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Valentine’s Day Swirl Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 83 reviews

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with these charming Swirl Cookies featuring a colorful, sweet swirl of vanilla and your choice of tinted dough, rolled with festive holiday sprinkles for a delightful crunch. These buttery, tender cookies are perfect for gifting or sharing with loved ones.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a few extra tablespoons as needed
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup unsifted powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cut into chunks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon food coloring of your choice (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon extra extract(s) as desired (optional)

Additional

  • 1 ½ cups holiday sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, baking powder, salt, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed until well blended to ensure even distribution of leavening and seasoning.
  2. Add Butter and Vanilla: Gradually add chunks of unsalted butter to the dry mix while continuing to mix. Once incorporated, add the vanilla extract to flavor the dough deeply.
  3. Form Dough Ball: Continue mixing until the dough comes together and forms a cohesive ball, ensuring all ingredients are fully combined and the texture is smooth.
  4. Divide Dough: Remove the dough from the mixer and split it evenly into two portions to prepare for coloring and layering.
  5. Color One Portion: Return one dough portion to the mixer bowl and add your chosen food coloring along with any extra flavor extracts you desire. Mix until the color and additional flavors are evenly incorporated throughout the dough.
  6. Roll Out Dough Portions: On separate sheets of wax paper, roll out both dough portions to approximately 11 x 9 inches and about ¼ inch thick to create even layers for the swirl effect.
  7. Chill Dough Sheets: Transfer both rolled-out dough sheets onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up and make handling easier.
  8. Assemble Layers: Once chilled, carefully peel the wax paper off both dough layers. Lightly brush the uncolored dough’s surface with water using a pastry brush to help the layers stick. Flip the colored dough dough on top of the uncolored layer, aligning edges evenly.
  9. Seal and Trim Edges: Gently press the edges of the stacked dough with your fingertips to seal. Using a small knife, trim the edges delicately to create straight, even lines for a clean finish.
  10. Roll Into a Log: Ensure the dough is still cold but pliable. Starting from the long side, carefully roll the dough into a tight swirl, similar to a jelly roll, to create the signature pattern.
  11. Coat with Sprinkles and Chill: Spread the holiday sprinkles on a large platter. Gently place the rolled dough log onto the sprinkles and roll it to coat the outside evenly. Wrap the dough log tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for several hours to firm up, or freeze up to three months.
  12. Slice and Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Slice the dough log into ¼ inch thick cookie slices and arrange them on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the edges turn lightly golden brown.
  13. Cool the Cookies: Let the baked cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, maintaining crisp edges with a tender center.

Notes

  • The recipe calls for 2 cups of flour plus extra tablespoons. If the dough becomes too wet or sticky, especially after adding food coloring, add flour one tablespoon at a time until the dough is manageable for rolling out.
  • Adding food coloring sometimes alters the moisture level, requiring more flour to achieve the right consistency.

Keywords: Valentine's Day cookies, swirl cookies, holiday sprinkles, vanilla cookies, festive cookies, butter cookies, rolled cookie recipe

Find it online: https://mjrecipe.com/valentines-day-swirl-cookies-recipe/