Swirled Christmas Cookies Recipe

Introduction

These Swirled Christmas Cookies bring festive cheer to your holiday baking with their vibrant red, green, and white colors. Soft, buttery, and beautifully swirled, they’re perfect for sharing or decorating your cookie platter.

Ingredients

• 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)
• 1 cup Christmas sprinkles (such as nonpareils)
• Red and green gel food coloring

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until light in color.
2. Step 2: Add the egg, almond extract, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed.
3. Step 3: Add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed just until combined, scraping the bowl to ensure even mixing.
4. Step 4: Divide the dough into three equal parts. Leave one plain, color one green and the other red with gel food coloring. Wrap each in plastic wrap, flattening into rectangles about 1/3 inch thick.
5. Step 5: Chill the dough for 30 minutes in the fridge or 10 minutes in the freezer. For overnight chilling, let dough sit 5 minutes at room temperature before rolling.
6. Step 6: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
7. Step 7: Roll out each dough portion to roughly 7×12 inches on plastic wrap. On parchment paper, stack green dough on bottom, white in middle, red on top. Gently roll to adhere layers.
8. Step 8: Trim edges for clean lines. Cut one long side at an angle to help define the spiral. Roll the dough into a tight log starting at the angled side, sealing the seam with your finger.
9. Step 9: Pour sprinkles on a rimmed baking sheet and roll the log in sprinkles until fully coated.
10. Step 10: Slice the log into 1/3 inch thick cookies with a sharp knife, keeping the dough cold. Chill if dough softens. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.
11. Step 11: Bake one sheet at a time for 12-14 minutes on the middle rack, rotating halfway. Remove before edges brown. Cool on sheet 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
12. Step 12: Enjoy once cooled. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Tips & Variations

• Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without altering dough consistency.
• Chill dough well to make slicing easier and maintain cookie shape.
• Try substituting almond extract with orange or lemon extract for a citrus twist.
• Decorate cookies with royal icing or additional sprinkles after baking for extra festivity.

Storage

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them fresh longer, separate layers with parchment paper. Reheat briefly in a microwave or warm oven if you’d like them slightly soft again.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can chill the dough for up to 24 hours before rolling and baking. Just let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before rolling.

What if my dough is too sticky to roll out?

Chill the dough longer until firm, or lightly dust your rolling surface and rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking without drying out the dough.

Swirled Christmas Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 56 reviews

Swirled Christmas Cookies are festive, buttery, and delightfully colorful treats perfect for holiday celebrations. These cookies feature layers of red, green, and uncolored dough swirled together with a crunch of Christmas sprinkles coating each slice. They offer a tender texture with a subtle almond and vanilla flavor, making them a great holiday classic that’s as fun to make as it is to eat.

• Author: Caleb
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 12-14 minutes per batch
• Total Time: 1 hour (including chilling and baking)
• Yield: Approximately 36 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

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)

Decorations

• 1 cup Christmas sprinkles (nonpareils recommended)
• Red gel food coloring
• Green gel food coloring

Instructions

1. Mix Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy.
2. Add Egg and Extracts: Add the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Mix on medium speed until fully combined, scraping down the bowl sides as needed.
3. Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together, ensuring not to overmix. Scrape the bowl to fully incorporate all ingredients evenly.
4. Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough into three equal parts (approximately 10 oz or 305g each). Keep one portion uncolored, add green gel food coloring to the second, and red gel food coloring to the third. Wrap each in plastic wrap, flatten into 1/3 inch thick rectangles for easier rolling, and chill.
5. Chill Dough: Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, or freeze for 10 minutes. If chilled overnight, let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling.
6. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) about 30 minutes before baking. Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper and set aside.
7. Roll Out Dough: Unwrap each dough portion and roll each out on plastic wrap into roughly 7 by 12 inch rectangles. Place stacked dough on parchment paper in order: green on bottom, white in middle, red on top. Gently roll the stack to meld the layers.
8. Trim and Roll the Log: Trim uneven edges for a neat shape. Cut one long edge at an angle to create a defined spiral effect. Starting from this edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Seal the seam by pressing dough edges together.
9. Apply Sprinkles: Pour sprinkles on a rimmed baking sheet. Roll and press the dough log into the sprinkles until fully coated.
10. Slice Cookies: Using a sharp knife, slice the log into 1/3 inch thick cookies. If dough softens, chill log for 15-30 minutes for easier slicing. Place cookies spaced 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
11. Bake Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 12-14 minutes. Rotate halfway for even baking. Remove when edges are set but not brown, as cookies will firm as they cool.
12. Cool and Store: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

• Gel food coloring is preferred as it won’t affect dough consistency.
• Do not overbake; underbaking slightly ensures tender cookies that crisp as they cool.
• Use a sharp knife and chill the dough log to maintain neat, defined slices.
• The spiral effect is enhanced by trimming one edge at an angle before rolling.
• Cookies can be stored up to 5 days; for longer storage, freeze the dough log before slicing or freeze baked cookies.

Keywords: Christmas cookies, swirled cookies, holiday baking, festive cookies, almond extract cookies