Vanilla Chocolate Swirl Cookies - a fun slice and bake cookie in a pinwheel design. Another one of our Christmas Cookies I know you're family is going to enjoy this holiday season. Let me show
I hope you're enjoying the new Christmas cookie recipes I'm sharing with you. Today continues with Vanilla Chocolate Swirl Cookies. Don't let the swirl in these cookies make you think they're difficult to make.
This is another one of my favorite easy cookie recipe that's perfect all year long; not just the holidays.
Helpful Kitchen Tools:
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- Baking Trays
- KitchenAid Mixer - really any mixer will do. Even a hand-held mixer. But I love my KitchenAid and think it would make a lovely gift this time of year.
- Parchment Baking Sheets
Main Ingredients Needed
Exact measurements are listed below in the recipe card. Make sure you scroll down to print and save the recipe for later!
- Butter softened
- Confectioner's sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1 | Prepare the Ingredients
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until it's smooth. Then add the sugars and blend until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Once the sugars are blended, add the vanilla extract and beat for another minute or until it is combined.
- Finally, 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.
Step 2 | Prepare the Chocolate Layer
- 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.
Step 3 | Chill the Dough
- Remove the chocolate dough from the mixer and divide the chocolate dough into TWO pieces.
- Form each chocolate piece of dough into ½ inch thick squares and wrap them individually in plastic wrap.
- Divide the vanilla dough into TWO pieces, form each vanilla piece of dough into ½ 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.
Step 4 | Form the Vanilla and Chocolate Layers
- 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.
Step 5 | Cookie Dough into a Log Shape
- 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.
Baking Tip: You can place the cylinder of slice and bake cookie dough in the freezer for up to three months.
Step 6 | Slicing Instructions
- Remove the logs from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap.
- Then lay the log on a cutting board and slice into ¼ inch thick rounds.
Step 7 | Baking Instructions
- 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.
- Let cool slightly on a baking rack before enjoying!
Tried any of my recipes? Let me know in the comments!
Recipe Tips:
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. When you try to roll out the layers and the dough is 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.
Freezing Tips for Slice and Bake Cookies
- Once the dough has been rolled up into log shapes, wrap it in plastic wrap and then add the logs to a freezer safe plastic bag.
- You can freeze it for up to three months.
- When you're ready to bake, remove the logs from the freezer and allow to sit on the counter for about 10 to 15 minutes or until you're able to slice them.
- Bake according to the directions above. You may need to add on a few extra minutes if the dough is still a little frozen when adding the trays to the oven.
Ready for More Christmas Cookie Recipes?
These cookie recipes will be great for hosting a cookie exchange, give away cookies as gifts or just bake for your own family. Check out my Amazon Christmas Shop for ideas on how to package food gifts.
- Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- White Chocolate No-Bakes
- Ginger Snowball Cookies
- Chocolate Marshmallow Peppermint Cookies
- Shortbread Cookies – my favorite cookies all year long!
- Heart Shaped Short Bread Cookies
- Slice and Bake Colorful Swirl Cookies
- Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
- Classic Oatmeal Cookies
Yield: 4 dozen cookies
Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies
Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Cookies are a fun pinwheel cookie that your family and friends are going to love! Freezing tips included to help you prep-ahead so you can have cookies anytime you want!
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
13 minutes
Chilling Time
4 hours
Total Time
4 hours 43 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups butter; softened
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder together.
- Set aside.
- 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.
- Then add the vanilla extract and beat for another minute or until it is combined.
- Now 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.
How to Prepare the Chocolate Layer:
- Add the unsweetened cocoa powder to the mixer and combine until it is fully incorporated. This may take a few minutes.
- Remove the chocolate dough from the mixer and divide the chocolate dough into TWO pieces.
- Form each chocolate piece of dough into ½ inch thick squares and wrap them individually in plastic wrap.
- Divide the vanilla dough into TWO pieces, form each vanilla piece of dough into ½ 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.
How to Roll Out the Cookies:
- 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.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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 Bake the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove the logs from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap.
- Lay the log on a cutting board and slice into ¼ inch thick rounds.
- Place the 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.
- 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.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
48Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 101Total Fat: 5.9gSaturated Fat: 3.7gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 52mgCarbohydrates: 11.6gFiber: 0.4gSugar: 5.3gProtein: 1g
This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2011 with new photos and a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!
Look great. Taste much better than look 😉 please more
Hi Lois!
found your great recipe through Wined Down Wednesday. Beautiful step-by-step photos, really helpful! And can taste the cookies now!
Thank you Lee Ann!
These cookies are pretty and look delicious. I can't wait to try them. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday.
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
Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoy the cookies! And yes, they're really not that hard!!!
These look like they'd be fun to make and your photos are so beautiful!! I love the design they have when they're cut. Yum, yum! Enjoyed doing this fun holiday blog hop with you! 🙂
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Thanks for visiting. I loved joining the blog hop as well this year.
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!
Thank you Kendra!!
Yum! I never think to make swirl cookies, but I may have to try these!
Thank you for visiting!
I've always wanted to make these but was so intimidated. You make it look easy. Hope to try these next week. Thanks for hopping and sharing! Love this recipe.
Thank you Cindy! I was always intimated too. Let me know how they turn out for you!
Hi Lois, these are so perfect looking that I would never guess they have not been store bought....thanks so much for sharing the goodness!
Wow! Thanks for the compliment.
These cookies are so pretty!! And thanks for showing in detail how to make them!!
Thank you for visiting!
Love all the inspiration you give!! I can't wait to try these!
Thank you for visiting Kelly and your kind comment.
Absolutely love the swirl in these cookies!!
Thanks for visiting Jennifer! Loved joining the blog hop with you today.
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.
These are SO pretty! They'd make for a lovely addition to any Christmas cookie plate 🙂 Thanks for blog hopping with me!
Thank you Katherine! I'm so happy to be included this year in the blog hop!
This is the cutest cookie and they sound wonderful! Thank you for sharing! It was fun touring with you this week! Pinning!
Thank you Lindsay! I really enjoyed the blog hop as well.
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
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!
Hi Lois, these look so pretty and good! And I've bookmarked this page so I can try out the chicken enchiladas, they will be good for those days when I have some leftover chicken. Thanks for the recipe!
those cookies look fun to make, i may have to try them! isn't pinterest "the bomb"? i'm addicted.
They look yummy! All your recipes do!
It will be interesting and close-- what happens tomorrow in the primary!
Have a great weekend!
Those sure do look yummy!! I love anything with choc. I have the coffee on so I guess I am ready for one LOL
Hugs
Both the cookies and chicken look awesome!
I want to make pinwheel cookies from Chicago - kind of pink and vanilla. I bet I could do that with these.
And those cheese enchiladas look delish!
sandie
Three sticks of butter? I bet these are FANTASTIC!
What a yummy looking cookie. I bet it is tasty too. I don't bake cookies much, but this one might just be the one I try.
One of these pretty cookies would be good with a cup of coffee this a.m.!!! Have a wonderful weekend!
OK...I think you love Pinterest as much as I do! Those cookies look so good! Anything having to do with chocolate...I'm in!
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
Pretty cookies! Looks like a fun project to go with some great coffee. 🙂
You tempt my tummy every time I stop by. These look so good.
Good morning, Lois!
What a pretty cookie! It has the best of both worlds swirled into a tempting cookie. Thanks for sharing this recipe.