Walking On Sunshine Recipes

Join me as I help you get dinner on the table every night for your family. I love to share decorating ideas, gardening tips and amazing recipes!

You are here: Home / Recipes / Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies

Desserts Recipes
Published: | Last Updated: | Author: Lois

Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies

Your family and friends are going to love the swirl design of these beautiful Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies.   They’ll look amazing in any cookie tray you put together this holiday season. Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies are a fun pinwheel cookie that your family and friends are going to love. Easy to make and delicious too!

Vanilla Chocolate Swirl Cookies

Are you visiting today from Malinda’s blog, Countryside Cravings? Didn’t those Gingerbread Pancakes look amazing? I’m happy you’re joining me today as I continue my 12 Days of Christmas Celebration with these beautiful Vanilla Chocolate Swirl Cookies! 

This week I’m joining the Christmas Festival Blog Hop hosted by my friend Kendra at Joy In Our Home! Each day a different blogger is sharing a beautiful Christmas idea or recipe. My contribution is this delicious recipe for Vanilla Chocolate Swirl Cookies. 

All of the other projects are linked at the end of this post, so make sure you spend a little time checking out what these talented bloggers are sharing with our fun blog hop. We’re all sharing our best and favorite Christmas ideas with you this week! 

12 Days of Christmas Celebration

To continue with our celebration, I’ve updated a very old recipe on the blog that I know you’re going to love!  I first shared this recipe seven years ago and let me tell you, it really need to be updated.  Here’s a photo collage of what everything looked like way back in 2011: 

Tips for Making Vanilla Chocolate Swirl Cookies: 

Please don’t let the lengthy instructions for this recipe scare you away.  It’s really an easy recipe to prepare!

  • Make sure you allow the cocoa powder to mix completely with the vanilla dough so it does not have a marbled look. 
  • Allow the dough to chill the recommended time.  If you try to roll out the layers with warm dough, you will have a mess. 
  • If the dough starts to crack while you are rolling the layers together, don’t worry!  Just pinch the dough together and keep rolling.  
  • Allow the dough to chill a second time before slicing.  
  • Once the dough has been rolled up into log shapes, you can freeze it for up to three months.

 Helpful Kitchen Tools: 

These are my favorite kitchen tools for any cookie recipe. 

This post contains affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but I earn a commission when you shop through them.  For more information, click here.

 How to Make Vanilla Chocolate Swirl Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups butter softened
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until it’s smooth. Add the sugars and blend until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat for another minute or until it is combined.  

Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture one third at a time, stirring well after each addition until the dough is evenly blended. Divide the dough in half, keeping one half of the dough in the mixer and setting the other half aside while you prepare the chocolate layer.

Cream together the butter and sugar in mixing bowl.
Add the unsweetened cocoa powder to the mixer and combine until it is fully incorporated.  This may take a few minutes, but take your time and make sure the cocoa powder is full incorporated into the vanilla dough so you get a true chocolate color. 

Add cocoa powder to vanilla cookie dough mixture.

Remove the chocolate dough from the mixer and divide the chocolate dough into TWO pieces. Form each chocolate piece of dough into 1/2 inch thick squares and wrap them individually in plastic wrap.

Divide the vanilla dough into TWO pieces, form each vanilla piece of dough into 1/2 inch thick squares and wrap them individually in plastic wrap.

You should now have two squares of chocolate dough and two squares of vanilla dough all wrapped individually. Refrigerate all four squares of dough until firm; about one to two hours.

Vanilla and chocolate dough squares wrapped in plastic wrap.

Unwrap one piece of the chilled vanilla dough leaving it on top of the plastic wrap.

Cover it with a second piece of plastic wrap, then using a rolling pin, roll out the vanilla dough into a rectangle measuring about 9X12 inches. If the dough gets too soft and difficult to roll, simply slide it onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until it’s firm again; no longer than 10 minutes.

Unwrap one piece of the chilled chocolate dough, leaving it on top of the plastic wrap. Cover it with a second piece of plastic wrap, and roll it out into a 9X12 inch rectangle shape as well.

Remove the top pieces of plastic wrap from both the vanilla rolled dough and the chocolate rolled dough. Carefully invert the chocolate dough on top of the vanilla dough. Remove the top piece of plastic wrap from the chocolate dough. Gently roll over the top of both layers with a rolling pin to make the doughs slightly stick together.

Vanilla and Chocolate dough layers.

Starting at one end, lift the vanilla dough up by the plastic wrap underneath and roll up the doughs into one big log, pressing gently as you roll to help adhere both layers together and peeling the plastic wrap away as you roll.

Wrap the log in a fresh piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for another 2 hours. Repeat this process with the remaining piece of vanilla and chocolate dough.

How to Slice the Cookies

I promise you, we’re almost done!  This is the easy part…slice and bake the cookies! Remove the logs from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Lay the log on a cutting board and slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds.

Slice Chocolate Swirl Cookies

Place the cookie slices onto a baking sheet that’s been lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 13 minutes. The cookies will still be a little soft to the touch and slightly brown on the edges. 

Lay Chocolate Swirl Cookies on Baking Tray lined with parchment paper from WOS

Let cool slightly on a baking rack before enjoying!  

Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies on baking rack.

Now, don’t these Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies look amazing?  And they taste pretty amazing too! 

Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies are a fun pinwheel cookie that your family and friends are going to love. Easy to make and delicious too!

More Delicious Cookie Recipes: 

Beyond the Butter is up next.  You don’t want to miss the yummy recipe she’s sharing with you.  And don’t forget to check out the other Christmas posts by clicking on the links below. 

Then check back for the rest of the weeks Christmas Festival.

 

Christmas DIYs on Monday

Joy In Our Home | 2 Bees In A Pod | My Creative Days

County Road 407 | Chatfield Court

Christmas Front Porches on Tuesday

The Tattered Pew | The Crowned Goat | Little Brags

Follow The Yellow Brick Home | The Painted Hinge 

Christmas Recipes on Wednesday

Crisp Collective | Love In My Oven | Countryside Cravings 

Walking On Sunshine Recipes | Beyond The Butter 

Christmas Mantles on Thursday

anderson + grant | White Arrows Home | Elizabeth Joan Designs 

  City Girl Meets Country Boy | Red Brick On The Lake

Christmas Tablescapes on Friday

The Inspired Hive | Curly Crafty Mom | Making It In The Mountains

Rain and Pine | Timeless Creations

Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies

Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Chilling Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 43 minutes

Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies are a fun pinwheel cookie that your family and friends are going to love!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups butter; softened
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

  1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder together.
  2. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until it's smooth.
  4.  Add the sugars and blend until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  5. Add the vanilla extract and beat for another minute or until it is combined. 
  6. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture one third at a time, stirring well after each addition until the dough is evenly blended.
  7. Divide the dough in half, keeping one half of the dough in the mixer and setting the other half aside while you prepare the chocolate layer.

How to Prepare the Chocolate Layer:

  1. Add the unsweetened cocoa powder to the mixer and combine until it is fully incorporated. This may take a few minutes.
  2. Remove the chocolate dough from the mixer and divide the chocolate dough into TWO pieces.
  3. Form each chocolate piece of dough into 1/2 inch thick squares and wrap them individually in plastic wrap.
  4. Divide the vanilla dough into TWO pieces, form each vanilla piece of dough into 1/2 inch thick squares and wrap them individually in plastic wrap.
  5. You should now have two squares of chocolate dough and two squares of vanilla dough all wrapped individually.
  6. Refrigerate all four squares of dough until firm; about one to two hours.

How to Roll Out the Cookies:

  1. Unwrap one piece of the chilled vanilla dough leaving it on top of the plastic wrap.
  2. Cover it with a second piece of plastic wrap, then using a rolling pin, roll out the vanilla dough into a rectangle measuring about 9X12 inches.
  3. If the dough gets too soft and difficult to roll, simply slide it onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until it's firm again; no longer than 10 minutes.
  4. Unwrap one piece of the chilled chocolate dough, leaving it on top of the plastic wrap.
  5. Cover it with a second piece of plastic wrap, and roll it out into a 9X12 inch rectangle shape as well.
  6. Again, if the dough gets too soft and difficult to roll, simply slide it onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until it's firm again.

How to Form the Cookie Dough into a Log Shape:

  1. Remove the top pieces of plastic wrap from both the vanilla rolled dough and the chocolate rolled dough.
  2. Carefully invert the chocolate dough on top of the vanilla dough.
  3. Remove the top piece of plastic wrap from the chocolate dough.
  4. Gently roll over the top of both layers with a rolling pin to make the doughs slightly stick together.
  5. Starting at one end, lift the vanilla dough up by the plastic wrap underneath and roll up the doughs into one big log, pressing gently as you roll to help adhere both layers together and peeling the plastic wrap away as you roll.
  6. Wrap the log in a fresh piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for another 2 hours.
  7. Repeat this process with the remaining piece of vanilla and chocolate dough.

How to Bake the Cookies:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Remove the logs from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap.
  3. Lay the log on a cutting board and slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds.
  4. Place the slices onto a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper.
  5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 13 minutes.
  6. The cookies will still be a little soft to the touch and slightly brown on the edges. 
  7. Let cool slightly before enjoying.

Notes

Once the dough has been rolled up into log shapes, you can freeze it for up to three months.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 48 Serving Size: 1 cookie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 101 Total Fat: 5.9g Saturated Fat: 3.7g Cholesterol: 15mg Sodium: 52mg Carbohydrates: 11.6g Fiber: 0.4g Sugar: 5.3g Protein: 1g
The nutrition information is calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you, please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator.
© Lois
Cuisine: American / Category: Desserts

 

Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies are a fun pinwheel cookie that your family and friends are going to love. Easy to make and delicious too!

 

Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies are a fun pinwheel cookie that your family and friends are going to love. Easy to make and delicious too!

 

 

About Lois

Originally from Queens, NY, Lois now calls northeastern PA home. You can find her blogging over at Walking on Sunshine where she shares a little of her life, but more importantly what’s for dinner at her house tonight.

STAY UPDATED

Join my free email list to receive my Good Morning Sunshine Breakfast E-Cookbook!

Comments

  2. Lee-Ann says

    Hi Lois!

    found your great recipe through Wined Down Wednesday. Beautiful step-by-step photos, really helpful! And can taste the cookies now!

    Reply

  4. mary says

    these are so cute, and they dont sound hard at all! need all the cookie recipes I can get with my daughter on a baking roll thanks to high school foods class! thanks for sharing

    Reply

  6. Kendra | www.joyinourhome.com says

    These look so delicious Lois! I’m putting them on our cookie list this season! Thanks so much for joining me this week… was wonderful to have you!

    Reply

  13. Linda Neely says

    These cookies are the best of both worlds! I especially want to try the chicken recipe. Thanks for sharing & for participating in the give-away.

    Reply

  16. CoCo says

    Lois these chocolate swirl cookies look amazing! I’ve always wanted to make swirl cookies but the recipes seemed kind of complicated so I’m excited to try all your tips and tricks. Thanks so much for the recipe and the easy to follow instructions. Hugs, CoCo

    Reply

    • Lois says

      Thank you! I always thought they were hard to make as well until I finally decided to try them and was so happy I did. Thanks for visiting!

      Reply

  27. Debbie says

    The cookies look just WONDERFUL, and actually don't seem to hard to make. And good way of making the zucchini. It looks like how mine comes out so I kind of thought you did it the same way. I heat just a little bit of olive oil in a big wok pan, slice the zucchini and sprinkle it with Mrs. Dash's herb and garlic seasoning and toss it around for around 5 or 6 minutes…soo yummy. I need to try your way. ENJOY your week-end Lois! HUGS

    Reply

  30. LDH says

    Good morning, Lois!

    What a pretty cookie! It has the best of both worlds swirled into a tempting cookie. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected

Reader Favorite Top Ten Recipes

Lois is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com