Of all the cookies I bake during the holiday season, Christmas sugar cookies remain on my family's most loved list. But rolled, cut-out sugar cookies are so time consuming. I DO make them every year, because I think there would be a riot if I didn't, but every time I discover an easier way to get that sugar cookie fix for my family, I embrace it.
These slice and bake Christmas cookies sound difficult, but they are really quite easy to make. There is a bit of rolling involved, but not quite the amount you do when you make cut-out cookies. I think they are so pretty with the swirl of color in them too!
I've photographed below, the set up with the dough and the colored sugars. There is no right or wrong way to add the sugars, you just scatter them in a sort of patchwork design and then tightly roll up from either end and refrigerate until cold enough to slice and bake.
You'll want to be careful not to over-bake these sugar cookies. Bake until the edges JUST start to brown for the prettiest cookies.
Refrigerated, sliced, and ready to bake!
My family really enjoyed these sugar cookies, and I bet yours will too!
Yield: 36 servings
Santa's Swirl Sugar Cookies
prep time: 2 H & 10 Mcook time: 08 Mtotal time: 2 H & 18 M
Easy slice and bake cookie recipe is transformed into festive treats with colored sugar and red and green nonpareils
ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- red and green colored sugar
- red, white and green nonpareils
instructions:
How to cook Santa's Swirl Sugar Cookies
- In large bowl, cream butter, salt, and sugar together with an electric mixer.
- Add in egg and extracts. Mix in flour and beat until dough comes together.
- Divide dough in half. Roll out one of the halves into an 8 x 8" square and sprinkle sugars like patchwork. (see the photo in the text for reference). Roll up jelly-roll style then roll in nonpareils and wrap in tightly in plastic wrap. Repeat with other half of dough.
- Refrigerate rolls for 2 or more hours, or until very firm.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment. Remove plastic wrap from rolls and slice into 1/4" slices, then lay on prepared cookie sheets about 2" apart.
- Bake in oven for 6 -8 minutes or until edges just start to brown. Allow to rest on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
Calories
101.17
101.17
Fat (grams)
5.33
5.33
Sat. Fat (grams)
3.24
3.24
Carbs (grams)
12.33
12.33
Fiber (grams)
0.23
0.23
Net carbs
12.09
12.09
Sugar (grams)
5.71
5.71
Protein (grams)
1.12
1.12
Sodium (milligrams)
35.21
35.21
Cholesterol (grams)
18.72
18.72
Nutritional Information is an estimate.
Copyright © 2015 Renee's Kitchen Adventures
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Now those are Santa holiday magical cookies.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful! Easy to prepare and these cookies look so festive!
ReplyDeleteI made these tonight for Christmas and gifts and they are very good and a real Christmas feeling. Thank you and Merry Christmas
ReplyDeleteThank you Judi! Merry Christmas to you too!
DeleteI'm going to make them to day Judi! So festive, if you have any tips to share after your first batch please do.
DeleteI'm making this today Renee! Super cute idea.
ReplyDeleteThese looks great. Would love to prepare today and bake tomorrow...can the dough be refrigerated overnight?
ReplyDeleteThis might be too late but I've made these the last two Christmases and refrigerated overnight both times before slicing and baking. They turned out lovely.
DeleteJust made (and ate) some. So cute and yummy.
ReplyDeleteThe best cookies ever! I don't know how a cookie can make one feel like a kid again but they do.
ReplyDeleteHi Betty! Thank you so much for your review! I'm so very glad this recipe was a hit for you!! I love your comment! They do sort of make you feel like a kid again!
Deletedough was sticking when rolling and followed recipe correctly. Not easy
ReplyDeleteSorry you had difficulty rolling out the dough. Sometimes a kitchen that's too warm will cause the dough to be too soft. A few minutes in the refrigerator usually helps firm it up so it rolls better.
DeleteHow many cookies does this make!
ReplyDeleteHi! Up at the top left of the recipe card, you'll see it makes approximately 36 cookies. Hope this helps!
DeleteCan you use salted butter in this recipe? Not wanting to go back to the store. 😉
ReplyDeleteHello and thanks for your question. It's probably a bit late but for the future and others, yes, you can always use salted butter in place of unsalted. Just reduce the salt called for in the recipe a bit if you do. Hope this helps.
DeleteOmg, I made these for Christmas 2023...These were such a HIT!!! They are so easy to make and not many ingredients needed to make them. I also had abit of a hard time rolling these out but I just kept flouring my board as I rolled out the dough.
ReplyDeleteOnce I arranged sugars in checkerboard fashion, I rolled dough into logs & placed in saran wrap & froze my dough till I was ready to bake them. I sliced mine not too thick nor too thin. They turned out abit crispy so could be because if they are thinly sliced don't bake too long. Keep an eye out since these are buttery the cookie could easy burn.
These are now my go to FAVORITE SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE FROM HERE ON OUT!!!
Thank you for sharing these🥰😋
Hi! Thank you so much for your review. I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
DeleteHow are you applying the sprinkles to the outside. Are you sprinkling over the rolled log? Or after the cookies are sliced?
ReplyDeleteHi thanks for your question. I'm rolling the whole log into sprinkles that have been poured into a rimmed baking sheet. Hope this helps.
DeleteHi, would this recipe work with gluten-free flour? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi and thanks for your question. I have not tested this recipe with GF flour. I know there are some good ones out there like King Arthur Flour that measure cup for cup. I would use one of those if you do decide to try it and then come back and let us know how it worked out.
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