.
- Almond Swirl Use almond extract instead of vanilla. Before rolling sprinkle 1 tablespoon of finely chopped almonds over the surface of the green dough before layering the red dough on top.
- Edging Finish Before slicing the chilled log brush the outside lightly with milk and roll it in coarse sanding sugar or finely chopped nuts for an added decorative crunch.
Serving Suggestions
These BEST Festive Cookie favorites are perfect for:
- Cookie Exchange Their unique pattern makes them a highly sought-after cookie for any cookie exchange.
- Gifting Stack them neatly in small clear bags or boxes to showcase the swirl making them beautiful make ahead cookies for gifts.
- Dessert Platter Use them as the geometric anchor on your Christmas dessert platter pairing them with simple round or star-shaped cookies.
Storage and Recipe Notes
| Item | Details |
| Dough Logs | Freeze for up to 3 months slice and bake from frozen adding 1-2 minutes to cook time |
| Baked Cookies | Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days |
| Flavor | The flavor intensifies the longer the dough is chilled |
| Avoid Bleeding | Ensure the dough is not sticky when layering and keep the logs tightly wrapped |
Conclusion Your Most FESTIVE Christmas Cookie Recipe
The Christmas Pinwheel Cookies recipe is the perfect blend of beautiful presentation and incredible convenience. It’s the BEST holiday cookie recipe that delivers a FESTIVE high-impact Christmas dessert every time.
By embracing this simple make ahead cookies technique you eliminate the baking stress and guarantee a stunning, delicious cookie exchange winner.
Pin this holiday cookie recipe today and enjoy the BEST FESTIVE Pinwheel Cookies
The FESTIVE Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet, mixing until just combined.
- Divide dough evenly in half. Tint one half red and the other half green using gel food coloring. Mix until color is fully incorporated and even.
- Wrap each colored dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. This prevents stickiness before rolling.
- Roll each color between two sheets of parchment paper into a 9×12-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Remove top parchment layers.
- Flip the red dough on top of the green dough. Trim edges for a perfect rectangle. Roll the layered dough tightly into a log, starting from the long edge. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill the dough log for at least 3 hours, or until completely firm. This ensures clean slicing and perfect spirals.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice chilled log into 1/4-inch rounds. Bake 8–10 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.