What do you make for a COOKIE PICNIC?

We were delighted be sponsors of a COOKIE PICNIC on Saturday. It was a super fun event featuring delicious cookies. I wanted a colorful cookie that would travel well. So I decided to make these pinwheel cookies. Well, actually, my first idea was to make these cookies that look like candy canes and you dust them with crushed candy canes. They are delicious.  I think my kitchen was too warm and the dough kept breaking and the cookies were quite crumbly. So I made a late night decision to switch recipes and made these pinwheel cookies instead. 

It was my first time making pinwheel cookies, and I was nervous about it but it was actually easier than I thought. I started the night before, so the dough had a chance to chill.

Festive Pinwheel Cookies

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp fine salt

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 2 1/2 cups butter, softened

• 1 large egg

• 1 tsp Organic Vanilla Bean Paste

• 1/2 tsp almond extract 

• 1–2 drops red food coloring
• 1 1/2 cups cups multi-colored nonpareil decors

Instructions

1. Make the base dough

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).

3. Beat in egg and vanilla.

4. Gradually mix in dry ingredients until just combined.

2. Divide & flavor

1. Divide the dough evenly into two portions.

2. Leave one portion plain vanilla.

3. To the second portion, knead in the red food coloring and the almond extract.
   

3. Roll & layer

1. Roll each dough between sheets of waxed paper into rectangles about 9 x 12 inches, ~¼ inch thick.

2. Leave the dough between the sheets of waxed paper and slide into a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm for at least two hours and up to three days.

3. Remove the dough pieces from the refrigerator. Pour the nonpareil decors into a shallow rectangular dish such a s 9X13 inch pan.
4. Peel off the top sheet of waxed paper from both doughs. Brush the vanilla dough very lightly with water. Using the waxed paper, lift the red dough and flip it on top of vanilla dough, aligning edges. 

5. Lightly press together. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper and trim the edges even.

4. Form the pinwheel

1. Starting from a long edge, tightly roll into a log. When you are rolling the dough. It will tear. No worries. This dough is very forgiving just patch the tear with your finger and calmly carry on. It is going to be fine.

2. After forming the dough into a log, gently lift the log on top of the nonpareil decors in the dish and roll until the log is completely coated with the sprinkles. 

3. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours (or overnight) until firm.

5. Slice & bake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Line baking sheets with parchment.

3. Slice log into ¼-inch rounds.

4. Bake for 10–12 minutes, just until edges are set.

5. Cool briefly, then transfer to a rack.