Description
A simple slice-and-bake recipe for festive, buttery sugar cookies with red and green swirls, perfect for holiday baking.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Red food coloring (gel preferred)
- Green food coloring (gel preferred)
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Divide the dough evenly into two separate bowls.
- Add red food coloring to one bowl and green food coloring to the other. Mix each bowl until the color is uniform.
- Wrap each colored dough ball separately in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the red dough into a rectangle approximately 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with the green dough.
- Carefully place the red dough rectangle directly on top of the green dough rectangle, aligning the edges. Gently press them together.
- Starting from one long edge, tightly roll the layered dough into a log. Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill the dough log for another 1 to 2 hours, or until firm enough to slice easily.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the chilled log into rounds about 1/4 inch thick.
- Place the slices about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly set. Do not overbake.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for the most intense, vibrant colors without adding excess liquid to the dough.
- For sharper swirls, chill the dough logs longer until they are very firm before slicing.
- You can substitute the almond extract with more vanilla extract if desired.
- These cookies freeze well before slicing; wrap the log tightly and freeze for up to three months.
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 55
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 25