Description
These Valentine’s Day Swirl Cookies are a festive treat featuring marbled dough with vibrant food coloring swirled together, chilled and rolled with holiday sprinkles for a delightful crunch. Soft buttery vanilla cookies baked until edges turn golden, perfect for celebrating with colorful charm and sweet holiday spirit.
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
- ½ teaspoon of any desired extra extracts (optional)
Toppings
- 1 ½ cups holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until evenly blended.
- Add Butter and Vanilla: Gradually add the butter chunks to the mixer bowl while mixing continues. Once incorporated, add the vanilla extract, and continue mixing until the dough forms a cohesive ball.
- Divide Dough: Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into two equal portions.
- Add Color and Extra Extracts: Place one portion back into the mixer and add the food coloring and any extra extracts you desire. Mix until the color is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Roll Out Dough: Roll out each dough portion separately between two sheets of wax paper until each measures about 11 x 9 inches and is ¼ inch thick.
- Chill Dough: Place both rolled dough sheets on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
- Assemble Swirl: Remove the top wax paper sheets from both dough layers. Lightly brush the uncolored vanilla dough with water, then flip the colored dough on top so they form a stacked, even layer. Press the edges gently to seal and trim the edges for clean lines.
- Roll into a Log: Ensure the dough is cold but pliable, then roll the long edge jelly-roll style into a swirl log shape.
- Add Sprinkles: Spread holiday sprinkles over a large platter. Gently roll the dough log over the sprinkles to coat it evenly. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or freeze up to three months.
- Slice and Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Slice the dough log into ¼ inch thick slices and place onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until edges begin to turn golden brown.
- Cool: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- If the dough becomes too wet after adding the food coloring, add extra flour one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a workable consistency.
- Adding food coloring can affect dough moisture, so extra flour helps ensure it rolls out smoothly.
- Chilling the dough properly before slicing and baking is essential to maintain the swirl shape and prevent spreading.
- Cookies can be frozen at the rolled log stage for up to three months, allowing for advanced preparation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
