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Our Holiday Spiral Treats
These cheerful spiral cookies have become my go-to Christmas dessert. The twirls of green and red always get people grinning, and I enjoy seeing children's eyes widen when they spot them. Through lots of practice, I've figured out all the secrets to creating those ideal spirals every single time.
An Impressive Holiday Delight
What's great about these cookies is how fancy they appear while being surprisingly easy to make. Those beautiful green and red swirls make everyone think I was slaving away in the kitchen for ages. I'm a big fan of preparing the dough in advance and cutting them whenever fresh cookies are needed during the hectic holiday rush.
What's Required
- Butter: It needs to be completely softened.
- Sugar: Standard granulated is all you need.
- Egg: It acts as the glue for ingredients.
- Vanilla: Real extract delivers the tastiest result.
- Flour: Simple all-purpose works great.
- Salt: I pick kosher salt for better mixing.
- Baking soda: Creates just enough puffiness.
- Food coloring: Go with gel types for top results.
- Sanding sugar: Gives that lovely shimmer.
Creating the Wonder
- Begin with Essentials
- Whip those butter and sugar until fluffy then add your wet stuff.
- Add Some Color
- Divide the mix and mix in bright colors. Don't skip the cooling step here.
- Layer and Flatten
- Put colors together properly then smooth them into a flat rectangle.
- Create the Spiral
- Roll it firmly and evenly to create the beautiful pattern.
- Cook and Savor
- Cut thin slices roll in glittery sugar and watch them turn golden in the oven.
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Helpful Tricks
Always grab gel food coloring since it won't mess up your dough consistency like the liquid kind does. When things start sticking, just toss everything back in the fridge for a short while. A small amount of water or beaten egg helps the sugar stick nicely to the edges.
Try Something New
You can change these cookies however you want. I've done them in soft colors for Easter, red and pink for Valentine's Day, and even team colors for school fundraisers. Sometimes I cover them in different sugar colors or fun sprinkles to fit whatever we're celebrating.
Storage Advice
They'll taste great stored in a tin for about a week. The coolest part is you can store unused dough rolls in your freezer for up to three months. There's nothing better than having just-baked cookies whenever you feel like it just cut and bake right from frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why should I chill the dough several times?
Cold dough is easier to work with and roll out. It also helps the swirls stay clean and sharp during slicing and baking.
- → Can I prepare these cookies early?
Absolutely! You can freeze the dough log for up to 2 months. When ready, let it soften slightly before slicing. Baked cookies last about a week when stored in a sealed container.
- → Why choose gel food coloring?
Gel colors are more vibrant and don’t add extra moisture that could change the dough’s consistency.
- → Can I use other colors?
Sure! Switch up the colors for different events or themes, but stick to gel colors for the best effect.
- → What’s the benefit of a serrated knife?
Using a serrated knife allows you to make neat, even slices through the firm dough without messing up the pattern.