Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are a fun and festive sweet treat. These fun-colored cookies will look amazing on the holiday dessert table.
These Christmas cookies are not only delicious but also perfect for holiday cookie exchanges. Not only are Christmas Pinwheel Cookies colorful but they are also the perfect soft sugar cookie.
Jump to:
Pinwheel cookies come in such a wide variety of flavors, you can find everything from savory, fruity, nutty, or even colorful. My family has passed down many pinwheel cookie recipes over the years, but I have to say that the red and green festive cookies have always been my personal favorite.
Why I Love This Recipe
These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are not only easy to make they are also colorful and will look great on your dessert table.
- Easy to make
- Fun to make
- Always a hit at parties
- Looks beautiful on a plate
- Fills the house with a delicious aroma
IF you love festive Christmas cookies you may also enjoy this Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies recipe.
Ingredients
You only need nine ingredients to make these festive holiday cookies. You may already have these items on hand in your pantry, but if not, one quick trip to the grocery store and you’ll be so glad you made these soft sugar cookies.
- softened unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- red gel food coloring
- green gel food coloring
Substitutions
Butter: Don’t have unsalted butter? Salted butter will work in this recipe, just reduce your salt to 3/4 teaspoon.
Food Coloring: Liquid food coloring can be used in place of gel you may just need to add more drops for a better color.
Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools
To make these homemade Christmas cookies you need four kitchen tools. You should have the tools already in your kitchen.
- mixer
- mixing bowl
- rolling pin
- cookie sheet
How to Make Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
These pinwheel cookies have eight steps but don’t be intimidated by these steps, I promise these cookies are easy to make and worth the effort.
Step 1: Cream butter and sugar
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together butter and granulated sugar. Once butter and sugar are well combined, add eggs and vanilla and mix some more.
Step 2: Add dry ingredients to your dough
Next, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until cookie dough forms. Divide the cookie dough into two equal halves.
Step 3: Dye your cookie dough
Color one half with red gel food coloring and the other with green gel food coloring. Knead each dough half until they’re both completely tinted.
Step 4: Roll the cookie dough
Sprinkle a working surface with flour. As well, add flour onto a rolling pin. Begin by rolling out the green cookie dough into a rectangular shape, until it’s slightly larger than 6 in x 9 in. Set aside.
Step 5: Finish rolling the dough
Do the same for the red cookie dough and press it on top of the green cookie dough. With a paring knife, trim the cookie dough so that it’s exactly a rectangular shape, 6 in x 9 in.
Step 6: Shape cookie dough
Rolling lengthwise (so from the thinner end), roll the layered cookie dough into a log. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate it for one hour.
Step 7: Cut the cookies
Remove the cookie log from the fridge once the time is up. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Step 8: Bake the cookies
Cut out 12 cookie slices from the log, about ½ an inch thick. Line them up on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Variations / Options / Add-Ins
Want to personalize your Christmas cookies? Here are my favorite ways to change up these Christmas cookies.
Sprinkles: dip your cookie dough roll into festive sprinkles for additional fun cookies.
Candy Cane: Skip the green food coloring, and use red food coloring for half and the other half white for a candy cane striped pinwheel cookie
Tri-Color Dough: Split your dough into thirds and dye one-third for red, green, and white pinwheel cookies.
Serving Suggestions
Looking for ways to use your Christmas Pinwheel Cookies? Here are my favorite uses for them:
- cookie exchanges
- holiday parties
- class parties
- teacher gifts
- neighbor gifts
- Cookies for Santa
Tips
Want your cookies to turn out perfectly? Here are my best tips for baking these Christmas Cookies.
- If you are making your cookies on a stainless steel pan, reduce your bake time by 2 or 3 minutes.
- Cookie dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Use a sharp knife for easy and straight cuts.
FAQs
Have questions about Christmas Pinwheel Cookies? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Cookies can be stored on the counter in an airtight container for up to one week.
Yes! You can freeze the cookie dough raw or even baked cookies for up to three months. If you are freezing the cookie dough raw, I recommend slicing it first.
Yes! This recipe doubles well. Just make sure to bake your cookies in two batches so the cookies have room to spread on the pan.
More Christmas Cookies Recipes
If you like Christmas Cookies, give these recipes a try:
- Easy Grinch Cookies
- Snowman Nutter Butter Cookies
- Green Cake Mix Cookies
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Christmas Hot Cocoa Cookies
Ready to get cooking? Print off the recipe card below or toggle on Cook Mode to keep your screen from going dark while you follow along on your phone or tablet.
📋 Recipe
Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
Equipment
- Mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- 2 sticks softened unsalted butter about ½ cup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour + extra for rolling
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red gel food coloring
- ¼ teaspoon green gel food coloring
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together butter and granulated sugar.
- Once butter and sugar are well combined, add eggs and vanilla and mix some more.
- Next, add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until cookie dough forms.
- Divide the cookie dough into two equal halves. Color one half with red gel food coloring and the other with green gel food coloring. Knead each dough half until they’re both completely tinted.
- Sprinkle a working surface with flour. As well, add flour onto a rolling pin.
- Begin by rolling out the green cookie dough into a rectangular shape, until it’s slightly larger than 6 in x 9 in. Set aside.
- Do the same for the red cookie dough and press it on top of the green cookie dough.
- With a paring knife, trim the cookie dough so that it’s exactly a rectangular shape, 6 in x 9 in.
- Rolling lengthwise (so from the thinner end), roll the layered cookie dough into a log.
- Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.
- Remove the cookie log from the fridge once time is up. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut out 12 cookie slices from the log, about ½ an inch thick. Line them up on the lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Need to run to the store for a few ingredients first? Don’t forget to pin this recipe so you can find it when you’re ready to cook!
