Description
These festive poinsettia cookies are a holiday favorite with a rich cream cheese dough and vibrant colors, perfect for gifting or enjoying with hot cocoa.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz (115g) cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- Red gel food coloring
Instructions
- Make the Dough (10 minutes): In a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the vanilla extract and salt, then gradually mix in the flour until combined. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Divide and Color (5 minutes): Split the dough into two equal portions. Leave one plain, and color the other with red gel food coloring. Knead the food coloring into the dough until evenly colored.
- Chill the Dough (30 minutes): Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. This step is crucial for rolling out the dough smoothly.
- Roll and Layer (10 minutes): Roll out both portions of dough into rectangles about ¼ inch thick. Place the red dough on top of the plain dough and gently press them together.
- Shape the Pinwheels (10 minutes): Starting at one edge, roll the layered dough into a tight log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and chill again for 15 minutes to firm up.
- Cut and Shape (10 minutes): Slice the dough log into ¼-inch rounds. Use a small star or flower-shaped cookie cutter to create the poinsettia design. Arrange the cookies on a lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one.
- Bake (12-14 minutes): Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
[‘Chill the dough thoroughly for easier rolling and shaping.’, ‘Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without altering the dough texture.’, ‘Work quickly with cold dough to prevent stickiness.’, ‘Avoid overbaking to keep the cookies soft and tender.’]
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Protein: 2
Keywords: holiday cookies, festive cookies, cream cheese cookies, poinsettia cookies, Christmas cookies, pinwheel cookies