Description
These Spooky and Fun Pinwheel Cookies are soft, buttery sugar cookies swirled with vibrant Halloween colors like orange, purple, green, and black. Perfect for festive parties, trick-or-treating, or baking with kids, these cookies are easy to customize and sure to impress with their delightful, eye-catching design.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Additional
- Gel food coloring (orange, purple, black, or green)
- ½ cup Halloween sprinkles (optional, for rolling edges)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is fluffy and light. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing well until smooth and fully combined.
- Combine: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a dough forms. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
- Color Dough: Divide the dough into portions based on the number of colors you want. Tint each portion with gel food coloring (orange, purple, black, green) until you achieve vibrant, spooky hues.
- Roll Out Layers: Roll each colored dough portion into rectangles about ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
- Layer & Roll: Stack the colored dough rectangles on top of each other in any order you prefer. Roll the stacked layers tightly into a log shape. Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill: Refrigerate the dough log for at least 2 hours or overnight to firm up, which helps maintain clean swirls when slicing.
- Slice & Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Slice the chilled dough log into ¼-inch rounds. Optionally, roll the edges of each slice in Halloween sprinkles. Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space between each cookie. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool & Serve: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Chill dough thoroughly to achieve neat pinwheel swirls and easier slicing.
- Use gel food coloring for bright, vibrant Halloween colors that won’t affect dough consistency.
- Trim edges of dough rectangles before stacking for more even and uniform pinwheels.
- Work quickly when rolling and stacking dough; if it softens too much, return to the fridge to firm up.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Holiday
