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Swirled Christmas Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 136 reviews

These Swirled Christmas Cookies are festive, buttery, and beautifully marbled with chocolate, making them perfect for holiday gatherings. The cookies combine a classic vanilla dough with a rich cocoa swirl, decorated with powdered sugar and colorful sprinkles to add a cheerful holiday touch.

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

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

For Decoration

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • Red and green sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure the cookies do not stick during baking.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside for later use.
  3. Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened butter with the granulated and brown sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla: Incorporate the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
  6. Divide dough and add cocoa: Split the dough into two equal parts. Stir the cocoa powder into one half until evenly mixed, leaving the other half plain.
  7. Form and chill dough logs: On a lightly floured surface, shape each half into a log using plastic wrap to form around the dough securely. Refrigerate both logs for at least 1 hour until firm.
  8. Roll out dough logs: Remove dough logs from the refrigerator and roll each into a rectangular shape about 1/4 inch thick.
  9. Create swirled dough: Place the cocoa dough rectangle on top of the plain dough rectangle. Starting at one end, roll the two dough layers tightly together into a log once more.
  10. Chill the assembled log: Wrap the combined swirled dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate again for 1 hour to firm up before slicing.
  11. Reheat oven if needed: Ensure the oven is preheated to 350°F (175°C) before baking the cookies.
  12. Slice and arrange cookies: Cut the swirled dough log into 1/4-inch thick slices and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each cookie for spreading.
  13. Bake cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden, indicating they are cooked through.
  14. Cool cookies: Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  15. Add festive decoration: Once cooled, dust the cookies with powdered sugar and sprinkle with red and green sprinkles to complete their festive holiday look.

Notes

  • Be careful not to overmix the dough to maintain tender cookies.
  • Chilling the dough logs is crucial for clean, defined swirls and easier slicing.
  • You can store the dough logs in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking.
  • Decorate the cookies once they are completely cool to prevent sprinkles from melting or sliding off.
  • These cookies keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Keywords: Swirled Christmas Cookies, festive cookies, holiday cookies, chocolate swirl cookies, vanilla chocolate cookies, Christmas baking, holiday treats, butter cookies

Find it online: https://foodbylina.com/swirled-christmas-cookies-recipe/