If you’re searching for a show-stopping Christmas cookie that’s as fun to make as it is delicious, these Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are the ultimate holiday treat! With their vibrant red, green, and white swirls, these festive cookies instantly brighten any holiday cookie plate. They’re soft, buttery, full of classic sugar-cookie flavor, and guaranteed to impress at cookie exchanges, parties, and family gatherings.
Even though they look fancy, they’re much easier to make than they seem. With a little chilling time and some rolling, you’ll have bakery-perfect pinwheels ready to slice and bake!
⭐ Why You’ll Love These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
- Gorgeous holiday swirls: Their colorful spirals make them stand out on any Christmas cookie platter.
- Classic sugar-cookie flavor: Soft, buttery, and sweet — a festive twist on a holiday favorite.
- Surprisingly simple: No cookie cutters, no frosting — just roll, chill, slice, and bake.
- Perfect for gifting: These cookies hold their shape well and freeze beautifully.
- Customizable: Change up the colors or add peppermint, almond, or lemon extract.
🎄 Ingredients You’ll Need
Nothing unusual — just classic sugar-cookie staples:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red liquid or gel food coloring (½–1 teaspoon or more as desired)
- Green liquid or gel food coloring (½–1 teaspoon or more)
Tip: Gel food coloring gives the most vibrant holiday colors without thinning the dough.
🎁 How to Make Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
(See the recipe card formatting at the bottom if you want this converted into a blog-ready card.)
1. Make the Dough
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing just until combined.
2. Color the Dough
Divide the dough evenly into three balls.
- Tint one ball red,
- Tint one green,
- Leave the third ball plain white.
Use a mixer to blend in the coloring so it distributes evenly.
3. Chill and Roll
Flatten each dough ball into a square, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Once chilled, roll each color between parchment sheets into a 10-inch square. Keep the dough chilled as much as possible to maintain clean layers.
Refrigerate the rolled sheets again for 30 minutes.
4. Assemble the Pinwheel
Peel off the top parchment layer from each sheet.
Stack them in this order:
- Red
- White
- Green
Line up the edges as closely as possible. Trim the sides with a pizza cutter to create straight edges — this helps the pinwheel form neatly.
Starting from one trimmed side, tightly roll the dough into a log, using the parchment to guide you. Pinch the seam to seal.
Wrap the dough log in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or until firm.
5. Slice & Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
Slice the chilled log into ¼-inch cookies, discarding the uneven ends.
Place cookies 2 inches apart and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until set and just beginning to firm around the edges.
Cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.
🎅 Storage & Freezing
Store:
Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days.
Freeze (unbaked or baked):
- Freeze the dough log up to 2 months.
- Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months.
To thaw, simply leave at room temperature until soft enough to slice or serve.
💡 Expert Tips for Perfect Pinwheels
- Use gel food coloring for the brightest Christmas colors.
- Don’t roll too thin — a 10-inch square gives the perfect thickness.
- Keep the dough cold at each step for cleaner layers and easier rolling.
- Try fun flavor twists: peppermint, almond, or lemon extract pair beautifully with this cookie.
- Flour lightly and often to prevent sticking during assembly.
🎁 More Holiday Cookies You’ll Love
- Peanut Blossoms
- Meltaway Eggnog Cookies
- Sugar Cookie Dough Dip
- Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
- Christmas Cheesecake Cookies
- Butter Cookies