Description
These Swirled Christmas Cookies combine classic buttery sweetness with a festive twist of cocoa swirls, creating a delightful holiday treat. Soft yet slightly crisp, they’re decorated with powdered sugar and colorful red and green sprinkles to bring seasonal cheer to your dessert table. Perfect for sharing, gifting, or simply enjoying with a cup of hot cocoa.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (for dough)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (for decoration)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
Decoration
- Red and green sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined, then set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes, ensuring proper integration for a soft cookie.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture and mix until everything is well incorporated.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, blending gently just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Separate and Color Dough: Divide the dough into two equal portions. Stir the unsweetened cocoa powder into one portion until thoroughly blended; leave the other plain.
- Shape Dough Logs: On a lightly floured surface, place each portion of dough onto separate pieces of plastic wrap. Shape each into a log, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least one hour until firm.
- Roll Out Dough: Once chilled, remove the logs from the refrigerator and roll each out into a rectangular shape approximately 1/4 inch thick.
- Create Swirl: Layer the cocoa dough rectangle over the plain dough rectangle. Starting from one end, gently roll the layered dough tightly into a log to create the swirl effect.
- Chill Swirled Log: Wrap the combined dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate again for one hour to firm up for slicing.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat the oven again if needed. Remove the swirled dough log from the refrigerator and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the cookie slices on the parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving space between each to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden, indicating doneness.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate and Serve: Once cooled, dust the cookies with powdered sugar and sprinkle with red and green sprinkles for a festive finish.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened but not melted for best creaming results.
- Do not overmix the dough after adding flour to keep the cookies tender and soft.
- Chilling the dough logs is crucial for easy slicing and maintaining shape during baking.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- You can substitute sprinkles with chopped nuts or chocolate chips for variation.
