Description
These Deliciously Swirled Christmas Cookies are a festive treat perfect for holiday celebrations. Featuring three vibrant dough colors—plain, red, and green—layered and rolled into a beautiful swirl, they are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate. Soft, buttery, and lightly sweetened, these cookies are finished with sanding sugar for a sparkling decorative touch. Ideal for sharing with family and friends during the Christmas season.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (or gluten-free 1:1 flour blend)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (softened, cool to touch but not melted)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 2 tablespoons Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Coloring and Decoration
- Red Gel Food Coloring (as needed)
- Green Gel Food Coloring (as needed)
- Sanding Sugar (red, green, or white; optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. This ensures your leavening agent and salt are distributed throughout the flour.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This creates a smooth base for your cookie dough.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture until all ingredients are fully incorporated, resulting in a smooth batter.
- Combine Flour Mixture: Gradually add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing which can toughen the dough.
- Divide and Color the Dough: Turn the dough onto a clean surface and divide into three equal parts. Leave one part plain, tint the second with red gel food coloring, and the third with green gel food coloring, kneading each portion until the color is evenly distributed.
- Roll and Chill: Roll each colored dough portion into 1/4-inch thick rectangles between two sheets of parchment paper. Chill the dough rectangles in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up for easier handling.
- Assemble the Swirl: Stack the chilled dough rectangles with the plain dough on the bottom, red dough in the middle, and green dough on top. Roll the stack tightly into a log shape, trimming any uneven edges for an even appearance.
- Chill the Log: Refrigerate the assembled dough log for at least 2 hours, or freeze for 30-45 minutes until firm. This step helps maintain the swirl shape during slicing and baking.
- Coat with Sanding Sugar: Roll the chilled log in your choice of sanding sugar until evenly coated for a sparkling finish.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Slice the Cookies: Using a sharp knife, slice the chilled dough log into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place the cookies spaced evenly on the prepared baking sheets to allow room for slight spreading during baking.
- Bake and Cool: Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- You can substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make the cookies gluten-free.
- If using salted butter, reduce the added salt to 1/8 teaspoon or omit entirely to avoid over-salting.
- Experiment with different gel food coloring flavors like peppermint or almond extracts to add a unique twist.
- For extra crunch and sparkle, use colored sanding sugar matching the dough colors.
- Ensure the butter is softened but not melted to achieve the best texture when creaming.
- Chilling the dough layers and assembled log is crucial for clean, defined swirls and easy slicing.
