Peppermint Swirl Cookies – Festive, Soft & Perfect for Christmas Baking

🎉 Introduction

If you want a cookie that looks like Christmas and tastes like winter magic, these Peppermint Swirl Cookies are the show-stopping treat you need. Soft, buttery, and beautifully spiraled with red and white dough, these cookies deliver a refreshing peppermint flavor wrapped in a stunning candy-cane swirl.

They feel nostalgic, fun, and joyful — perfect for cookie boxes, dessert platters, kids’ holiday parties, or festive gift bags. They slice cleanly, bake evenly, and create a gorgeous pinwheel design without extra effort. Every bite melts in your mouth with a gentle crunch of sugar or crushed peppermint on top.

If you’re building a Christmas baking list this season, these swirl cookies absolutely deserve a spot.

🧰 Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowls
• Electric mixer or hand mixer
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Plastic wrap or parchment
• Sharp knife
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Cooling rack

🛒 Ingredients (English Only)

Wet Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Dry Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar (for dough)
• ¼ cup coarse sugar OR crushed peppermint candies (for coating)

Color

• Red gel food coloring

Dairy

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

👩‍🍳 Directions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2: Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.

Step 3: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Mix until smooth.

Step 4: In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until a soft cookie dough forms.

Step 6: Divide the dough into two equal portions.

Step 7: Leave one portion plain and color the second portion with red gel food coloring.

Step 8: Roll each dough portion into a rectangle of equal size.

Step 9: Stack the red dough on top of the plain dough and gently press them together.

Step 10: Roll the layered dough into a tight log to create a swirl pattern.

Step 11: Roll the entire log in coarse sugar or crushed peppermint candies.

Step 12: Wrap the dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up.

Step 13: Slice the chilled dough into round cookies about ½ inch thick.

Step 14: Arrange the slices on your baking sheet, leaving some space in between.

Step 15: Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set but not browned.

Step 16: Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

🍽️ Servings & Timing

• Servings: 22–28 cookies
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Chill Time: 1 hour
• Bake Time: 10–12 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

🧊 Storage & Reheating

Room Temperature

Store in an airtight container for 1 week.

Freezer

Freeze unbaked dough log for 2 months.
Freeze baked cookies for 2–3 months.

Reheating

No reheating required — they’re best served at room temperature.

🥄 Variations

• Candy Cane Version: Add crushed candy cane inside the dough.
• Chocolate Swirl: Replace the white dough with chocolate dough.
• Green Swirl Option: Make red and green swirls for a more colorful cookie tray.
• Peppermint Chocolate Chip: Fold mini chocolate chips into the dough.
• Glazed Swirl: Drizzle melted white chocolate over cooled cookies.

❓ 10 FAQs

1. Can I use liquid food coloring?
Gel coloring works best — liquid softens the dough.

2. Why do my swirls look uneven?
Roll both doughs to the same size before stacking.

3. Can I skip the chilling step?
No — chilling keeps the swirl sharp and prevents spreading.

4. How thick should I slice the cookies?
About ½ inch for perfect pinwheels.

5. Can I add more peppermint?
Yes — increase by ¼ teaspoon for stronger flavor.

6. Can I use salted butter?
Yes, reduce added salt to a pinch.

7. Why did my cookies crack?
Your dough may have dried — wrap tightly before chilling.

8. Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes — use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.

9. Can children eat these safely?
Yes — no alcohol, safe peppermint.

10. Are these good for gifting?
Absolutely — they slice cleanly and stay beautiful for days.

🏁 Conclusion

These Peppermint Swirl Cookies are a Christmas dream — soft, sweet, buttery, and filled with refreshing holiday mint. Their candy-cane appearance makes them the star of any dessert table, while their melt-in-your-mouth texture keeps everyone coming back for more. Perfect for Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, or gifting, these festive pinwheels combine flavor and beauty in every bite.

Adam

Peppermint Swirl Cookies – Festive, Soft & Perfect for Christmas Baking

If you want a cookie that looks like Christmas and tastes like winter magic, these Peppermint Swirl Cookies are the show-stopping treat you need. Soft, buttery, and beautifully spiraled with red and white dough, these cookies deliver a refreshing peppermint flavor wrapped in a stunning candy-cane swirl. They feel nostalgic, fun, and joyful — perfect for cookie boxes, dessert platters, kids’ holiday parties, or festive gift bags. They slice cleanly, bake evenly, and create a gorgeous pinwheel design without extra effort. Every bite melts in your mouth with a gentle crunch of sugar or crushed peppermint on top. If you’re building a Christmas baking list this season, these swirl cookies absolutely deserve a spot.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

bake & Chill Time 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 27 minutes mins

Servings: 28 cookies

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Wet Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Dry Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar for dough
• ¼ cup coarse sugar OR crushed peppermint candies for coating

Color

• Red gel food coloring

Dairy

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Electric mixer or hand mixer
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Plastic wrap or parchment
• Sharp knife
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Cooling rack

Method

 

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2: Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.

Step 3: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Mix until smooth.

Step 4: In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until a soft cookie dough forms.

Step 6: Divide the dough into two equal portions.

Step 7: Leave one portion plain and color the second portion with red gel food coloring.

Step 8: Roll each dough portion into a rectangle of equal size.

Step 9: Stack the red dough on top of the plain dough and gently press them together.

Step 10: Roll the layered dough into a tight log to create a swirl pattern.

Step 11: Roll the entire log in coarse sugar or crushed peppermint candies.

Step 12: Wrap the dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up.

Step 13: Slice the chilled dough into round cookies about ½ inch thick.

Step 14: Arrange the slices on your baking sheet, leaving some space in between.

Step 15: Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set but not browned.

Step 16: Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Notes

🧊 Storage & Reheating
Room Temperature

Store in an airtight container for 1 week.

Freezer

Freeze unbaked dough log for 2 months.
Freeze baked cookies for 2–3 months.

Reheating

No reheating required — they’re best served at room temperature.

🥄 Variations

Candy Cane Version: Add crushed candy cane inside the dough.

Chocolate Swirl: Replace the white dough with chocolate dough.

Green Swirl Option: Make red and green swirls for a more colorful cookie tray.

Peppermint Chocolate Chip: Fold mini chocolate chips into the dough.

Glazed Swirl: Drizzle melted white chocolate over cooled cookies.

❓ 10 FAQs

1. Can I use liquid food coloring?
Gel coloring works best — liquid softens the dough.

2. Why do my swirls look uneven?
Roll both doughs to the same size before stacking.

3. Can I skip the chilling step?
No — chilling keeps the swirl sharp and prevents spreading.

4. How thick should I slice the cookies?
About ½ inch for perfect pinwheels.

5. Can I add more peppermint?
Yes — increase by ¼ teaspoon for stronger flavor.

6. Can I use salted butter?
Yes, reduce added salt to a pinch.

7. Why did my cookies crack?
Your dough may have dried — wrap tightly before chilling.

8. Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes — use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.

9. Can children eat these safely?
Yes — no alcohol, safe peppermint.

10. Are these good for gifting?
Absolutely — they slice cleanly and stay beautiful for days.

🏁 Conclusion

These Peppermint Swirl Cookies are a Christmas dream — soft, sweet, buttery, and filled with refreshing holiday mint. Their candy-cane appearance makes them the star of any dessert table, while their melt-in-your-mouth texture keeps everyone coming back for more. Perfect for Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, or gifting, these festive pinwheels combine flavor and beauty in every bite.