Description
These Christmas Swirl Butter Cookies are a festive holiday treat that not only look beautiful but taste delicious too. With a buttery vanilla-almond flavor and colorful swirls, these slice-and-bake cookies are perfect for any Christmas gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Plain Dough:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Colored Dough:
- Red and green gel food coloring
- Sprinkles or sanding sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using, and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Color and Roll the Dough: Divide the dough into three parts. Leave one plain and color the other two with gel food coloring. Roll each color into a rectangle, stack them, roll into a log, wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Bake: Preheat oven, slice the chilled dough, place on baking sheets, add sprinkles if desired, and bake until edges are golden. Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- Chill the dough well to make clean swirls and easier slicing.
- These cookies freeze beautifully—slice and bake straight from the freezer with 1–2 extra minutes of bake time.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus chilling)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
