Valentine swirl cookies are buttery slice and bake cookies with a pink and vanilla pinwheel inside and a sprinkle coated edge.
The dough is simple, with butter, flour, powdered sugar, and vanilla, and half of it gets tinted pink. You roll the two colors into a log, coat it in sprinkles, chill it, and slice it, so you can bake as many or as few cookies as you want. The batch makes about 36 cookies.
Table of Contents
Why This Valentine Swirl Cookies Recipe Works
Powdered sugar makes the dough smooth and tender, and there are no eggs, so the cookies bake up soft with a shortbread style crumb. The simple dough takes color well, which is what makes the swirl stand out.
Rolling the two colors together and chilling them gives clean, sharp pinwheels when you slice the log. Brushing a little water between the layers helps them stick so the swirl does not unravel in the oven.
Because the log keeps in the refrigerator or freezer, you can make the dough days ahead and slice fresh cookies whenever you want a batch. That is handy for Valentines Day parties, classroom treats, or gift boxes.
Ingredients for Valentine Swirl Cookies
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar, unsifted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pink or red gel food coloring
- 1 cup seasonal sprinkles, for rolling
All purpose flour: Measure by spooning and leveling. Too much flour makes the dough crumbly and hard to roll.
Softened butter: It should be cool to the touch and soft enough to press with a finger. This makes the dough smooth without becoming greasy.
Powdered sugar: It dissolves fully, giving a smooth, tender cookie. Keep a little extra on hand for dusting your work surface.
Gel food coloring: A small amount gives a rich pink. Knead it into the dough until the color is even with no streaks.
Seasonal sprinkles: Jimmies and nonpareils stick ideal. About half the sprinkles will coat the log, and the rest can be saved for another use.
Parchment paper: It keeps the dough from sticking while you roll it between sheets and helps you lift the layers.
How to Make Valentine Swirl Cookies
1. Mix the base. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar on low speed.
2. Add the butter. Add the butter a few chunks at a time and mix on medium low until the mixture looks crumbly, then add the vanilla and mix until the dough forms a ball.
3. Divide and tint. Split the dough in half. Return one half to the mixer, add the food coloring, and mix until the color is evenly spread.
4. Roll out. Roll each portion between two sheets of parchment paper into a rectangle about 11 by 9 inches and 1/4 inch thick. Slide both onto a baking sheet.
5. Chill. Refrigerate the rectangles for at least 1 hour until firm.
6. Layer the dough. Peel off the top sheets. Brush the plain dough lightly with water, flip the pink dough on top, press the edges to seal, and trim the sides straight.
7. Roll the log. Starting from a long side, roll the dough up like a jelly roll, then roll the log in the sprinkles to coat the outside.
8. Chill again. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, or freeze for up to 3 months.
9. Slice and bake. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the log into 1/4 inch rounds, place them on parchment lined sheets, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges turn light golden. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet, then move to a rack.
How to Serve Valentine Swirl Cookies
Arrange the cookies on a platter for Valentines Day parties, or tuck them into small cellophane bags for gifts. They look lovely on a tray with pink frosted sugar cookies, rolled sugar cookies, and easy cut out sugar cookies. For something richer next to them, add a few squares of red velvet brownies. A cup of hot cocoa or a glass of cold milk is all you need on the side.
How to Store and Reheat Valentine Swirl Cookies
Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The unbaked dough log keeps wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If the log is frozen, let it thaw in the refrigerator for about an hour before slicing. Baked cookies can also be frozen with parchment between the layers for up to 3 months.
Tips and Variations for Valentine Swirl Cookies
Keep the dough cool. If the dough softens while you work, return it to the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Roll evenly. Use rolling pin guides or measure the thickness so the layers match and the swirl stays even.
Wet, not soaked. Brush the water on very lightly, since too much makes the layers slide.
Roll tightly. Press out any air pockets while rolling so the swirl stays solid after slicing.
Turn the log while slicing. Rotate it a quarter turn after each slice or two so one side does not flatten.
Change the colors. Use red, purple, or green coloring and matching sprinkles for other holidays.
Add some flavor. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of almond or strawberry extract into the colored half for a subtle fruity twist.
Wrap safely. Keep the dough log wrapped and cold, and for general guidance on food safety in the kitchen, see this FDA food safety guidance for consumers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Valentine Swirl Cookies
How Do You Make Valentine Swirl Cookies?
Tint half of a simple butter dough pink, layer it with the plain dough, roll it into a log, coat it in sprinkles, chill it, then slice and bake.
Can I Make Valentine Swirl Cookies Ahead of Time?
Yes. The dough log keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, so you can slice and bake whenever you like.
Why Did My Valentine Swirl Cookies Unroll?
The layers may not have stuck together. Brush the plain dough lightly with water, press the edges to seal, roll tightly, and chill the log well before slicing.
Can I use different colors?
Yes. Any gel color works, and you can pair it with matching sprinkles for other holidays and parties.
Do the cookies need eggs?
No. This dough has no eggs, which gives the cookies a tender, shortbread style texture and makes the dough easier to handle.
Valentine Swirl Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheets
- Pastry brush
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar unsifted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, cut into chunks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp pink or red gel food coloring
- 1 cup seasonal sprinkles for rolling
Instructions
Cooking
- Mix. Combine the dry ingredients and sugars, then mix in the butter and vanilla until the dough forms a ball. Tint. Divide the dough in half and mix the food coloring into one half.
- Roll. Roll each half between parchment sheets into an 11 by 9 inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick.
- Chill. Refrigerate both rectangles for 1 hour.
- Layer and roll. Brush the plain dough with water, top with the pink dough, and roll into a log.
- Coat. Roll the log in sprinkles, wrap it, and chill for 2 hours.
- Bake. Slice into 1/4 inch rounds and bake at 350 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes.
