Description
Delightfully festive Pinwheel Cookies featuring a vibrant red and white swirl, flavored with almond extract and decorated with colorful sprinkles. These buttery, soft cookies are perfect for holiday celebrations or any occasion that calls for a fun and eye-catching treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 tsp almond extract
Additional
- Red food coloring
- Sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt until well combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Egg and Flavoring: Beat in the large egg until incorporated, then mix in the almond extract to infuse the dough with its nutty flavor.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on medium-low speed just until combined to form a smooth dough.
- Color Half the Dough: Divide the dough into two halves. In one half, add red food coloring and mix thoroughly, adding more coloring until you achieve your desired vibrant shade.
- Shape and Chill Dough: On a clean work surface, shape each portion of dough into a square approximately 1/2 inch thick. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Roll Out Dough Sheets: Place the red dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat the same process with the white dough. Remove the top parchment from each dough rectangle.
- Assemble Dough Layers: Invert the white dough sheet onto the red dough sheet, gently pressing to seal the layers together.
- Trim and Roll the Dough Log: Remove the top parchment and trim the edges for neatness. With the long side facing you, use the bottom parchment sheet to help tightly roll the dough into a log. Roll the log on the work surface a few times to ensure a tight seal. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight for best results.
- Prepare to Bake: Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread sprinkles on a medium plate.
- Slice and Decorate Cookies: Using a sharp knife, cut the dough log into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Roll the edges of each cookie slice in sprinkles to add a festive touch. Arrange the cookies on the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for slight spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies, swapping the baking sheets between the upper and lower racks halfway through baking, until the edges are set and just beginning to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cookies cool slightly on the sheets before transferring them to a wire rack.
Notes
- Chilling the dough well is crucial to maintain the distinct pinwheel pattern while slicing and baking.
- Use a very sharp knife for slicing to ensure clean edges and prevent squashing the dough log.
- Almond extract can be substituted with vanilla extract if preferred.
- For a more vibrant red, gel food coloring tends to produce better results without altering dough consistency.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
