pinwheel christmas cookie

Pinwheel Christmas Cookie

Each year I look for one or two new Christmas cookies to try.

This one from Southern Living Magazine caught my eye today.

I did substitute almond extract as I already have another mint cookie.

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cup cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract (I used almond extract)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
red food coloring paste or gel

Directions
Beat butter until creamy (about 2 minutes). Gradually add sugar beating well. Add eggs and extracts.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture until blended.

Divide dough in half and mix food coloring into one portion. Wrap each with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.

Divide each half of dough into two equal portions. You will now have two red disks and two white disks.

On 4 pieces of waxed paper draw an 8x8 square. Roll out each section of dough on the floured waxed paper into the 8x8 square.

Place one white square on top of one red square. Tightly roll up jelly-roll fashion, peeling wax paper from red square as you go. Repeat with remaining two squares

Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and chill for 1-2 hours until firm.

Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap and cut dough into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake in batches until bottoms are lightly browned, 12-14 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: about 5 dozen.