Christmas Pinwheel Cookies: 7 Irresistible Festive Treats

If you’ve ever wished for a cookie that looks like holiday cheer rolled into sweet, buttery spirals… well, friend, today is your day. These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are everything we love about the holiday season—bright, playful, cozy, and just the right amount of extra. And if you’re a busy woman juggling family, work, pets, and last-minute gift wrapping (aren’t we all?), this recipe will feel like a little Christmas miracle you can whip up with pantry staples.

I’m Aneta from Chicken Magic Recipes, and I’m here to make sure baking feels fun—not stressful. These cookies are drop-dead gorgeous, kid-friendly, and perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or those evenings when you just want the kitchen to smell like peppermint-free but sugary heaven. And yes, we say Christmas Pinwheel Cookies more than once because that’s exactly what these beauties deserve: center stage.

Let’s dive into the magic.

Why You’ll Love These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

There’s a reason these cookies make an appearance in my kitchen every December. They’re not just delicious—they spark joy before you even take a bite.

Here’s why you’ll adore them:

• Simple ingredients. If you bake even occasionally, you probably have everything you need already.
• Eye-catching. They look like something straight out of Santa’s workshop—without the elves or the mess.
• Kid- and crowd-approved. These cookies disappear faster than the wrapping paper pile on Christmas morning.
• Freezer-friendly. Prep the dough ahead of time, freeze it, and slice-and-bake whenever you need a fresh batch. A holiday lifesaver.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Isn’t it wonderful when a bright, festive recipe starts with things you don’t have to hunt down in three different aisles? Here’s what you’ll need to make those swirly, sparkly spirals:

• Unsalted Butter – Gives the cookies their melt-in-your-mouth richness.
• Sugar – Sweetness, yes, but also lovely golden edges.
• Egg – Helps bind the dough beautifully.
• Vanilla Extract – That warm, cozy flavor we all love.
• All-Purpose Flour – Our cookie structure superhero.
• Kosher Salt – Just a pinch makes everything taste brighter.
• Baking Soda – Adds a subtle puff.
• Red & Green Gel Food Coloring – The festive stars of the show.
• Red Sanding Sugar – A little crunch, a little sparkle, a lot of joy.

Refer to the recipe card below for precise ingredient measurements.

How to Make Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

Ready to swirl, roll, and bake your way to cookie bliss? Let’s get started:

1. Cream the Butter & Sugar

Add the softened butter and sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed for 3–4 minutes until creamy and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing well and scraping down the bowl when needed.

2. Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry mixture into your wet mixture until everything comes together into a soft dough.

3. Divide & Color the Dough

Remove the dough and divide it into three equal portions.

• Add red gel food coloring to one portion and mix until fully blended.
• Add green gel food coloring to the next.
• Leave the third portion plain.

Shape each into a ball, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour.

4. Roll Out Each Dough Color

Place each chilled dough ball between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll into a 7-inch square. Keep the dough sandwiched between parchment and refrigerate again for about 20 minutes.

5. Stack & Roll Into a Log

Stack the squares in this order:

1. Red
2. Green
3. Plain

Top with parchment paper and roll the layered dough into a 12×8-inch rectangle. Remove the top sheet, then start rolling tightly from the long end to form a log. The tighter the roll, the more beautiful the pinwheel swirls will be.

Wrap the log and freeze for one hour.

6. Slice & Sugar-Coat

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Slice the chilled dough log into 1/3-inch pieces with a serrated knife. Roll the outer edge of each slice in red sanding sugar, then place them 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.

7. Bake & Cool

Bake for 8–10 minutes or until set. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack. Once cool, store in an airtight container.

Tips for the Best Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

Here are some little secrets from my kitchen to yours:

• Keep the dough cold. Warm dough = messy spirals. Chilling gives you clean lines and pretty layers.
• Use gel coloring. It gives vibrant hues without making the dough sticky.
• Don’t panic if it cracks. Dough cracking while rolling is totally normal. Just press it back together like the confident holiday baker you are.
• Freeze extra dough. Slice-and-bake cookies make last-minute guests feel like you planned for them all along.

And if your spiral looks more like a wave? Honey, it’s still delicious. Not every cookie has to be perfect to bring joy.

A Little Holiday Memory

These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies became a favorite of mine years ago when I made them for a school bake sale. I thought the kids would reach for the chocolate cupcakes… but nope. These colorful, sparkly swirls were gone before I even set the tray down. Since then, they’ve become a yearly tradition—my kids now insist on choosing which color goes on top. (Spoiler: It’s always red.)

FAQs About Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

Bring the Christmas Magic Home

These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies bring so much holiday charm to the table, and they’re surprisingly easy to make—even on those chaotic December days when you’re juggling work, shopping, decorating, and trying to remember where you hid the kids’ gifts. With just a few ingredients and a little rolling fun, you’ll have cookies that look bakery-worthy and taste like buttery bliss.

Bake a batch, share them with neighbors, take them to a cookie exchange, or enjoy them with a cup of cocoa under the glow of your Christmas tree. No matter how you serve them, these cookies bring joy—with every swirl, every sparkle, every bite.

If you’re ready to add some color, fun, and sweet holiday magic to your baking lineup, Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are the perfect place to start.

Happy baking, friend—and Merry Christmas from my kitchen to yours!

More Festive Treats You’ll Love

If you’re already smiling at your gorgeous batch of Christmas Pinwheel Cookies, why stop there? Keep the holiday magic going with a few more cheerful, crowd-pleasing recipes your family (and your cookie exchange buddies!) will absolutely adore. Each one brings its own little spark of Christmas joy—perfect for rounding out your dessert table or gifting to someone special.

• If you love fun, colorful desserts, you’ll have a blast making these playful Christmas Rice Crispy Treats. They’re easy, nostalgic, and make every holiday plate feel a little brighter.
• Want something savory to balance all the sweetness? These Deviled Egg Christmas Trees are as cute as they are delicious—perfect for parties, potlucks, or snacking while you bake.
• For cookie lovers who can’t get enough soft, buttery goodness, don’t miss the melt-in-your-mouth magic of Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies. They pair beautifully with pinwheels in a holiday cookie box.
• And if you’re in the mood for something simple yet show-stopping, these Christmas Bars are a festive classic—easy to make, easy to share, and absolutely delicious.

Mix and match a few of these treats, and you’ve got yourself a holiday dessert lineup that even Santa would clear his schedule for.

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