Swirled Christmas Cookie Delight

These buttery swirled Christmas cookies are the perfect festive treat to brighten up your holiday season. With their red and green sprinkles and powdered sugar finish, they’ve become a family favorite for both baking and gifting. They combine a deliciously rich cocoa layer with a buttery vanilla layer, creating a beautiful swirl effect that looks impressive but is surprisingly simple to make.

I remember the first time I made these, my kids were amazed by the swirl effect and insisted they help with the sprinkles. Now, it’s a family tradition every December.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: Provides structure to the cookies. Use fresh flour for the best results.
• Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly and ensures they hold their shape.
• Salt: Enhances the flavors of the cocoa and vanilla layers.
• Unsalted butter softened: Creates a rich buttery texture. Quality butter makes a big difference.
• Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness with a slight crispness to the edges of the cookies.
• Brown sugar: Adds a hint of molasses flavor and keeps the cookies soft and chewy.
• Vanilla extract: Highlights the cookie’s buttery flavor. Use pure vanilla extract for the best taste.
• Large egg: Binds the ingredients together. Make sure it is at room temperature for easier mixing.
• Large egg yolk: Adds richness and moisture to the dough.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Provides the rich chocolate layer in the swirl. Use high-quality cocoa powder.
• Powdered sugar: For a dusting of sweetness and a snowy holiday effect.
• Red and green sprinkles: Give the cookies their festive holiday charm. Use bright and vibrant sprinkles for best presentation.

How To Make Swirled Christmas Cookies

Prepare the Dry Ingredients:

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to ensure even distribution. Set aside.

Cream the Butter and Sugars:

In a large mixing bowl beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together for about 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is critical for a soft textured cookie.

Incorporate Wet Ingredients:

Mix the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract into the creamed butter until fully blended. Room temperature ingredients will help the mixture combine more easily.

Add Dry Ingredients to Wet:

Blend the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, gradually adding in small batches to avoid overmixing. Stop as soon as the dough comes together to maintain softness.

Divide and Add Cocoa:

Separate the dough into two equal portions. Mix cocoa powder thoroughly into one-half, leaving the other plain for the classic swirled look.

Prepare and Chill Logs:

On a lightly floured surface, shape each dough portion into logs. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap to avoid drying out, and chill for about an hour until firm for easier handling.

Roll and Assemble Swirl:

Roll each chilled dough portion into rectangles about 1/4 inch thick. Lay the cocoa dough on top of the plain dough and roll tightly into a log shape for the signature swirl. Chill again to firm up the log.

Slice and Bake:

Cut the chilled log into 1/4-inch slices using a sharp knife. Arrange cookies on lined baking sheets with space between each to spread slightly. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.

Cool and Decorate:

Let the cookies cool completely after transferring them to a wire rack. Dust them liberally with powdered sugar and finish with red and green sprinkles for the final festive touch.

Every year as I sprinkle the powdered sugar, it reminds me of the first Christmas I shared these cookies with my grandmother. The sparkles of sugar and sprinkles always take me back to that magical moment.

Storage Tips

Store the baked cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to five days. Alternatively, store the sliced cookie dough in the freezer for up to one month and bake as needed.

Ingredient Substitutions

If you’re out of cocoa powder, try substituting with dark chocolate powder for a slightly richer taste. For a vanilla twist, almond extract can replace vanilla extract in the plain dough.

Serving Suggestions

These cookies pair well with a hot cup of cocoa or a glass of milk. Arrange them in festive holiday tins to make beautiful edible gifts for neighbors or friends.

Recipe FAQs

→ How long should the dough be chilled?

Chill the dough for at least 1 hour after shaping into logs and before rolling into spirals. This helps with texture and makes slicing easier.

→ Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

If using salted butter, reduce the added salt by half to prevent the cookies from becoming overly salty.

→ What’s the best way to shape the dough into swirls?

Roll each dough half into equal-sized rectangles, layer them one over the other, and tightly roll them together starting from one edge to form a swirled log.

→ Can I prepare the dough in advance?

Yes! The dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month before baking.

→ Can I add more decorations?

Absolutely. You can try adding edible glitter, crushed peppermint, or different festive sprinkles to elevate the decorative flair.

→ What’s the baking time for these cookies?

Bake the sliced cookies for 10-12 minutes at 350°F (175°C) or until the edges are lightly golden.