Pinwheel Cookies
These classic Pinwheel Cookies are one of my recipes that always gets attention, but they’re actually very simple to make. With a soft shortbread-style dough and that red-and-white swirl, they work beautifully for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or anytime you want a fun cookie
They slice clean, bake evenly, and hold their shape, which makes them great for gifting, cookie boxes, or holiday platters.
Pinwheel Cookies are a great choice when you want something that looks beautiful but doesn’t require decorating or icing. You can make the dough ahead, bake them off when you need them, and they travel well too.
These cookies fit right in on a Valentine’s dessert table alongside my Cherry Pie Cookies or a slice of Double Chocolate Cake, but they also hold their own in Christmas cookie tins and holiday swaps.
Why you’ll love these Pinwheel Cookies
Easy Pinwheel Cookies for Valentine’s Day and Christmas Baking
I’ve been making some version of pinwheel cookies for years, and they’re one of those recipes that always surprises people. Everyone assumes they’re complicated, but once you’ve rolled the dough once, you realize how straightforward they really are.
Ingredients Needed for Pinwheel Cookies
- Unsalted butter: This should be very soft but not melted. Soft butter is key to getting a smooth dough that rolls easily.
- Powdered sugar: This keeps the cookies tender and gives them that classic shortbread texture without making them too sweet.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and balances the buttery flavor without overpowering it.
- All-purpose flour: Regular flour works perfectly here and keeps the dough sturdy enough to roll and slice cleanly.
- Salt: Just enough to balance the sweetness and bring out the butter flavor.
- Milk or cream: This is optional but important if your dough feels dry. A teaspoon or two makes all the difference.
- Red or Pink gel food coloring: Gel works best so the dough doesn’t get too soft or sticky.
How to make Pinwheel Cookies
**For more detailed instructions, please refer to the printable recipe card below.**
Cream the softened butter and powdered sugar together in a mixing bowl until smooth and fully combined.
Mix in the vanilla extract until the butter mixture looks creamy and evenly blended.
Add the flour and salt and mix just until the dough comes together.
Divide it in half and color one portion red.
Mix until the color is fully combined.
Roll the plain dough between sheets of parchment paper into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
Roll the red dough into a similar rectangle, keeping both pieces roughly the same size.
Stack the red dough on top of the plain dough, then roll tightly into a log and slice into rounds.
Place the sliced pinwheel cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 12-15 minutes.
Variations
- Pink Pinwheel Cookies: Use pink gel coloring instead of red for a softer Valentine’s look. They pair really nicely with lighter desserts on a Valentine’s spread.
- Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies: Add cocoa powder to one half of the dough for a chocolate-and-vanilla swirl. This version works especially well around Christmas.
- Almond-Flavored Pinwheels: Swap vanilla extract for almond extract for a bakery-style twist. The flavor is subtle but noticeable.
- Holiday Color Swaps: Red and green for Christmas or pastel shades for spring make this one recipe stretch through multiple seasons.
- Mini Pinwheel Cookies: Roll thinner logs and slice smaller rounds for bite-sized cookies that are great for cookie boxes.
Serving Suggestions
- Valentine’s Dessert Board: Serve these with Strawberry and Cream Fudge and Heart Cake Pops for a simple Valentine’s dessert spread that looks great without a lot of prep.
- Cookie and Cake Combo: Pair these cookies with slices of Victoria Sponge Cake for a mix of soft cake and crisp cookies.
- No-Bake Dessert Pairing: Add these alongside a Strawberries and Cream Dessert for a balance of baked and no-bake treats.
- Holiday Cookie Tins: These are perfect layered between parchment paper in Christmas cookie boxes since they hold their shape well, just like my Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies.
- Coffee or Tea Treat: Serve them with an Iced Latte or tea for an easy afternoon dessert that doesn’t feel over the top.
Storage and Freezing
- How should I store Pinwheel Cookies?
Store baked pinwheel cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep layers separated with parchment paper to protect the swirl.
- Can I freeze Pinwheel Cookies?
Yes. You can freeze the dough log wrapped tightly for up to 2 months, or freeze baked cookies once fully cooled. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Don’t forget to pin this for later!
Tips & Tricks
- Use very soft butter: If the butter is too firm, the dough won’t come together properly. Soft butter makes everything easier from mixing to rolling.
- Don’t overmix the flour: Stop mixing as soon as the dough looks crumbly. Overmixing can make the cookies tough.
- Fix dry dough early: If the dough feels dry, add milk a teaspoon at a time. Waiting too long makes it harder to correct.
- Chill until firm: If the log isn’t firm enough, slicing will smear the swirl. Give it the full chill time.
- Slice with a sharp knife: A clean, sharp knife helps keep the pinwheel pattern crisp.
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FAQ
Pinwheel Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (very soft but not melted)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1–3 teaspoons milk or cream as needed
- Red or pink gel food coloring
Instructions
- Cream the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth and fully combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed just until the dough looks crumbly and starts to clump. At this point, stop the mixer.
- Use your hands to gently press and knead the dough together in the bowl. If the dough will not come together when pressed, add milk or cream 1 teaspoon at a time, kneading gently after each addition, just until a smooth dough forms. The dough should hold together easily without feeling sticky.
- Divide the dough evenly in half. Knead red gel food coloring into one half until evenly colored. If the colored dough feels slightly softer than the plain dough, that’s normal.
- Place each dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into rectangles about ¼ inch thick, keeping them roughly the same size.
- Peel off the top parchment, stack the doughs on top of each other, then gently roll into a tight log, starting from the long edge. Wrap the log tightly in parchment or plastic wrap.
- Chill the dough for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to slice cleanly.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the chilled dough into ¼-inch rounds and place them on the baking sheet about 1½ inches apart.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, just until the cookies are set. Do not let them brown.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before stacking or packaging.
I made these with my son’s school colors for their basketball game, and they came out so cute. The kids loved them!
That’s awesome. Thank you for sharing.
These are adorable and I can not WAIT to make them for Valentines!
Yay! I hope you love them as much as I do!
I’m always intimidated by cookies like this because I never think they will turn out right but with your instructions, these were perfect! Love the cute swirl and am looking forward to playing around with different colors next time.
I love to hear it. I’m thinking of doing green, white and orange for St Patricks day cookies!
These look so fun. I haven’t made them yet, but will for Valentines. Thank you.
Enjoy! They are super fun to make!
These Pinwheel Cookies look so fun! I’m planning to make them with my kid, perfect for Valentine’s Day or just a fun baking day together.
Yes they are perfect for Valentine’s day!