Vegan Pinwheel Christmas Cookies

Looking down on a batch of Christmas pinwheel cookies on a plate.

Vegan Pinwheel Christmas Cookies

Festive and fun, these Vegan Christmas Pinwheel Cookies feature swirls of red and green, making them perfect for holiday celebrations. Easy to make and delightful to eat!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 12

Chilling Time 1

Total Time 1 12

Servings cookies

Calories 135kcal

Author Marly McMillen

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

¾ cup vegan butter softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup plant-based yogurt (see notes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Coloring & Decoration:

green food coloring gel
red food coloring gel
2 teaspoons corn syrup
½ teaspoon water
¼ cup Christmas sprinkles

Instructions

Prepare the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the vegan butter and sugars until light and fluffy, using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
Add the yogurt and extracts, mixing until well combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a smooth dough forms.

Divide and Color the Dough

Divide the dough into three equal portions. Leave one portion plain (white).
Add a few drops of green food coloring to the second portion, kneading gently until the color is evenly distributed.
Repeat with red food coloring for the third portion.
Roll each separate color of dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and freeze it for 20 minutes or place it in the fridge for up to an hour to allow the dough to firm up before rolling it.

Assemble the Pinwheel

Roll out each portion of the chilled dough separately between two sheets of parchment paper to form rectangles approximately the same size (about 9x6 inches).
Layer the dough: place the green dough on top of the white dough, and the red dough on top of the green dough. Gently press the layers together with a rolling pin.
Starting from the long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Use the parchment paper to help guide the roll.

Add Sprinkles & Chill

Combine corn syrup and water in a small bowl and stir to combine. Spread the Christmas sprinkles on a clean sheet of parchment paper.
Brush the roll with the corn syrup mixture. Carefully roll the log in the sprinkles, pressing gently so they adhere.
Wrap the dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight until firm.

Bake the Cookies

After the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the chilled dough. Slices a little thicker than ¼" and less thick than ½" are best. Place the slices on the prepared baking sheet about 2" apart.
Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to set (the cookies will not brown much). Resist the urge to bake longer. The cookies may in fact appear soft when you remove them from the oven. Let them set on the pan for at least 5 minutes to allow residual baking to help them firm up. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. They can be frozen in appropriate freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months.

Notes

Changing Dough Colors:

You can change up the colors of your dough to match whatever you're celebrating. I recommend keeping at least one of the layers plain or very lightly colored to help the finished cookies look amazing.

Nutrition