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    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    Pinwheel Cookie Recipe

    Published: Jan 26, 2022 by Kelly Stilwell · This post may contain affiliate links Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Pinwheel Cookie recipe makes a pretty cookie for Valentine's Day, but can also be used for a pink birthday party or baby shower! The delicious sugar cookie dough colors can be changed up for a boy's party or even your team colors.

    Cookies with a pinwheel swirl and sprinkles on outside on a pink plate with glass of milk.
    Jump to:
    • Why We Love These Cookies
    • What You Need to Make these Cookies
    • How to Make this Recipe
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Top Tips
    • Variations
    • More Delicious Desserts
    • Recipe

    Why We Love These Cookies

    Easy - what could be easier than pre-made cookie dough? (Have a really killer simple sugar cookie dough recipe? Have at it!)

    Fun - can you imagine showing up at a party with pinwheel cookies in tow? You'll be the rockstar guest for sure!

    For another fun treat, check out how to make chocolate covered OREOs and this entire list of easy to make Valentine's Day cookies or this list of Valentine's Day desserts.

    What You Need to Make these Cookies

    You'll need just four ingredients for these adorable cookies.

    Ingredients for pinwheel cookie recipe.

    Ready-made sugar cookie dough - makes this pinwheel cookie recipe super easy!

    Red, pink and white nonpareils sprinkles

    Red liquid food dye - we used McCormick liquid dye.

    All purpose flour

    Scroll down to the recipe card for full instructions.

    How to Make this Recipe

    Remove the cookie dough logs from the refrigerator, letting it come to room temperature.

    Once they are softened, place one of the rolls of cookie dough in a large bowl. Add a half teaspoon of red food coloring to the cookie dough.

    Cookie dough in glass bowl with red dye.

    Use an electric mixer on low speed to mix the color thoroughly. You can adjust the color by adding more dye until you have the color you want.

    Sugar cookie dough dyed pink with sprinkles, flour, and dough in background.

    You'll need two pieces of parchment paper as long as the long side of dough.

    Lay out the first piece and place a roll of cookie dough on top. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour so the dough doesn't stick.

    Sugar cookie dough roll on parchment paper.

    Cover the dough with another piece of parchment and roll the dough until it's around a half inch thick.

    Rolling out plain sugar cookie dough with parchment paper on top.

    Repeat this process with the red cookie dough.

    Red cookie dough with parchment and rolling pin on top for pinwheel cookie recipe.

    Peel back the top layer of parchment paper on both logs of rolled cookie dough.

    Sugar cookie dough rolled out on parchment paper, rolling pin, and flour.

    Place the plain rolled out log on top of the pink dough. Start rolling up at one end, using the parchment paper to guide the dough as you roll the dough.

    Both red and plain dough rolling into a new combined roll for pinwheel cookie recipe.

    Refrigerate the roll of dough for about 30 minutes so it's easier to work with in the next step.

    Using a large baking sheet with an edge or a jelly roll pan, spread the nonpareils sprinkles out as evenly as possible.  

    Place the cookie dough on the baking sheet and roll dough over the sprinkles, covering the outside of the dough.

    Cookie dough covered in red, white, and pink sprinkles.

    Wrap the dough in parchment, wax paper, or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours or overnight. We found plastic wrap to be easiest for holding the sprinkles in place.

    Cookie dough covered in red, white, and pink sprinkles and wrapped in plastic wrap.

    Just before removing the cookie dough from the fridge, preheat the oven to 350º. 

    Using a sharp knife, slice the roll of cookie dough into ¼ inches slices.

    Place the pinwheel cookies about two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

    Bake cookies for about 12 minutes or until the edges/cookies are light golden brown. If you touch the cookie in the center, it should not leave an imprint. If it does, they need another minute or two.

    Once you've taken them out of the oven, let the baked cookies cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving to a wire rack. Cool at least a bit more before serving.

    Show off your easy pinwheel cookies on a pretty platter!

    Cookies with a pinwheel swirl and sprinkles on outside on a pink plate with glass of milk.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What else could I use to decorate these spiral cookies?

    If you don't want to use sprinkles, you could color the outside with colored sanding sugar.

    Is there a natural dye I can use?

    The easiest way is to make your own natural dye. You will have to experiment a little just as you would with any dye to get the color to the perfect hue. You could also use crushed nuts or chopped dried cranberries instead of sprinkles.

    How long do these cookies keep?

    These cookies will keep for 4-5 days after baking. If you want to freeze the pinwheel cookies, it's best to freeze them individually at first, for an hour or so. Then you can combine them into a smaller airtight container and store in freezer for up to 12 months.

    Top Tips

    Don't skip letting the dough chill or you may end up with cookies that spread too much and have a distorted pinwheel design.

    If you want to make these cookies a couple of days in advance, you can actually prepare the dough as directed but don't add sprinkles yet. Keeping the dough in the refrigerator longer than a 2-3 days may cause the dye to spread ruining the pinwheel affect.

    Store dough in the refrigerator where it will keep for 2-3 days. Unwrap the log of dough and roll it in sprinkles, slice, and bake as instructed.

    You can freeze the cookie dough after you've added the sprinkles. Simply place the wrapped roll in a freezer bag. Cut the roll in half if it doesn't fit. The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough overnight before making the cookies.

    If this makes a lot of cookies for your family, you could also freeze half of the dough and make a half batch. I love having cookies in the freezer for last minute warm cookies and milk!

    Cookies with a pinwheel swirl and sprinkles on outside on a pink plate with glass of milk.

    Variations

    As mentioned above, it's easy to change up these cookies to so many different variations!

    • Change the colors of the dough to make them perfect for a baby shower, game day, or a holiday!
    • Green dough for St. Patrick's Day would be fun!
    • Make Christmas pinwheel cookies with green and red dough, fun for the holiday season and so pretty on a Christmas cookie tray.
    • Add chocolate chips to one of the dough rolls to make vanilla and chocolate swirl cookies.
    • Buy a roll of chocolate dough and simply combine them following the directions above. How easy is that? You could even dip the edges in melted chocolate after baking.

    More Delicious Desserts

    • Valentine’s Day Desserts for Kids
    • Almond Butter Truffles for Valentine's Day
    • How to Make Chocolate Covered OREOs
    • Festive and Delicious Jello Parfait

    Recipe

    Cookies with a pinwheel swirl and sprinkles on outside on a pink plate with glass of milk.

    Pinwheel Cookies

    These delicious pinwheel cookies are so pretty for Valentine's Day or a girl's birthday party! Easily switch up the colors for St. Patrick's Day or your favorite sports team!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print this Recipe Pin this Recipe Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Chill time: 4 hours
    Servings: 24 cookies
    Calories: 31kcal
    Author: Kelly Stilwell

    Equipment

    • Baking Sheet
    • Parchment paper

    Ingredients

    • 2 rolls ready-made sugar cookie dough divided
    • 1 cup sprinkles of your choice red, pink and white nonpareils used
    • Red liquid food dye
    • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

    Instructions

    • Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator, letting it come to room temperature. 
    • Once it's softened, place one of the rolls of cookie dough in a large mixing bowl.
    • Add a half teaspoon of red food dye to the cookie dough. 
    • Use a hand mixer to mix the color thoroughly. You can adjust the color by adding more dye until you have the color you want.
    • Lay out a piece of parchment paper and place a roll of cookie dough on top. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour so the dough doesn't stick. Cover the dough with another piece of parchment and roll the dough until it's around a half inch thick.
    • Repeat the same process with the red cookie dough.
    • Peel back the top piece of parchment paper on both logs of rolled cookie dough. Place the plain log on top of the pink dough. Start at one end, using the parchment paper to guide the dough as you roll it.
    • Refrigerate the roll of dough for about 30 minutes so it's easier to work with in the next step.
    • Using a large baking sheet with an edge, spread the sprinkles out as evenly as possible.
    • Place the cookie dough on the baking sheet and roll it over the sprinkles, covering the outside of the dough.
    • Wrap the dough in parchment or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours or overnight.
    • Just before removing the cookie dough from the fridge, preheat the oven to 350º. 
    • Slice the roll of cookie dough into ¼ inches slices.
    • Place the pinwheel cookies about two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
    • Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes or until the edges/cookies are light golden brown. If you touch the cookie in the center, it should not leave an imprint. If it does, they need another minute or two.
    • Once you've taken the cookies out of the oven, let them cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving to a wire rack.
    • Fully cool on a wire rack.

    Notes

    Do NOT skip either time chilling the dough. The dough will be easier to work with and your cookies will turn out great. Skipping the longer chill time will cause the cookies to spread too much and greatly distort the pinwheel.
    As oven temperatures vary, start checking these cookies at 11 minutes. Touch them very lightly in the center to check. If an imprint of your finger is there when you take your finger away, they need another minute or two.
    Don't let the cookies completely cool on the cookie sheet. Once they have been out of the oven for 5 minutes, move them to a wire rack.
     
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 | Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @kastilwell or tag #FFFP!
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