Colorful Spiral Cookies

Colorful Spiral Cookies

Just try to be in a bad mood around one of these. Impossible!

I was naturally drawn to these because of the bright, eye-catching swirl, not to mention the jumbo sprinkles-encrusted edges!  If anything, these should be the SB mascot, because they are everything I love.  Bright, happy, buttery and delicious. Also versatile!

I spied these first here, (green-tea version) and then here (peppermint version).  I’ve looked at these countless times, and I’m not sure why I didn’t make these earlier.  Maybe because the dough is made in the food processor and I really hate digging / lugging that thing out of my pantry. I soon vowed to make my food processor more accessible because it did all of the work! Now I kinda wish all doughs could be made in the food processor.

Colorful Spiral Cookies

Another thing I love about these is that they are SLICE and BAKE. You could easily put the unused portion in the freezer for later. 

Colorful Spiral Cookies

I won’t go much into preparation here, because that’s all in the recipe, but here are some pictures to give you an idea of the process.

Colorful Spiral Cookies

I wanted to make my dough even on all sides, so I trimmed some away to make an even roll.

I used Wilton’s rose gel food coloring.  I like gel coloring for this because it doesn’t add much moisture to the dough. You can use any kind of extract for flavoring.  I used Strawberry, and the whole house smelled like baked strawberry shortcake.  Very yummy!   

Colorful Spiral Cookies

You’ll then encrust the dough with jumbo (or other) sprinkles.  I cut my roll in half, and rolled one half in smaller sprinkles. The above kinda looks like a sprinkle-coated ham doesn’t it?

Speaking of ham

Colorful Spiral Cookies

Some of you may wonder why there are so many pictures of my dog, Biscuit, included in my posts.  The truth is, he is stuck to me like glue!  He never leaves my side, and he always watches patiently in a chair as I work on projects and take photos. While editing photos, I rarely have a group that doesn’t include him sticking his head (and nose, see above) where it doesn’t belong.  He’s never been alone for any extended period of time. I have a day job working from home for a Pathology company, and this has made him my constant companion.

I’ll say “Biiiissscuit…no-no!”  and he’ll look at me like this…

Colorful Spiral Cookies

…and all my disciplinary plans fly out the window.

Colorful Spiral Cookies

I think this version turned out cute too, although I really like the larger jumbo non-pariels better.  I realize some people have an aversion to sprinkles, or a mind-set that they are only for kids, or that they just plain taste bad.  Some do taste bad!  The jumbo sprinkles I used are from Wilton. They are fruit-flavored and very tasty, but there are other sprinkles you could use – just think of the variations!  Crushed pistachio nuts with a green-pistachio spiral, or crushed oreos with a chocolate spiral.  I can’t wait to try them all!

EDIT: Laurie at Dalla Mia Cucina made them – check out her pretty version. 

Colorful Spiral Cookies

I couldn’t stop taking pictures, they are just so bright and happy!

Colorful Spiral Cookies

I suppose I should stop getting carried away with the photos and post the recipe.  Here it is!

EDIT 12/19/11 -PLEASE READ:

I have reviewed this recipe, and cannot recommend another method other than making it in the food processor.  Making it in the Kitchenaid was problematic and I ended up with a poorly rolled, tough cookie. The cookie itself is a French sable/shortbready-tasting cookie.  It’s subtly sweet, so if you are a fan of drop cookies with lots of sweetness and chocolate chips etc., then this may not be the cookie for you.  

Please note that there are new sprinkles on the market manufactured by Wilton that are only for decoration. They will melt in the oven and ruin your cookies! Be sure to check the labels before you buy. Do not use sprinkles labeled as “not recommended for baked applications”. See reader photo.

Colorful Spiral Cookies

Colorful Spiral Cookies

Heather Baird
These slice and bake cookies are swirled inside and covered with colorful sprinkles. Keep a roll in your freezer for your next impromptu celebration!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 3 dozen

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 cups unsifted cake flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • cup unsifted powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • sticks unsalted butter cold
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon strawberry or otherextract
  • ½ teaspoon or moreRose food coloring
  • 2 tablespoon unsifted cake flour
  • cups multi-colored nonpareil decors

Instructions
 

  • Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugars in a food processor and process briefly to mix. Add the butter in pieces; process with on/off bursts until the mixture has the consistency of cornmeal. Add the vanilla and process until the mixture just forms a ball.
  • Divide the dough into 2 equal portions then return one of the portions to the food processor. Add the strawberry extract, food coloring, and the extra tablespoons of flour to the processor and process until just incorporated.
  • Roll out each portion of dough between sheets of waxed paper. You want a rectangle about 11 × 8½ inches by ⅛ inch thick. Leave the dough between the sheets of waxed paper and slide onto a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
  • Remove dough pieces from refrigerator. Pour the nonpareil decors into a shallow rectangular dish (such as a 9 × 13-inch pan.
  • Peel off the top sheet of waxed paper from both doughs. Brush the vanilla dough very lightly with water. Using the waxed paper, lift the strawberry dough and flip it onto the vanilla dough so they are stacked. Press with your fingertips to seal the two doughs together. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper and trim the edges even.
  • When the dough is just pliable (but still cold), roll up the dough(begin with the long side) like a jellyroll. As you begin to roll, gently curl the edge with your fingertips so you don’t get any air pockets as you roll dough into a log. As you roll, the vanilla portion may want to tear, pinch tears together as they happen and keep rolling.
  • After forming the dough into a log, throw away the waxed paper. Gently lift the log on top of the nonpareil decors in the dish and roll until the log is completely coated with decors. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to slice (from 4 hours to a week, or freeze for up to 2 months; defrost in the refrigerator overnight before slicing).
  • Heat oven to 325°. To bake, slice the log into ⅛- to ¼-inch-thick cookies and bake on parchment-lined baking sheets for 15 to 17 minutes, until the cookies are no longer shiny on top and the bottoms of the vanilla portion are golden.
Keyword rainbow nonpareils, slice-and-bake cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Happy Joyful Baking!

Love, 

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Sandie {Inn Cuisine}
Sandie {Inn Cuisine}
14 years ago

Love these cookies, especially with the multi-colored sprinkles. I know my kids would love them too. On second thought, who am I fooling? If I make them—I'm making them for me! But I will be nice & share 😉

Krista
Krista
14 years ago

I'm one of those people with an aversion to sprinkles! But I am SO glad I kept reading through this post because when I read the phrase "crushed oreos with a chocolate spiral" my life became complete. I am making these ASAP!!

Maria
Maria
14 years ago

I love these. They are so fun! Gorgeous photos too!

Gala
Gala
14 years ago

Woooow super cute cookies! Sooo pretty, love them. Love biscuit.

Sue
Sue
14 years ago

I LOVE these! Your spiral is perfect! Each time I visit your blog my list of things to make just gets longer! Your Biscuit cracks me up:)

Johnny
Johnny
14 years ago

Ohhhh too much!!! I LOVE these!!!!! And the photos! Thanks for brightening up my day!

April
April
14 years ago

These are gorgeous!! I am going to have to bookmark these for Abby's birthday in June!

Tony
Tony
14 years ago

These are definitely one of the most coolest cookie creations I have ever seen. WILL be bookmarking this as well.

Sunday
Sunday
14 years ago

These are the cutest thing I have seen in a long time.My little guy is going to LOVE those 🙂

Mini Baker
Mini Baker
14 years ago

Some of the prettiest cookies I've ever seen!

Ingrid_3Bs
Ingrid_3Bs
14 years ago

Heather they look great! They totally make you want to smile and my grin just got bigger when I saw the photos of Biscuit. It's a soooo cute!
~ingrid

Mara Campbell
Mara Campbell
14 years ago

Okay, all your photos make me happy!! I just loooove these. My kids would go crazy with those and what a great Valentine treat with fun heart sprinkles on the side. Can't wait to make these!

Michelle
Michelle
14 years ago

Thanks for sharing those beautiful and fun cookies! We have a chihuahua that gives that same look. I never want to make her sad.

HoneyBunny
HoneyBunny
14 years ago

Honestly, the best recipe I have seen this morning, definitely love it and will have to make it for a party… my mind is just spinning as I think of all the possible combinations… evil thing that I discovered 😉

Zurin
Zurin
14 years ago

so beautiful!!! they look like sequined cookies!!! really glamorous!

Sherynn @ myBakez
Sherynn @ myBakez
14 years ago

wow! they r so BEAUTIFUL!!!

Libra1007
Libra1007
14 years ago

They are just so bright and happy! I want to reach through the screen and pluck one out.

cookies and cups
cookies and cups
14 years ago

These are gorgeous and the pictures are great! They look so perfect!
I am with you on the food processor. Once you get it out and start using it, it's like "why don't I use this more?" but when it goes back in the dungeon I dread it once again!

bridget {bake at 350}
bridget {bake at 350}
14 years ago

Just popped over from FoodGawker. These are seriously cute!!!

Flirting with Flour
Flirting with Flour
14 years ago

ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!!

Unknown
Unknown
14 years ago

Absolutely breathtaking photos – and these cookies… OH MY! The kiddiewinkles are going to love them!

🙂
ButterYum

Jenn
Jenn
14 years ago

Looks yummy

Amy
Amy
14 years ago

These are just adorable!! What a great idea, rolling them in sprinkles!

Jamie Cooks It Up!
Jamie Cooks It Up!
14 years ago

My girls and I are drooling all over ourselves….what a fun winter activity. We will try them for SURE! Thanks for the cheerful idea!

Unknown
Unknown
14 years ago

These are so cute … can't wait to make them . They are perfect for a picnic I have coming up.

Beth S.
Beth S.
14 years ago

I want to try these so badly! Can anyone give me some more information freezing them? Do I freeze the log and then let it thaw? Or do I freeze the individual cookie slices?

I want to bake and mail 1/2 to my boyfriend and then later bake a 1/2 for me!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
14 years ago

I'm so happy you all like them as much as I do. Heck, I love 'em! To Beth S,(hi!)I have an answer for you. For slice and bake cookies, the cookies should be left in a log for freezing. These slice beautifully when still slightly frozen. I found this little tidbit from the National Cookie Network: "Cookies that are “sliced” and baked should be frozen in rounded logs. Thaw slightly, slice off what you need with a warm knife (dip in hot water), and then put remainder back in the freezer." I haven't tried the "warmed knife" trick, but I… Read more »

Beks
Beks
14 years ago

Oh Em Gee! These are so darn cute. I love the colours. These are moving to the top of things that I want to make this year.

Madame Sucre
Madame Sucre
14 years ago

I absloutly am lucky to find your blog!! everything in it is so inspirational and delicious !!

Rachel@oneprettything.com
Rachel@oneprettything.com
14 years ago

Wow, these are gorgeous! I just clicked over from Craft Gossip and I'm so glad I did. I'll be linking to these if you don't mind- they're amazing! I love all the color variations.

fimere
fimere
14 years ago

des spirales bien gourmandes, bravo pour cette belle présentation
bonne soirée

Susan S
Susan S
14 years ago

These really are happy cookies, they totally put a smile on my face. I'll definitely try these out sometime.

Coastal California
Coastal California
14 years ago

the colors just take me to a happy place! which is especially great after a day of paying bills & now in knee deep in homework…..
I will definitely make these- maybe for valentines day, maybe for whatever. THANKS 🙂
Ada in Coastal Cali

Kat
Kat
14 years ago

These just made my day. I am definitely going to put the ol' Cuisinart to work on this recipe! Thanks for posting!!!

Cate O'Malley
Cate O'Malley
14 years ago

Love them and totally making them – such a happy cookie!

Aurora
Aurora
14 years ago

These are adorable, I'm making them today…and I LOVE the picture of Biscuit with his head tilt, how could you say no to the face!!!

Audacious Allure
Audacious Allure
14 years ago

These cookies are adorable! And I think what I am going to do is add little wooden sticks into them so they mimic lollipops! I Linked Back to you!

Food o' del Mundo
Food o' del Mundo
14 years ago

They remind me of my favorite Homer Simpson quote: "Look at ME, I'm making people HAPPY. I'm the Magical Man from Happy Land in a gum drop house on Lollipop Lane."
Thanks I needed that! ~Mary

Sara
Sara
14 years ago

Just made them this evening, and couldn't wait to take them out and take pictures of my own to share with family back home (I now live overseas)! The only setback was that I don't have a food processor over here yet, so I had to mix it the old-fashioned way with a pastry cutter. Ha. Still worth it, though!

Beth S.
Beth S.
14 years ago

I went to the store and couldn't find any cake flour! 🙁 Is it necessary for this recipe?

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
14 years ago

Hi Beth!
Good news! All-purpose flour will work fine for this recipe.

I'm excited that so many are trying this recipe. I've been seeing some beautiful versions popping up in several blogs!

Sophie
Sophie
14 years ago

These are stunning!

We featured you on our blog as our member in the spotlight! We're impressed by your baking skills :).

Q.
Q.
14 years ago

Looks like something straight out of Willy Wonka or Candy Land. SImply amazing. NEver seen anything like these before!

Jordan - Polkadot Prints
Jordan - Polkadot Prints
14 years ago

Definately added a little sparkle to my blog dose for the day!

Thanks for your post and *Gorgeous* photos, probably couldn't take a bad one if you tried…these things are so photogenic! Ha 🙂

Mansi
Mansi
14 years ago

Extremely beautiful cookies! and how wonderfully executed pinwheels!:) love the red color too:)

this would be perfect for the valentine special giveaway I'm hosting on my blog. I'd like to invite you to participate if you can!:)

http://funandfoodcafe.com/20010/02/valentine-super-bowl-recipe-carnival

AnickH
AnickH
14 years ago

This comment has been removed by the author.

AnickH
AnickH
14 years ago

these are by far the most prettiest cookies ive ever seen!

AnickH
AnickH
14 years ago

sorry i somehow accidently deleted my original comment):

Amanda
Amanda
14 years ago

These are absolutely beautiful!! I love these!

Heidi D
Heidi D
14 years ago

OK, so I'm about a month late posting a comment. Those cookies are so happy. I love them. I wonder if a key lime version would work.

That little puggy has the most perfect pug face I've ever seen. He looks like my daughter's webkins PugPug. If only we could have a real one too.