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    Home > Recipes > Dessert

    Red, White, and Blue Pinwheel Cookies

    Published: Jul 2, 2018 · Modified: Apr 4, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 8 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    a hand holding a red, white and blue pinwheel cookie
    Red White and Blue Pinwheel Cookies
    Red White and Blue Pinwheel Cookies
    Red White and Blue Pinwheel Cookies
    Red White and Blue Pinwheel Cookies
    Red White and Blue Pinwheel Cookies
    red white and blue pinwheel cookies

    a hand holding a pinwheel cookie

    Want to go patriotic with your next dessert? Red, White, and Blue Pinwheel Cookies are just the thing. Buttery and soft, refrigerate them ahead of time to just slice and bake when you're ready to serve!

    pinwheel cookies on a parchment lined sheet pan

    Happy Fourth of July week! Is anyone out there? Hopefully you're off at the pool / beach / lake / beer garden (?) kicking off your week with relaxation and fun! We had an early celebration at my mom's house with fireworks by the lake, a plastic kid pool that the adults all put our feet in, and dinner cooked on the grill. (Scroll to the bottom of the post for a peek!)

    pinwheel cookies on a cooling rack

    Despite being 9 months pregnant in July and overheating even without moving, I'm feeling particularly celebratory this holiday. Having a couple four-year-olds around will do that. Those two are overjoyed with their first experiences with fireworks (especially sparklers), so we've been deep in the patriotic spirit.

    These cookies had to be a part of the July 4th spread this year. Buttery and soft, this is a classic vanilla cookie that is a variation on a household favorite. Though they look complicated, it's really just one batch of dough, divided in three and mixed with some food coloring (I use food gel these days because it delivers reliably vivid colors). You just stack the dough as shown below.

    layers of colored cookie dough

    Then roll into a log, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerate it. When it's time to bake, just roll the dough in some sprinkles  (optional, but super fun!), slice, and bake.

    slicing pinwheel cookies

    Serve with a side of fireworks!

    sliced pinwheel cookies on a parchment lined sheet pan

    For detailed photos of the process for making these cookies, check out this post.

    More Fun Cookie Recipes

    • Kitchen Sink Cookies
    • Crispy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Salted Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
    • Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies
    • Chippy Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Chocolate-Mint Ribbon Cookies

    Favorite Tools

    • KitchenAid Stand Mixer
    • Rolling Pin
    • Parchment Paper Sheets 
    • Half Sheet Pan
    • 6-inch Global Knife 
    • Cooling Rack

     

     

     

     

    Red White and Blue Pinwheel Cookies
    Print Recipe
    4.83 from 17 votes

    Red, White, and Blue Pinwheel Cookies

    Want to go patriotic with your next dessert? Red, White, and Blue Pinwheel Cookies are just the thing. Buttery and soft, refrigerate them ahead of time to just slice and bake when you're ready to serve!
    Prep Time1 hr
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time1 hr 10 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Keyword: cookies, Fourth of July, party and entertaining, potluck recipe
    Servings: 40 cookies
    Calories: 132kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $3.00

    Equipment

    • Stand Mixer
    • Parchment Paper
    • Half Sheet Pan
    • Sharp Knife
    • Cooling Rack

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups All-Purpose Flour
    • 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 ⅓ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
    • 1 ½ cup Granulated Sugar
    • 2 Eggs
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • Red and Blue Food Coloring / Food Gel
    • Sprinkles (optional)
    • Wax paper, for rolling dough

    Instructions

    • In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
    • In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter on medium-high until smooth.
    • Add sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy, ~2 minutes.
    • Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition. Add vanilla and mix for 1 minute more.
    • Add dry ingredients in three increments, mixing between each one.
    • Divide dough into three even portions.
    • Red. Put the first portion of dough in the mixer and add red food coloring / gel, while mixing, until the dough is a nice bright red. Set red dough aside and wipe out bowl.
    • Blue. Put the second portion of dough in the mixer and add blue food coloring / gel, while mixing, until the dough is a nice bright blue. Set red dough aside.
    • Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll each into a 11" x 11" square. (I use a permanent marker to draw a square on a piece of wax paper and use that as a guide. The squares don't have to be perfect, just generally around the same size.)
    • Refrigerate dough squares for 30 minutes until chilled (this will make them easier to layer without the colors bleeding together).
    • Remove dough from refrigerator and stack the three portions of dough (in any order). Gently press dough layers together.
    • Using the bottom sheet of wax paper to lift dough, roll it into a log. Press gently as you roll to avoid gaps. Wrap the dough tightly in wax paper.
    • Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 5 days. (At this point the dough can be wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 3 months; defrost in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours before baking.)
    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
    • If using sprinkles, remove the dough from the wax paper and roll in sprinkles to coat on all sides.
    • Using a sharp knife cut roll into ⅛" slices. Place slices on an ungreased baking sheet. The cookies will spread slightly as they bake, so leave ~2" between.
    • Bake until cookies appear just set in the middle, 8 to 10 minutes. (The texture will be tender and buttery. I've been known to bake these for as little as 6 minutes. Soft, gooey, delicious.)
    • Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
    • Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 201IU | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

     

    Is there anything better in early July than a kiddie pool filled with cold hose water?

    playing in the baby pool

    *This post contains affiliate links*

    Related

    « No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie
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    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Emmy Lymn

      July 07, 2018 at 3:23 am

      Shucks! I'm a few days late. I would have loved to make this for the 4th of July. They look so lovely. I think my sons will enjoy this because the colors look like Captain America's shield.

      Reply
      • Jess

        July 16, 2018 at 12:56 pm

        Oh my goodness, Emmy! - you're so right! Totally Captain American's shield!!!

        Reply
    2. Jessica Potts

      August 05, 2018 at 1:11 pm

      This is too yummy!

      Reply
    3. Jennifer Berkey

      December 31, 2018 at 4:57 am

      4 stars
      I am loving this cookie recipe. I will be making it again this New Year's Eve Party celebration. My kids love it and they won't stop eating. Thanks for this. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

      Reply
    4. Jeff Shft

      January 12, 2019 at 10:45 pm

      5 stars
      We shared this red and white blue pinwheel cookies this holiday season. Everyone in the family loves it! Every bite burst with happiness, it’s like the heaven opened its gates. This is so good, so thumbs up!

      Reply
    5. Md Tariqul islam

      June 02, 2019 at 11:53 am

      5 stars
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      Reply
    6. Maricar Magdowski

      September 25, 2020 at 12:45 am

      5 stars
      I love this cookie recipe. Not very sweet and easy to make. I’ve only tried it rolled per recipe but can this be use as cut out cookies as well? Would it spread?

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        September 28, 2020 at 6:32 am

        I think these would be great as a cut-out cookie. There's so little spreading that I think they would be just fine. If you do, I'd love to hear how it turns out!

        Reply

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