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+ servings
Cookies with a pinwheel swirl and sprinkles on outside on a pink plate with glass of milk.
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5 from 1 vote

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!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Chill time4 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 31kcal

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