Rainbow Pinwheel Sugar Cookies are a delicious and festive treat for St. Patrick’s Day, or everyday!

Whether you’re prepping for a rainbow birthday celebration or St. Patrick’s Day festivities, you will love making these delicious rainbow pinwheel sugar cookies. Made using my go-to vanilla almond sugar cookie recipe as the base, this recipe is as delicious as it is pretty!

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED

• 1 C. sugar
• 2 sticks Nellie’s Free Range Unsalted Butter, cold & cut into chunks
• 1 Nellie’s Free Range Egg
• 3/4 t. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 t. pure almond extract
• 3 C. all-purpose flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• Gel food coloring (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
• Powdered sugar for rolling

TIPS AND TRICKS 

Quality Ingredients

I use high quality ingredients because it improves baking results and flavor! I really love Nellie’s Free Range Eggs and Butter because their products have quality you can both see and taste! Plus, their hens live on small family farms that are Certified Humane® Free Range.

Coloring

Gel food coloring works better than liquid food coloring to create vibrant, even colors.

Rolling

Use parchment paper when rolling out each layer of dough to help create smooth, consistent layers. Dust powdered sugar on the rolling pin and rolling surface instead of flour to help retain sweet cookie flavor. 

Parchment paper placed under the layered dough helps ensure the dough rolls evenly and without cracking. Be sure to roll dough tightly to prevent gaps in the cookies. 

Make Ahead

Chilling sugar cookie dough makes it easier to slice and helps it retain its shape. Dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days before slicing and baking. 

 

MAKING RAINBOW PINWHEEL COOKIES

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cream the sugar and butter. I use a stand mixer for this recipe, but a hand mixer would also work. Mix in the egg and extracts.
3. Combine the flour and baking powder, then add to sugar mixture and mix just until combined.
4. Divide dough into 6 even portions. Add 2-3 drops of gel food coloring to each portion until desired color is created. 
5. Roll out the first portion of (red) dough onto a sheet of parchment paper, using a rolling pin dusted with powdered sugar to prevent sticking. 
6. Roll out second portion of (orange) dough on a separate sheet of parchment paper until it’s rolled to a similar size and thickness of the first layer. Using the sheet of parchment, lift the dough and place it on top of the first portion of (red) dough. Repeat until all 6 layers of dough are are sandwiched together.
7. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough and roll it out to desired thickness.
8. Using the bottom sheet of parchment paper, begin tightly rolling the dough until the roll reaches the desired cookie size, around 4-5” in diameter. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to chill.
9. Once chilled, evenly slice roll of dough with a sharp knife to desired thickness.
10. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 12 minutes.

Serve the cookies as-is, or add a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk. These would be so great for St. Patrick’s Day, a birthday, or any other celebration. Just customize the colors to fit your theme!