Last December, Emma's class had a holiday baking contest and he desperately wanted to bring "something that looks really fancy and Christmas-y." I suggested these peppermint swirl cookies I'd seen at a bakery, and he worried they'd be too complicated for us to make at home. Two hours later, we had the most stunning red and white swirl cookies cooling on racks, and they won first place for presentation.The festive swirl pattern combined with refreshing peppermint flavor creates the most impressive Christmas cookies that look professionally made but use simple sugar cookie dough.
Why You'll Love This Peppermint Swirl Cookies
These Peppermint Swirl Cookies have rescued countless cookie exchanges when I needed something that looked incredibly impressive without requiring advanced decorating skills or artistic talent that most home bakers don't possess. The distinctive peppermint-flavored desserts swirl pattern happens naturally during the rolling process rather than requiring you to paint or pipe designs onto plain cookies, which means visual impact comes from technique rather than steady hands. I love that these homemade cookie recipes use basic ingredients you probably already have for other holiday baking – just butter, sugar, flour, and peppermint extract with red food coloring creating dramatic appearance.
What really wins me over is how these soft Peppermint Swirl Cookies stay fresh and maintain their beautiful appearance for up to two weeks when stored properly in airtight containers, making them perfect for baking Christmas cookies well ahead of actual celebrations without quality degradation. The rolled cookie dough freezes beautifully either shaped or as logs, meaning you can prep everything weeks early and bake fresh cookies whenever you need them without advance notice or last-minute stress. These chewy mint cookies work throughout the entire holiday season from Thanksgiving through New Year's, not just Christmas despite their obviously festive red and white appearance.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Peppermint Swirl Cookies
- Ingredients You'll Need For Peppermint Swirl Cookies
- How To Make Peppermint Swirl Cookies Step By Step
- Storing Your Peppermint Swirl Cookies
- Peppermint Swirl Cookies Variations
- Equipment For Peppermint Swirl Cookies
- Smart Swaps for Your Peppermint Swirl Cookies
- Top Tip
- The Secret Sauce My Sister Keeps to Herself
- FAQ
- Holiday Baking Made Beautiful!
- Related
- Pairing
- Peppermint Swirl Cookies
Ingredients You'll Need For Peppermint Swirl Cookies
For the Vanilla Dough:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
For the Peppermint Dough:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Red food coloring (gel preferred)
Optional Decorations:
- Extra peppermint extract for stronger flavor
- Crushed candy canes for rolling edges
- White chocolate for drizzling
- Powdered sugar for dusting
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Peppermint Swirl Cookies Step By Step
Make Two Cookie Doughs:
Make two sugar-cookie doughs using the same method: one vanilla, one peppermint (colored red). Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in an egg and the appropriate extract. Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder, then mix into the butter mixture just until combined to avoid toughness. Tint the peppermint dough with red gel color. Divide each dough in half, wrap tightly, and chill for at least 1 hour to firm up for rolling.
Roll and Layer Doughs:
Let the vanilla and peppermint dough rest for about 10 minutes until slightly pliable but still cool. Roll each into a 10×12-inch rectangle about ¼ inch thick, keeping the sizes as similar as possible. Place the vanilla layer on a sheet of parchment, then carefully lay the peppermint layer on top, aligning the edges. Gently press or lightly roll over the surface to help the layers adhere and remove any air pockets.
Create the Swirl:
Starting from a long edge, roll the layered dough tightly into a log, using the parchment to lift and guide it so you don’t warm or distort the dough with your hands. Keep the roll firm and compact to create a clean, dramatic spiral rather than loose layers with gaps. Once the dough is fully rolled, wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to firm it up this ensures the dough slices cleanly instead of squishing into uneven shapes.
Slice and Bake:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment. Unwrap the chilled dough log and slice it into ¼-inch rounds with a sharp knife, rotating the log as you cut to keep it evenly shaped. If the dough softens, chill it again for about 15 minutes. Arrange the slices 2 inches apart on the baking sheets, adding crushed candy cane to the edges if you like. Bake for 10–12 minutes, just until the edges begin to turn golden while the centers remain slightly soft. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Decorate and Store:
Once the cookies have fully cooled, you can serve them as they are or dress them up with simple decorations. A drizzle of melted white chocolate adds an elegant touch, while a light dusting of powdered sugar gives a snowy, festive look. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks, separating layers with parchment to prevent sticking. They also freeze well for up to three months freeze them on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to freezer bags. Let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before enjoying.
Storing Your Peppermint Swirl Cookies
Room Temperature (2 weeks):
- Airtight container essential
- Layer with parchment paper
- Don't refrigerate
- Stays soft and chewy
Freezer - Baked Cookies (3 months):
- Freeze flat then bag
- Thaw at room temperature
- Quality maintained
- Perfect make-ahead
Freezer - Dough Logs (3 months):
- Fresh cookies anytime
- Wrap tightly in plastic
- Slice and bake from frozen
- Add 2 minutes to baking time
Peppermint Swirl Cookies Variations
Candy Cane Crunch:
- Roll edges in crushed candy canes
- Extra peppermint flavor
- Beautiful sparkle
- Candy cane cookies texture
Chocolate Drizzle:
- Melt dark chocolate
- Drizzle over cooled cookies
- Peppermint bark cookies vibe
- Elegant finish
Triple Swirl:
- Make three dough colors
- Chocolate, vanilla, peppermint
- More complex pattern
- Extra impressive
Lemon Peppermint:
- Add lemon zest to vanilla dough
- Unexpected freshness
- Citrus-mint combination
- Summer variation
Equipment For Peppermint Swirl Cookies
- Rolling pin
- Sharp knife for slicing
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Plastic wrap for chilling
Smart Swaps for Your Peppermint Swirl Cookies
Different Flavors:
- Almond extract → Peppermint (different twist)
- Vanilla in both → Peppermint (less minty)
- Chocolate dough → Vanilla (chocolate peppermint pinwheel cookies)
- Orange extract → Peppermint (citrus variation)
Color Options:
- Green dye → Red (Christmas alternative)
- Blue dye → Red (winter wonderland)
- Leave white and red → Both colored
- Pink dye → Red (Valentine's option)
Texture Variations:
- Reduce flour slightly → Standard amount (softer)
- Add cocoa powder to one dough → Plain vanilla
- Use brown sugar → White sugar (chewier)
- Add cream cheese → Standard dough (tangy)
Top Tip
- Chill Dough Thoroughly The biggest mistake people make is trying to roll or slice dough that isn't cold enough, creating a sticky mess that tears, distorts, and loses its shape instead of behaving cooperatively. The butter in the dough needs to be firm for the dough to maintain structure during rolling and slicing. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate longer than the recipe suggests – even overnight is fine and actually makes everything easier.
- Roll Tightly for Dramatic Swirls The tightness of your initial roll directly determines how impressive your final swirl pattern looks in Peppermint Swirl Cookies. Loose rolling creates wide, lazy swirls with lots of space between colors that look amateur; tight rolling creates multiple tight spirals that look professional and intentional. Use the parchment paper under the dough to help achieve tight rolling without touching the dough excessively with your warm hands.
- Use Gel Food Coloring Liquid food coloring adds excess moisture to dough and creates dull, pale color that looks pink rather than vibrant red in photos. Gel food coloring is concentrated, so a tiny amount creates vivid color without changing dough consistency. Start with just a small dot of gel on a toothpick, mix thoroughly, then add more if needed until you achieve the dramatic red that will photograph beautifully and create striking contrast against white vanilla dough.
The Secret Sauce My Sister Keeps to Herself
My sister has been making peppermint swirl cookies for her bakery for nearly a decade, and her version always looked noticeably better than mine even though we supposedly used the same recipe our mother taught us both years ago. Her spirals were more defined and dramatic, her red was more vibrant, and her peppermint swirl cookies somehow maintained their shape better without spreading into flat discs like mine occasionally did. Every time I asked what she did differently, she'd smile mysteriously and say just practice and experience" which I knew was code for "I have a secret I'm not sharing with you yet.
Last holiday season after several glasses of wine, she finally confessed her secret: she freezes the rolled dough logs for 30 minutes before slicing instead of just refrigerating them, which makes the dough cold enough that it slices perfectly clean without any dragging or smearing of the layers. She also brushes the outside of each log with a tiny bit of water and rolls it in red sanding sugar before freezing, which creates a sparkly crystallized edge on every single cookie that catches light beautifully and makes them look bakery-professional. Now that I know her tricks.
FAQ
What happens if I don't refrigerate my cookies?
If you don't refrigerate the dough before slicing, it will be too soft to cut cleanly, creating smooshed, distorted peppermint swirl cookies with ruined swirl patterns instead of crisp spirals. The butter needs to be firm for the dough to hold its shape during slicing. Trying to cut warm dough just drags the knife through, blurring the red and white layers into each other. Additionally, unchilled dough spreads excessively during baking, creating flat cookies that lose their distinctive swirl pattern.
What pronouns does peppermint cookie use?
This question appears to reference Cookie Run Kingdom, a mobile game where Peppermint Cookie is a character. In the game, Peppermint Cookie uses she/her pronouns and is characterized as energetic and determined. However, this article focuses on the actual baked peppermint swirl cookies recipe rather than the game character. If you're looking for Cookie Run Kingdom character information, you'd want to search gaming resources rather than baking recipes. For the actual cookies we're making here, they're delicious regardless of any pronouns!
What is the secret to making Spritz cookies?
While this article is about peppermint swirl cookies rather than spritz cookies, the secret to successful spritz cookies is using room temperature (not cold) dough and a proper cookie press. The dough needs to be soft enough to push through the press easily but firm enough to hold detailed shapes after pressing. Chilling spritz dough makes it too stiff to press properly. Additionally, pressing directly onto ungreased, room-temperature baking sheets helps cookies stick initially and maintain their pressed shape.
Do you need to spray parchment paper when baking cookies?
No, you don't need to spray parchment paper when baking peppermint swirl cookies – that's the entire benefit of using parchment! Parchment paper is naturally non-stick, so cookies release easily without any additional greasing. In fact, spraying parchment can cause cookies to spread more than intended and become greasy on the bottom. Just place parchment directly on your baking sheet and place cookies on top. If you're using silicone baking mats instead of parchment, those are also non-stick and require no spraying.
Holiday Baking Made Beautiful!
Now you have all the secrets to creating these incredible peppermint swirl cookies that prove impressive baking doesn't require professional skills. From the candy cane crunch trick to the sparkly sugar edge, this recipe shows that technique beats talent for beautiful results every time.
Want more stunning cookies? Our The Best Snowball Cookies Recipe deliver dramatic contrast. Try our The Best Peanut Butter Brownie Swirl Cookies Recipe for customizable shapes. For mint lovers, our Easy Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe add chocolate to peppermint perfection.
Made these peppermint swirl cookies? We love seeing your beautiful spirals and hearing about your cookie exchange victories.
Rate this Peppermint Swirl Cookies! Your ratings help others discover these showstopping cookies that actually deliver on their impressive appearance.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Peppermint Swirl Cookies
Peppermint Swirl Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Rolling Pin (For flattening dough evenly)
- 1 Sharp knife (For clean slicing of chilled dough log)
- 2–3 Baking sheets (Lined with parchment)
- As needed Parchment paper (For rolling, layering, and baking)
- As needed Plastic wrap (For chilling dough)
- 1 Wire cooling rack (To cool cookies evenly)
Ingredients
Vanilla Dough
- 1 cup butter - softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour - spooned & leveled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Peppermint Dough
- 1 cup butter - softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour - spooned & leveled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- — — Red gel food coloring - Use gel for vibrant color
Optional Decorations
- As desired — Crushed candy canes - Roll edges for crunch
- As desired — White chocolate - For drizzling
- As desired — Powdered sugar - Dusting
- As desired — Red sanding sugar - For sparkly edges
Instructions
- Prepare two sugar-cookie doughs: one vanilla and one peppermint (red-colored), creaming butter and sugar, then adding egg and extract, and mixing in dry ingredients. Chill at least 1 hour.
- Roll each dough into rectangles and layer peppermint dough on top of vanilla, pressing lightly to adhere.
- Roll the layered dough tightly into a log using parchment, wrap, and chill 2 hours or overnight. Optional: freeze 30 minutes for cleaner slices and roll in sanding sugar.
- Slice the chilled dough log into ¼-inch rounds and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes until edges just begin to turn golden.
- Cool completely, optionally decorate with white chocolate or powdered sugar, and store in an airtight container (or freeze baked cookies/dough logs).
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