Description
Halloween pinwheel cookies are festive, buttery sugar cookies swirled with bold Halloween colors like orange, purple, and black. These eye-catching treats are perfect for spooky season parties, trick-or-treat handouts, or just a fun baking project with kids.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Coloring & Decoration
- Orange gel food coloring
- Purple gel food coloring
- Black gel food coloring
- Sprinkles (optional, for coating)
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly mixed to form your dry base.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring a smooth texture for your cookies.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture until fully incorporated.
- Form Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing lightly until a cohesive dough forms without overworking it.
- Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough evenly into three portions. Tint each portion with orange, purple, or black gel food coloring, kneading each until the color is fully incorporated and uniform.
- Chill Dough: Flatten each colored dough portion into rectangles, wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30–45 minutes to firm up and make rolling easier.
- Roll Out Dough Layers: Once chilled, roll each dough color into a similar-sized rectangle, about ¼-inch thick, ensuring even layers for the pinwheel effect.
- Layer and Trim Edges: Stack the three colored dough rectangles on top of each other, gently pressing to adhere. Trim the edges with a sharp knife to create clean, straight sides.
- Roll into Log: Starting from the long edge, tightly roll the layered dough into a log shape. If desired, roll the log in sprinkles to coat the outside for extra festive flair.
- Freeze Dough Log: Wrap the dough log securely in plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes to firm up before slicing.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Slice and Bake: Slice the chilled dough log into ¼-inch thick rounds, arrange them on the prepared baking sheets spaced apart, and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are set but not browned.
- Cool Cookies: Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant swirls without adding excess moisture to the dough.
- The dough log can be frozen for up to 2 months; simply slice and bake as needed when ready to enjoy fresh cookies.
