No Who down in Who-ville can resist the mesmerizing swirls of Christmas Pinwheel Cookies rolled in nonpareil sprinkles for an extra festive touch! These swirly treats are sure to be the talk of your next cookie exchange!
Be sure not to miss any of my Christmas cookies recipes ! If you love these pinwheel cookies, you might also want to try my chocolate crinkle cookies , and Mexican wedding cookies as well!
Pinwheel cookies can be enjoyed any time of the year and can be colored with any color you like to match the season or occasion.
But we think they are especially perfect at Christmas because they look just like something from the imagination of Dr. Seuss. I can just imagine these pinwheel cookies in a Who-ville bakery window display case!
While these are essentially just a sugar cookie, they are delightfully fun to make and less work than cutting out and decorating individual cookies.
You just make one dough, then divide it into thirds and color two of them. After rolling out each color layer, they get stacked and rolled up cinnamon roll-style to get the swirly look that is characteristic of pinwheel cookies.
What are Slice-and-Bake Cookies
I love slice-and-bake cookies for the holidays because you make the dough in advance and can leave it chilling in the fridge until you are ready to bake.
Then you just remove the roll of cookie dough and slice off as many cookies as you like, rather than rolling and cutting them out like typical sugar cookies.
Some of my other favorite slice-and-bake cookies are Toffee Pecan Shortbread Cookies and Double Chocolate Nutella Sandwich Cookies .
How to Make Pinwheel Cookies
Make the Dough
- Combine butter and sugars in a mixer and beat well until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, vanilla, and any flavoring (if desired), scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Color the Dough
- Divide the dough into three even sized balls. You could be really precise and weigh them to make sure you get even amounts, but I always just eyeball it.
- Return ⅓ of the dough to the mixing bowl and add a few drops of gel food coloring. I like gel food coloring (affiliate link) best because it is more concentrated and you get better color with less of it than with liquid food coloring. Mix the food coloring into the dough, then repeat with another color. Red, green and white are obvious Christmas choices, but you could just divide the dough into two portions and do candy cane pinwheel cookies.
- Flatten each ball of dough into a disc and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the fridge for 1 hour.
Assemble & Bake
- Roll out each disc of dough, one at a time, on a piece of parchment paper to create rectangles that are roughly the same size and shape. Stack the thin layers of dough on top of each other with white in the middle and red and green on the top and bottom. The easiest way to do this is by lifting the parchment paper and flipping it over, then peeling it off the dough and repeating with the next layer.
- Trim the long sides so that the edges are even. The shorter ends can be trimmed later after you roll the dough into a log.
- Carefully roll the dough into a nice, tight log, using the bottom piece of parchment paper to lift the dough and help you roll it to avoid cracks. Then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours.
- Once the dough is chilled, you can slice and bake them as is, or roll in nonpareils on a baking sheet to coat the outside of each cookie. You really have to press the dough into the sprinkles to get them to stick and give good coverage, but because the dough is chilled well, it won’t cause your swirls to get misshapen. At this point, you can slice and bake the cookies, or wrap them up and store them in the fridge for up to 1 week to slice and bake as needed.
- When ready to bake your pinwheel cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Unwrap the roll of cookie dough and cut off the uneven ends. Then slice 1/4-inch cookies and space them 1-2 inches apart on the parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set, then cool completely on a wire rack.
How to Store Pinwheel Cookies
Store baked pinwheel cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 1 week. They also freeze well for up to 3 months. Just let them thaw on the counter for a few hours before serving.
Pinwheel Cookie Flavor Variations
These cookies have a nice, light classic sugar cookie flavor that is buttery and sweet with a hint of vanilla as written. But you can use your favorite extracts to change things up.
I’ve added ½ to 1 teaspoon of peppermint, anise, coconut, and rum extracts before with good results, although if I’m being honest, the classic sugar cookie flavor is my favorite.
You could also use fresh lemon zest and a tablespoon or two of lemon juice for lemon flavored pinwheel cookies.
Recipe Tips
- A few folks have had some trouble with this recipe, so I have added measurements by weight which will give more accurate results in case you are under or overmeasuring the flour. I know that different sources give different standard weights by grams per cup of flour but I use 141 grams per cup as my standard.
- Be sure to really cream the butter and sugar well. And use room temperature butter. If your butter is too soft, even if you add the right amount of flour you can end up with a sticky dough. If you don’t cream the butter and sugar long enough, you can end up with a dough that might seem too crumbly.
- I use gel food coloring (affiliate link) , which is more concentrated than other food coloring (affiliate link) . That means just a few drops will give much more vivid colors with much less added color (and added liquid).
More fun Christmas Cookies
- Hazelnut Lingonberry Linzer Cookies
- Chocolate Thumbprint Turtle Cookies
- Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Mexican Wedding Cookies [aka Russian Tea Cakes]
- Cinnamon Walnut Raisin Rugelach
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
Equipment
- Gel Food Coloring
- Parchment Paper Baking Sheets
- KitchenAid Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
Ingredients123
- ▢ 3/4 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- ▢ 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ▢ 3/4 cup (150g) powdered sugar
- ▢ 2 large eggs
- ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ▢ 2 1/2 cups (353g) all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ▢ Red & green gel food coloring (affiliate link)
- ▢ Holiday colored nonpareils
- ▢ Optional: 1/2-1 teaspoon of additional flavoring extracts or lemon zest
Instructions
- Combine butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar in a mixer and beat well until light and fluffy. ¾ cup salted butter, ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, ¾ cup (150g) powdered sugar
- Add in the eggs, vanilla, and any flavoring (if desired), scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, Optional: 1/2-1 teaspoon of additional flavoring extracts or lemon zest
- Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Divide the dough into three even sized balls. 2 ½ cups (353g) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Return ⅓ of the dough to the mixing bowl and add a 5-10 drops of red gel food coloring (affiliate link) , mixing well until the dough is evenly colored. Repeat with another ⅓ of the dough and the green food coloring (affiliate link) . Red & green gel food coloring (affiliate link)
- Flatten each ball of dough into a disc and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Roll out each disc of dough, one at a time, on a piece of parchment paper to create rectangles that are roughly the same size and shape. Stack the thin layers of dough on top of each other with white in the middle and red and green on the top and bottom. Trim the long sides so that the edges are even. The shorter ends can be trimmed later after you roll the dough into a log.
- Carefully roll the dough into a nice, tight log, using the bottom piece of parchment paper to lift the dough and help you roll it to avoid cracks. Then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours.
- Once the dough is chilled, roll in nonpareils on a baking sheet to coat the outside of each cookie. You really have to press the dough into the sprinkles to get them to stick and give good coverage. At this point, you can slice and bake the cookies, or wrap them up and store them in the fridge for up to 1 week to slice and bake as needed. Holiday colored nonpareils
- When ready to bake your pinwheel cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Unwrap the roll of cookie dough and cut off the uneven ends. Then slice into 1/4-inch cookies using a sharp knife and space them 1-2 inches apart on the parchment paper.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until set, then cool completely on a wire rack.
Nutrition
This recipe first appeared on The Salty Marshmallow where I am a contributor.
Chocolate Thumbprint Turtle Cookies have a rich cocoa cookie base that is rolled in chopped pecans and filled with soft caramel. Drizzle with a little melted chocolate for a tasty, nutty treat that’s perfect for your next cookie exchange, holiday party or simply just because!
I’m obsessed with turtle desserts. It’s that combination of caramel, chocolate, and nutty sweet pecan crunch that gets me every time.
These decadent cookies never fail to impress and are the chocolate, caramel, pecan counterpart to the classic Jam Thumbprint Cookies . If you have also love desserts loaded with chocolate, caramel, and nuts, be sure to try my Easy Caramel Pecan Brownies , Carmelitas , or Chocolate Salted Caramel Whoopie Pies !
My mom used to make the easiest ever ice cream pie with a graham cracker crust, vanilla ice cream, then drizzles of chocolate magic shell, caramel, and chopped pecans. It’s so easy that it feels like cheating but I keep meaning to post it on here because it’s perfect for dinner parties since you make it in advance and it looks so impressive.
These chocolate thumbprint turtle cookies have the same classic turtle flavor combination of deep, chocolatey chocolate with rich, gooey caramel, and crunchy pecans in a cookie form that is always the store of a cookie plate or cookie exchange.
And they are really fun and easy to make!
What are Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies?
These chewy turtle cookies are a delicious take on a fun and traditional turtle candy . While you don’t have to shape the cookies into tiny turtles, the flavor components are all there. The caramel, nutty crunch and chocolate all help this turtle cookie recipe to shine.
How to make Chocolate Thumbprint Turtle Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla.
- Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt until combined. Chill the dough for 1 hour in the fridge.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white until it’s frothy. Prepare another shallow bowl with chopped pecans.
- Divide your dough into 20 evenly-sized pieces and roll into balls. Roll each ball in the frothy egg whites, then into the chopped pecans, pressing the nuts to cover the cookie dough really well. Place on the prepared baking sheet and press a finger or the back of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon into the center of each ball to form an indentation.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until set. Be careful not to overbake.
- While cookies are still hot, using the measuring spoon to press the indentation again so there is a good space for the caramel to go.
- Combine the caramel and water in a microwave-safe bowl and melt them by heating in 20-30 second intervals and stirring in between about 1-2 minutes total. Pour melted caramel into the depression in each cookie.
- Melt the semisweet chocolate with shortening in another microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring between each burst of heat, just until melted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the melted chocolate to a ziploc bag and make a small snip off one corner. Drizzle the chocolate over the cookies, then let set before serving.
How Do You Store Chocolate Thumbprint Turtle Cookies?
After the cookies have completely set, you can place them inside an airtight container at room temperature for storage. You can also place them in the fridge if you’d like to enjoy them chilled as well, but be warned that the caramel will firm up significantly.
It’s pretty soft caramel, so I don’t think anyone would break a tooth on it, but it would all come off the cookie with your first bite, giving you a chewy mouthful of caramel and cookie.
If you plan on stacking them to get them to fit inside a container, you may want to use a small sheet of wax paper between the layers to prevent the cookies from sticking to each other.
Can You Freeze Chocolate Thumbprint Turtle Cookies?
Yes, you can these turtle cookies! Freezing them not only helps to keep you from eating an entire batch in one sitting but it can also prolong the shelf-life as keeping them in the freezer will keep them fresh for up to 2 months.
This is also a great tip for when you plan on making these impressive holiday cookies and want to get the cookies done in advance.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
- Toffee Pecan Shortbread Cookies
- Dulce De Leche Stuffed Cookies
- Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Oatmeal Rolled Sugar Cookies
- Fudgy Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies
- Chocolate Andes Mint Cookies
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Chocolate Thumbprint Turtle Cookies
Ingredients123
Cookies
- ▢ 1/2 cup salted butter
- ▢ 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- ▢ 1 large egg separated
- ▢ 2 Tablespoons milk
- ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1 cup pecans finely chopped
Caramel
- ▢ 3/4 cup Kraft Caramel Bites or 16 unwrapped caramel squares
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon water
Chocolate Drizzle
- ▢ 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chopped
- ▢ 1 teaspoon shortening
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat butter and sugar until light, about 2-3 minutes. ½ cup salted butter, 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla. 1 large egg, 2 Tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in flour, cocoa powder, and salt until combined. Chill dough for 1 hour in the fridge. 1 cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Whisk egg white in a bowl until frothy. Prepare another shallow bowl with chopped pecans.
- Divide dough into 20 evenly-sized pieces and roll into balls. Roll each ball in the frothy egg whites, then in the chopped pecans, pressing the nuts in to cover the cookie dough really well. Place on prepared baking sheet and press a finger or the back of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon into the center of each ball to form an indentation. 1 cup pecans
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until set. Be careful not to overbake.
- While cookies are still hot, using the measuring spoon to press the indentation again so there is a good space for the caramel to go.
- Combine the caramel and water in microwave-safe bowl and melt by heating in 20-30 second intervals and stirring in between, about 1-2 minutes total. Pour melted caramel into the depression in each cookie. ¾ cup Kraft Caramel Bites or 16 unwrapped caramel squares, ½ teaspoon water
- Melt semisweet chocolate with shortening in another microwave-safe bowl in 20 second intervals, stirring between each burst of heat, just until melted, about 1-2 minutes. ½ cup semisweet chocolate, 1 teaspoon shortening
- Transfer the melted chocolate to a ziplock bag and make a small snip off one corner. Drizzle the chocolate over the cookies, then let set before serving.
Notes
- Once the chocolate drizzle has set, you can freeze these cookies for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe ziploc bag. Just thaw completely on the counter before serving.
Nutrition
Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
Equipment
- Gel Food Coloring
- Parchment Paper Baking Sheets
- KitchenAid Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g) powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (353g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Red & green gel food coloring
- Holiday colored nonpareils
- Optional: 1/2-1 teaspoon of additional flavoring extracts or lemon zest
Instructions
- Combine butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar in a mixer and beat well until light and fluffy. 3/4 cup salted butter, 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar, 3/4 cup (150g) powdered sugar
- Add in the eggs, vanilla, and any flavoring (if desired), scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, Optional: 1/2-1 teaspoon of additional flavoring extracts or lemon zest
- Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Divide the dough into three even sized balls. 2 1/2 cups (353g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Return 1/3 of the dough to the mixing bowl and add a 5-10 drops of red gel food coloring, mixing well until the dough is evenly colored. Repeat with another 1/3 of the dough and the green food coloring. Red & green gel food coloring
- Flatten each ball of dough into a disc and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Roll out each disc of dough, one at a time, on a piece of parchment paper to create rectangles that are roughly the same size and shape. Stack the thin layers of dough on top of each other with white in the middle and red and green on the top and bottom. Trim the long sides so that the edges are even. The shorter ends can be trimmed later after you roll the dough into a log.
- Carefully roll the dough into a nice, tight log, using the bottom piece of parchment paper to lift the dough and help you roll it to avoid cracks. Then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours.
- Once the dough is chilled, roll in nonpareils on a baking sheet to coat the outside of each cookie. You really have to press the dough into the sprinkles to get them to stick and give good coverage. At this point, you can slice and bake the cookies, or wrap them up and store them in the fridge for up to 1 week to slice and bake as needed. Holiday colored nonpareils
- When ready to bake your pinwheel cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Unwrap the roll of cookie dough and cut off the uneven ends. Then slice into 1/4-inch cookies using a sharp knife and space them 1-2 inches apart on the parchment paper.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until set, then cool completely on a wire rack.
Nutrition
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