13 Pinwheel Cookies That Stand Out on a Cookie Tray

Slice and bake these gorgeous Christmas cookies.

pistachio lime spirals
Photo:

Brie Goldman

When you want a cookie recipe that stuns, skip the drop cookies and opt for one of these pinwheel cookies. The swirled effect of different colored doughs or a filling and dough stands out from the chocolate chip and monster cookies we see all the time. Plus, the slice-and-bake nature of the spiral cookies means you can get the dough ready when you have time and keep it in the freezer for several months so you can bake fresh cookies on short notice.

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Red and Green Pinwheels

Red and Green Pinwheels
Jason Donnelly

If it's Christmas pinwheel cookies you seek, this is your recipe. The classic red and green colors are added via freeze-dried raspberries and green sprinkles, respectively. Yes, there is some tangy fruit flavor from the pulverized berry powder, and we love that about them. To achieve the distinct layers of color, divide the dough into thirds (color two parts) and roll out separately. Then simply stack the layers and roll into a spiral.

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Almond Spirals

Almond Spirals
Jason Donnelly

Pinwheel cookies are a great make-ahead option when you want to get a jump start on holiday baking or party prep, because almost all of them are also icebox cookies—meaning you can make and chill or freeze the dough for days, weeks, or months. This nutty version includes almond extract and ground almonds for a double dose of the nut. If you prefer another nut, you could use pistachio extract and ground nuts for pistachio pinwheel cookies, or any other nut flavor you can find as an extract and grind. Additionally, the swirl can be any color you want it to be. We like the bold red color here, but you can choose the color that goes best with your party theme.

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Chocolate Babka Pinwheel Cookies

Chocolate Babka Pinwheel Cookies
Jason Donnelly

Make easier work of a gorgeous braided babka bread by putting the flavors in chocolate pinwheel cookies so there's no rising time, kneading, or braiding required. The rich chocolate filling is made of melted chocolate chips, chocolate cookie crumbs, honey, and butter, which pairs deliciously with the buttery cookie layer.

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Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pinwheels

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pinwheels
Andy Lyons

If you just have no time to make cookie dough, this is the cookie for you. Cut the prep time significantly by using store-bought peanut butter and sugar cookie doughs. Where does the chocolate come in, you ask? Simply stir cocoa powder into your purchased sugar cookie dough. Roll out your two doughs; stack, roll into a spiral, and chill (or freeze) before slicing and baking whenever you're ready.

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Pistachio-Lime Spirals

pistachio lime spirals

Brie Goldman

This pinwheel cookie recipe takes on a unique flavor combination your guests will love. Tart lime infuses the dough while you get a nice earthy crunch from pistachios. Feel free to add a few drops of green food coloring to give it a more festive look for your holiday spread.

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Pumpkin Spice Spiral Cookies

Pumpkin Spice Spiral Cookies
Jason Donnelly

If you're the kind of person who marks their calendar for the release of the pumpkin spice latte each year or just loves all things pumpkin, these spiral cookies have your name written all over them. Canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice lend double the pumpkin flavor and a swirl (or dip or drizzle, it's up to you) of cream cheese icing adds the creamy element.

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Chocolate-Peppermint Swirl Cookies

chocolate-peppermint swirl cookies steps

Brie Goldman

Peppermint pinwheel cookies can be accomplished a few different ways, in this case it's done with bittersweet melted chocolate and peppermint extract. Half the dough gets melted chocolate and the other half gets the minty ingredient. Rolling each dough out onto parchment paper makes it easy to stack the dough rectangles and assists in the spiral rolling to give that pinwheel effect.

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Date Pinwheel Cookies

Date Pinwheel Cookies
Blaine Moats

Date pinwheel cookies are one of the seemingly old-fashioned pinwheel cookies out there, but as dates are coming back into style as a way to add sugar to dishes naturally (and reduce your added sugar intake), this cookie is making a comeback too. Grab a package of dates the next time you spot them at the grocery store and give this classic cookie a try.

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Orange Cream Spiral Cookies

Orange Cream Spiral Cookies
Jason Donnelly

You can tell at first glance that this spiral cookie is different from the rest. A full tablespoon of orange zest and some food coloring create the orange dough layer. The other layer gets its brighter white color from cream cheese and white chocolate. Together each bite has that nostalgic orange-cream flavor you may have ordered from ice cream trucks.

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Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Matthew Clark

These spiced pinwheels come together much like cinnamon rolls but with less work because there's no kneading and rising. Mix up the dough, roll it out, and sprinkle on a generous amount of cinnamon and sugar before rolling up, just as you would cinnamon rolls. And just as no cinnamon roll recipe is complete without the icing, we include a cream cheese drizzle for these cookies.

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Walnut Potica Pinwheel Cookies

Walnut Potica Pinwheel Cookies
Jason Donnelly

Potica is a traditional Slovenian pastry, but here we achieve the same spiral effect found in the pastry in cookie form. Our taste panel loved the walnut-honey flavor of the filling and softer chewy cookie.

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Gingerbread Espresso Spirals

Gingerbread Espresso Spirals
Scott Little

With the warm spiced flavor of gingerbread, this makes another great Christmas pinwheel cookie option. Another reason it's a holiday winner is that it uses refrigerated cookie dough as the starting point saving you valuable time during hectic holidays.

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Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels

Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels
Peter Krumhardt

Cranberries, pecans, and orange zest are all included in this much-loved cookie recipe. Fresh cranberries are usually only available from October through December or January, so this is a limited-time recipe. However, if you froze some fresh cranberries, you could thaw them to make these pinwheel cookies any month of the year.

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