These Holiday Swirl Sugar Cookies just make my holiday lovin’ heart so happy! To me a cookie tray isn’t complete without a little red and green and these do that job and more. They’re so full of holiday cheer and are scrumptious—the perfect addition to any holiday cookie platter or exchange.

Made  of a soft yet sturday and perfectly sweet shortbread cookie dough that’s absolutely delicious even without the swirls of festive colors, they’re sure to disappear quickly whenever you make them. Watch your friends and family’s eyes light up as you bring these out to them this holiday season.

 

Ingredients

2- Cups of Flour, plus 1 tbl Flour
1/2-tsp baking powder
1/4-tsp salt
2/3-cup unsifted powdered sugar
1/4-cup granulated sugar
2.5-sticks unsalted butter – cut into chunks
1-tsp vanilla
1/2-tsp food coloring of your choice
1 1/2 cup holiday sprinkles
Instructions

In a stand mixer, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugars with paddle on medium until well blended.

Add butter in, gradually and continue mixing. Add in vanilla extract. At this point, your dough will form a ball on the paddle.

Remove all dough and divide into two equal parts.  Return one portion back into the mixer and add the food coloring.  If using liquid food coloring, add a few more tbl of flour so the dough doesn’t become too wet.  Mix until color is spread evenly.

Roll each portion of your dough, between two sheets of wax paper until it reaches about 11×9 inches and is 1/4 inch thick. Slide both onto a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
When firm, remove top sheets of wax paper from both.  Brush the uncolored dough lightly with with water using a pastry brush.  Then flip the colored dough onto the vanilla uncolored dough so they are stacked atop each other and even.  Press the edges lightly with your fingertips to seal them together.  Using a small paring knife, trim the edges to make the dough straight, even lines.

Pour out sprinkles onto a large platter and set aside.  Be sure your dough is still cold, but flexible.  Once it’s ready, being rolling the long side of the dough into a swirl, jelly-roll style.  Now, don’t get nervous if the outer layer of the uncolored dough tears a bit, it’s okay.  Just pinch and pat…and keep rolling.

Now gently lift the log onto the sprinkles and roll away.  Cover the log completely with your sprinkles.  Wrap in plastic twice, and put in the fridge for 3-4 hours or freeze up to two months.

Slice your dough in 1/4 or 1/8 inch slices and bake on parchment lined baking sheets at 350 for 15 to 17 minutes.  Let them cool for five minutes.

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Quick tip: Instead of green and white you could add dye to both portions of dough for festive red and green cookies.

Recipe and image courtesy of Mommies Need Sleep Too.