Valentine’s Day Swirl Cookies Recipe
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with these charming and delicious Swirl Cookies featuring a two-tone dough rolled in festive holiday sprinkles. These classic butter cookies combine the perfect balance of sweetness and buttery texture with a beautiful pinwheel design, perfect for gifting or sharing at holiday gatherings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: Approximately 24-30 cookies depending on slice thickness 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a few extra tablespoons if needed
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup unsifted powdered sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon food coloring of your choice (optional)
- ½ teaspoon any desired extra extracts (optional)
Decoration
- 1 ½ cups holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Mix dry and wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, baking powder, salt, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add the butter chunks and continue mixing. Add vanilla extract and mix until the dough forms a cohesive ball.
- Divide dough: Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and divide it into two equal portions.
- Add color and flavor: Return one portion to the mixer and add food coloring and any extra extracts you’ve chosen. Mix until the color is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Roll out dough layers: Roll each portion between two sheets of wax paper into an 11 x 9 inch rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Place both dough sheets onto a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Assemble dough layers: Remove dough from refrigerator. Peel off the top wax paper sheets from both layers. Lightly brush the uncolored vanilla dough with water using a pastry brush, then flip the colored dough on top, aligning edges. Press edges lightly to seal, then trim edges for even lines using a small knife.
- Roll dough into swirl: Ensure dough is cold but flexible and tightly roll the long side jelly-roll style into a log.
- Coat with sprinkles: Pour sprinkles onto a large platter. Gently roll the dough log onto the sprinkles to coat the outside evenly. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for a few hours or freeze for up to three months.
- Slice and bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Slice chilled dough into ¼ inch slices. Arrange slices on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
- Cool cookies: Remove from oven and let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Ensure dough is well chilled before rolling to prevent sticking and cracking.
- You can customize the dough colors and extracts to fit different celebrations or flavor preferences.
- Adjust sprinkle quantity or type for varied texture and appearance.
- Freezing the dough log allows advance preparation and keeps dough fresh for up to three months.
- Use parchment paper for easy rolling and cleanup.
Keywords: Valentine's Day cookies, swirl cookies, butter cookies, holiday cookies, festive cookies, sprinkle cookies, cookie recipe
