Holiday Swirl Cookies
These delightful Holiday Swirl Cookies are perfect for celebrating the season! With vibrant red and green swirls, a buttery taste, and fun sprinkles, they're easy to make and sure to bring joy to any festive occasion.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Parchment Paper
- Rolling Pin
- Baking Sheet
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 0.75 cup salted butter softened to room temperature (1.5 sticks)
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 0.75 cup powdered sugar (150g)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour (353g)
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp additional flavoring extract or lemon zest optional, like peppermint
Decorations
- red gel food coloring
- green gel food coloring
- holiday colored nonpareils (sprinkles)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until the mixture is delightfully light and fluffy.
- Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, and any optional flavoring you choose. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to get everything fully combined.
- Gently add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Divide your dough into three equal portions. Leave one portion plain. Return one-third of the dough to the bowl, add a few drops of red gel food coloring, and mix until the color is evenly distributed. Repeat this step with another third of the dough and green gel food coloring.
- Lightly flatten each of the three dough portions into a disc shape, wrap each securely in plastic wrap, and chill them in the freezer for 20 minutes, or in the refrigerator for 1 hour, to make them easy to roll.
- One at a time, roll out each chilled dough disc between two pieces of parchment paper to create thin, even rectangles of roughly the same size. Carefully stack the colored layers on top of each other, placing the plain (white) dough in the middle, and the red and green doughs on the outside layers.
- Gently and carefully roll the stacked dough layers into a nice, tight log. Use the bottom piece of parchment paper to assist you in rolling and prevent cracks. Wrap the log tightly in new plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours (or up to a week if you're prepping ahead!).
- Once the dough log is thoroughly chilled, you can lightly roll it in holiday nonpareils on a baking sheet, pressing gently to ensure the sprinkles stick well. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Unwrap the dough log, trim off any uneven ends, then slice it into 1/4-inch thick cookies using a sharp knife. Place them 1-2 inches apart on your lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly set and the cookies appear firm. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack to truly appreciate their beautiful festive swirls!
Notes
**Nutrition Information per cookie:** Calories: 115kcal, Total Carbs: 16g, Net Carbs: 15g, Fats: 5g, Protein: 1g.
