Dessert

Spiral Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe

ByElena Hart November 10, 2025November 10, 2025

Introduction

These Spiral Christmas Sugar Cookies are a festive treat perfect for the holiday season. With their colorful swirls and sprinkle-coated edges, they bring both flavor and cheer to your cookie platter. Soft, buttery, and slightly tangy from cream cheese, they’re sure to delight family and friends.

A stack of seven round swirl cookies is shown, each cookie having two visible colored layers in a spiral pattern—red and light green. The edge of each cookie is thickly covered with small round sprinkles in red, green, white, and black, giving a textured and festive feel. The cookies are stacked neatly on a dark surface with scattered sprinkles around them, and some blurred cookies appear in the background along with red berries and green pine leaves. The overall look emphasizes the bright colors of the cookies and the holiday theme. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 cup salted butter (softened)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 ounces cream cheese (softened, about 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 large egg
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2-3 drops red food coloring

2-3 drops green food coloring
1/2 cup sprinkles (red, green, or white)

Instructions

Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and softened cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add light corn syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract, and the egg. Mix well, scraping down the sides and bottom as needed.

Step 2: Switch to the paddle attachment and add flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together with no dry streaks.
Step 3: Divide the dough into three equal portions. Leave one plain, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Add red food coloring to one portion and green food coloring to the other. Mix each until color is even, then wrap and refrigerate all dough portions for 1 hour.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

Step 5: Roll out each dough portion on a lightly floured surface into rectangles about 1/8 inch thick, making sure they are the same size. Stack the rectangles, trim edges for a clean rectangle, and gently roll over the stack with a rolling pin to seal layers.
Step 6: Starting from a long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Slice into cookies 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Roll the edges of each cookie in sprinkles to coat, then place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 7: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and bottoms are lightly golden. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips & Variations

For more vivid colors, add food coloring gradually until you reach your desired shade.
Use a mix of holiday-themed sprinkles to add extra festive flair.
If you don’t have cream cheese, substitute with an extra 2 tablespoons of butter for a slightly different texture.

Storage

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. They can be gently warmed before serving if you prefer a softer texture, but they are delicious straight from storage as well.

How to Serve

The image shows a round wooden plate holding six festive swirl cookies. Each cookie has three spiral layers: a red outer layer, a white middle layer, and a green inner layer, creating a clear swirl pattern. The edge of each cookie is decorated with small red, green, white, and black round sprinkles, adding texture and color contrast. The plate rests on a white marbled textured background, with bright red berries and deep green leaves blurred in the background, hinting at a holiday theme. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the dough and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before rolling and baking. This can help develop the flavors and make rolling easier.

What if I don’t have a stand mixer?

You can use a hand mixer or mix by hand with a sturdy spoon. Cream the butter, sugar, and cream cheese well before adding the remaining ingredients to achieve a smooth dough.