Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Rolling pin
- Plastic wrap
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Sharp knife
A rolling pin is essential for creating even dough layers, but I’ve also used a flat water bottle in emergencies and it worked fine. Plastic wrap helps the dough maintain its shape while chilling and prevents sticking. A sharp knife is important for clean slices—I tried using a dull one once and ended up squishing half the log. Parchment paper makes transferring the dough much easier and keeps your baking sheet clean.
Step-by-Step Instructions
When I start making these Christmas pinwheel cookies, the first thing I do is knead the sugar cookie dough with the flour until it becomes smooth and workable. At first, stickiness might make you doubt the process, but just keep going. Once the dough is soft and pliable, I divide it evenly into three pieces. The first piece stays white, the second becomes bright red, and the third gets transformed into cheerful green. Adding the gel coloring is always my favorite part because the dough becomes so vibrant and festive.
Next, I roll each dough portion between two sheets of parchment paper. This step is crucial—it prevents sticking and gives you even layers. I roll each color into a neat rectangle, all roughly the same size. Once the layers are rolled, I gently stack them on top of each other: green on the bottom, red in the middle, and white on top. I take my time lining up the edges, and if something overlaps, I trim it for cleaner spirals later.
Now comes the fun part: rolling the dough into a log. I start from the long side and roll slowly but firmly. The parchment paper helps guide the dough so it stays tight. The first time I made these, I rolled too fast and ended up with air pockets that ruined the shape. Now I go slowly, smoothing the dough as I go. Once rolled, the dough log looks like a giant candy cane swirl. I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least two hours. Honestly, letting it chill overnight works even better.(See the next page below to continue…)