Christmas Pinwheel Sugar Cookies
A large-batch, festive sugar cookie recipe perfect for holiday parties. These slice-and-bake cookies feature vibrant red and green swirls, crunchy sprinkle edges, and a secret hint of lemon zest to balance the sweetness.
Ingredients
- 2 cups 4 sticks salted butter, softened
- 2 cups 465g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 6 cups 809g all-purpose flour
- Optional: A dash of lemon zest
- Red and Green gel food coloring
- Nonpareil sprinkles for rolling
Instructions
- Cream: In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Mix Wet: Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest (if using). Mix well.
- Add Flour: Gradually add the flour until a soft dough forms.
- Color: Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Dye one red, one green, and leave one white.
- Roll & Stack: Roll each portion into a rectangle between parchment paper. Stack the layers (Red, White, Green).
- Form Log: Roll the stack tightly into a log. Roll the outside of the log in sprinkles.
- Chill: Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours (or until firm enough to slice cleanly).
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice log into rounds and place on baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
Notes
Zest: The lemon zest is a background note that cuts the sweetness; it is highly recommended! Dough: This is a huge batch designed for parties. You can halve it for a smaller yield. Chilling: While the dough doesn't need chilling to mix, chilling the log is crucial for round cookies.
