These pretty and simple little cookies were the perfect addition of color and shape for our Christmas cookie collection last year. Planning to make them again this year! This recipe is a slight adaptation from Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters, where this cookie was originally a chocolate and vanilla pinwheel (you can make it chocolate by adding 2 oz. melted bitter chocolate to one-half of the dough, instead of red food dye.) Happy baking!

Pink and White Pinwheels 

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2/3 c. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla extract
red food dye

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment cream the butter well; then add the sugar and continue creaming until light and fluffy. Add the egg and then the vanilla.

On the low setting, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Divide the dough in half and return half the dough to the mixer. Add a couple drops of red dye and mix to combine. Wrap dough in wax paper and chill both halves of dough 1 hour, or until firm enough to roll.

Roll red dough between 2 sheets of wax paper into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle. Repeat for vanilla dough. Remove top sheets of wax paper and invert vanilla dough onto red dough. Remove remaining wax paper. Roll both doughs together, jelly-roll style. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate at least 3 hours (or freeze 1 hour) until firm.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with foil, shiny side up. Coat the foil with vegetable spray or use a silicone liner.

Butter a sheet pan. Unwrap the roll and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Place them 1 1/2 inches apart on the sheet pan and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until edges just begin to brown. Coll on a rack. Store between sheets of wax paper in a covered tin.