Valentine’s Day Pinwheel Cookies

I love this recipe for Valentine’s Day Pinwheel cookies so much, I’m so thrilled with how they turned out, and I’m so excited to be sharing it all with you! I used my favorite Pinwheel Cookie recipe to make these cookies, but added the twist of the red swirl as well as shaping the cookies into the adorable heart shape. This recipe tastes like a delicious, buttery, soft, tender sugar cookie. I also use vanilla extract to help flavor these cookies, but you can totally use whatever flavor extracts you prefer to make these to your liking :)

How To Make Valentine’s Day Pinwheel Cookies

So the last time I made Pinwheel Cookies, it was my Log Pinwheel Cookies around Christmas time, and my love for pinwheel cookies just went through the roof! :) So I was so happy to be making them again for Valentine’s Day :) This recipe turns out so delicous and they’re so easy to make :)

• Make an easy and delicious vanilla-flavored cookie dough
• Tint half of it red, I use Americolor food gel (it’s my absolute faaaavorite)
• Roll, stack, and chill (sounds like a killer dance move lol)
• Roll into a pinwheel log
• Shape into hearts
• Slice and bake! Easy peasy!

The result?! Perfectly swirled heart-shaped cookies that look bakery-worthy but are totally doable at home :)

Key Ingredients

The reason why I always believe that homemade is ALWAYS better is that I love it when you can take common household ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, and eggs and create something so beautiful and delicious. This recipe uses all simple ingredients, and you’ll be left with the yummiest, most festive cookies :)

• All-purpose flour – Gives the cookies structure while keeping them soft
• Baking powder – Helps the cookies puff just slightly
• Unsalted butter – Room temperature butter ensures a smooth, creamy dough
• Granulated sugar – Sweetens and keeps the cookies crisp on the edges
• Egg + egg yolk – Adds richness and tenderness
• Vanilla extract – Enhances the buttery flavor
• Red gel food dye – Creates that bold Valentine’s Day color without affecting texture

Gel Food Dye vs. Liquid Food Dye

When making pinwheel cookies, gel food dye is the way to go.
Why gel food dye works best:

• Highly concentrated color
• Requires fewer drops
• Won’t thin out the dough
• Produces vibrant reds (perfect for Valentine’s Day!)

How to Store Valentine’s Day Pinwheel Cookies

Room temperature:
Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Refrigerator:
The dough log can be stored wrapped tightly for up to 3 days before slicing and baking.
Freezer:
Freeze the shaped dough log for up to 2 months. Thaw slightly, slice, and bake as directed.

Valentine’s Day Pinwheel Cookies

Recipe by Maddison Koutrouba – thesqueakymixer.com

4.4 from 12 votes

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Servings

12-15

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

9

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on.

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 tsp. baking powder

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1-2 red gel food dye

Directions

• Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Add the dry ingredients from step one to the wet ingredients. Continue to mix until a nice, soft dough forms.
• Divide the dough in half. To one-half add 2-3 drops of red gel food dye.
• Roll each uncolored and red dough to about a 10″-16″ rectangle. Stack on top of each other, divided by parchment paper. Let it chill for about 30 minutes.
• Once the dough has chilled, place the red sheet of dough on top of the uncolored dough. The dough should be pliable enough to bend and roll without cracking. Once this is workable, roll the dough with the white dough on the outside, rolling into a log.
• Place the spiral log of dough in the fridge to chill for at least one hour.
• Once the dough has chilled, gently pinch the bottom of the roll with your hands to create the bottom point of the heart. Use a skewer to make the indent in the top of the heart. Gently mold the dough to mimic the heart shape. Chill the dough again for at least 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Slice the log of dough into about 1/2″ thick cookies.
• Place the cookies about 1 1/2″ apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes.
• Once finished baking, allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Enjoy!

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