Go Back
A wire rack filled with baked Christmas pinwheel sugar cookies featuring distinct red, white, and green swirls, with edges coated in holiday sprinkles.

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.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

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.