Description
These Christmas Swirl Butter Cookies are a festive and visually stunning treat perfect for holiday celebrations. Soft, buttery, and delicately flavored with vanilla, these cookies feature beautiful red and green swirls created by layering and rolling three dough portions tinted with gel food coloring. Finished with optional holiday sprinkles, they bake to golden perfection and offer a delightful crunch with every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Coloring and Decoration
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- Holiday sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together using a mixer or by hand until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which usually takes a few minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, producing a smooth batter.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
- Form Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring continuously until a soft dough forms without any streaks of flour.
- Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough evenly into three portions. Leave one portion plain, tint one portion with red gel food coloring, and the other with green gel food coloring. Knead each colored dough gently until the color is evenly distributed.
- Roll Dough Rectangles: Roll each of the three dough portions into equal-sized rectangles approximately ¼ inch thick on parchment paper, ensuring uniformity for even stacking.
- Stack and Roll: Stack the rectangles on top of each other in the order: plain, red, then green. Gently roll the stacked layers into a tight log shape, wrap the log securely in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Slice and Arrange Cookies: Remove the chilled dough log from the refrigerator and slice into ¼-inch thick rounds. Place each slice about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow room for spreading.
- Add Sprinkles: If desired, decorate the tops of the cookie slices with festive holiday sprinkles for extra color and texture.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn a light golden brown.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring they set perfectly.
Notes
- For the cleanest and most vibrant swirls, use gel food coloring and ensure the dough is thoroughly chilled before slicing.
- These cookies freeze well; store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months, making them excellent for holiday gifting.
