Step 1: In a spacious mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the slightly softened butter and granulated sugar. Beat them together on low speed just until they are evenly combined. It’s important *not* to cream them until light and fluffy for this recipe, as over-aerating the butter and sugar can cause the cookies to spread too much during baking, ruining the intricate design. Next, add the sea salt, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and the room-temperature egg. Mix again on low speed until all ingredients are just incorporated. Don’t worry if the mixture appears slightly separated or “split” at this stage; it will come together with the flour.

Step 2: Sift the all-purpose flour directly into the bowl with the wet ingredients. This helps prevent lumps and ensures a smooth dough. Mix with your mixer on low speed or use a sturdy spatula until the flour is just incorporated and a cohesive dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten too much, leading to tough cookies. Once the dough comes together, cut off approximately one-third of the total dough and set this smaller portion aside for the colored peppermint core.

Step 3: Now, focus on the smaller section of dough you set aside. Divide this portion in half. Into one half, gradually add red gel food coloring, one drop at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until you achieve a vibrant, rich red color. Once colored, roll this red dough into a short, thick log, approximately four inches in length. Place this log on a piece of parchment paper and immediately transfer it to the freezer to chill for about 20 minutes, or until it is completely firm and frozen solid. This firming step is crucial for maintaining the sharp edges of your design.

Step 4: Take the other half of the smaller dough portion. For a brighter contrast in your peppermint design, you can optionally color this dough white. Add a few drops of white gel food coloring at a time, mixing well until the dough is uniformly white. Similar to the red dough, shape this white dough into a short, thick log, roughly four inches long, on a separate piece of parchment paper. Place this log into the freezer alongside the red one for about 20 minutes, ensuring it becomes completely frozen and firm.

Step 5: Now, return to the larger portion of dough you initially set aside. Add the Dutch-processed cocoa powder to this dough. Mix thoroughly, either with your mixer or by hand, until the cocoa powder is completely incorporated and you have a smooth, rich chocolate cookie dough. Set this chocolate dough aside at room temperature while you continue preparing the colored logs. Keeping it at room temperature will make it more pliable for the next steps.

Step 6: Once both the red and white dough logs are completely frozen and solid, remove one from the freezer. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the log in half lengthwise. Then, take each of those halves and cut them in half lengthwise again, creating four long, rectangular wedges. Repeat this process one more time, cutting each of those four wedges in half lengthwise. You should now have eight equally sized, long, rectangular wedges of the same color. Repeat this entire cutting process with the remaining colored dough log (the other color) to get another eight wedges.

Step 7: Now for the fun part – assembling the peppermint pattern! Take your red and white wedges. Begin to build two new logs by carefully sticking the wedges back together, alternating colors as you go (e.g., red, white, red, white). Arrange four wedges side-by-side for each log. As you press them together, ensure they adhere well and use your fingers to gently smooth out any potential gaps, especially in the very center where the wedges meet. This step is crucial for a clean, defined pinwheel design when sliced.

Step 8: Once you have your two alternating-color logs, carefully bring them together. Connect the two logs by pressing their ends firmly together, effectively making one single, longer log with the red and white peppermint pattern running through its entire length. Smooth out the cookie dough with your fingers at the point where they join to ensure a seamless connection. Wrap this combined log tightly in parchment paper and place it back in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This short chill will help it firm up and hold its shape before the next step.

Step 9: Lay out a large piece of fresh parchment paper on your work surface. Take the chocolate cookie dough that you prepared earlier (from Step 5) and flatten it out evenly on the parchment paper. Shape it into a rectangular sheet. The long edge of this chocolate dough rectangle should be approximately the same length as your newly formed red and white peppermint log. Aim for a thickness that will fully encase the peppermint log.

Step 10: Once the red and white log is sufficiently firmed up from the freezer, carefully remove it. Place this patterned log centrally onto your rolled-out chocolate cookie dough. Use the parchment paper beneath the chocolate dough to help you gently wrap the chocolate dough completely around the peppermint log, ensuring it’s fully enclosed. If you notice areas where there’s too much chocolate dough, gently trim it away. If there isn’t enough to fully cover, patch it with excess dough from elsewhere. Once covered, roll the entire log gently on the parchment paper to create a smooth, uniform cylindrical shape. Ensure the chocolate layer is even all around.

Step 11: In a shallow dish or directly on a clean piece of parchment paper, combine the coarse sugar and the crushed peppermint candies (or crushed candy canes). Sprinkle this festive sugar mixture generously onto the parchment where your cookie log is. Roll the entire log in the sugar mixture, coating all sides liberally. This creates a beautiful, sparkling finish and adds an extra burst of peppermint flavor and texture to the cookie’s exterior. Once coated, wrap the log tightly in parchment paper once more and return it to the freezer to chill completely for about 20-30 minutes. This final chill is vital for easy slicing and to prevent the cookies from spreading excessively during baking.

Step 12: While your cookie log is chilling for its final firm-up, preheat your oven to 355°F (180°C). Once the log is perfectly firm, transfer it to a sturdy cutting board. Using a very sharp knife, carefully slice the log into uniform ½-inch thick rounds. Arrange these peppermint sugar cookie slices onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat, ensuring you leave at least 1-2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for proper spreading. Bake for approximately 9-11 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies no longer appear shiny. The centers should still be slightly soft and appear a little underbaked; this is the secret to their wonderfully soft and chewy texture.

Step 13: As soon as the chocolate peppermint sugar cookies are removed from the oven, allow them to rest on the hot baking sheet for just 1-2 minutes to set slightly. Then, using a thin, flexible spatula, carefully transfer the warm cookies to a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely on the rack. They will continue to firm up as they cool, achieving that perfect crisp edge and chewy interior. Repeat the baking process with any remaining cookie dough slices.

✔️ Expert Slice and Bake Sugar Cookie Tips for Success

Achieving perfectly shaped and delicious slice and bake cookies with a beautiful design requires a few key techniques. Keep these expert tips in mind for your best batch yet:

1. Work with Slightly Softened Butter, Don’t Over-Cream: This is perhaps the most critical tip for preserving the cookie design. Your butter should be just slightly softened (meaning you can indent it with your finger, but it’s not squishy) to allow it to combine with the sugar. Crucially, do NOT cream the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy. Over-creaming incorporates too much air into the dough, which will cause the cookies to spread excessively in the oven, distorting and potentially ruining your intricate peppermint pattern. Mix them just until they are evenly combined and smooth.
2. Maintain Chilled Dough Logs: Throughout the entire shaping process, it is essential to keep your dough logs thoroughly chilled, even frozen at specific stages. Cold dough is firm and much easier to handle and cut precisely. Whenever you’re not actively working with a dough portion, pop it back into the freezer. This ensures your lines remain sharp and prevents the dough from becoming too sticky or losing its shape.
3. Press and Smooth for Seamless Designs: When assembling the red and white wedges to form the peppermint pattern, take extra time to firmly press and smooth the different colored doughs together. Any air pockets or loose connections will result in holes or blurred areas in your final design. Pay particular attention to the center of the log, ensuring all wedges are tightly fused. Gentle rolling on parchment paper can also help consolidate the log without distorting the pattern.
4. Avoid Overbaking for Ultimate Texture: For that coveted soft and chewy middle with crisp edges, resist the urge to overbake these cookies. They are ready when the tops just lose their wet, glossy sheen – typically around 9 to 11 minutes, depending on your oven. The centers will still appear quite soft and slightly underbaked when you pull them out, but they will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet. Overbaking will lead to dry, crumbly cookies and diminish their delightful chewiness.

Absolutely! While designed for slice and bake, this versatile cookie dough works wonderfully for roll-out cookies too. To do so, simply chill the entire batch of dough (without forming the patterned log) in the refrigerator for at least an hour until firm. Then, roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper to your desired thickness and use your favorite cookie cutters. Bake according to the general instructions, adjusting baking time slightly if your cookies are thinner or thicker.

Yes, you certainly can! If you prefer a pure vanilla flavor for the main cookie, simply omit the cocoa powder from the larger portion of dough (Step 5). Keep in mind, however, that the beautiful red and white peppermint design in the middle will not stand out as dramatically without the dark contrast of the chocolate cookie dough. For a more pronounced visual pop, I highly recommend using the white gel food coloring in the white part of your peppermint pattern to ensure it remains distinct against the vanilla base.

Yes, chilling (and even freezing) the cookie dough is absolutely crucial for these slice and bake cookies, especially because they feature an intricate design. Working with cold, firm dough makes it significantly easier to shape, cut, and handle, ensuring the integrity of your peppermint pattern. If you attempt to slice into a warm or overly soft log of dough with a design in the center, the dough will smear, blur, and completely lose its definition, resulting in an unrecognizable pattern. Patience with chilling ensures a picture-perfect cookie.

That’s an exciting idea! While this recipe focuses on the round peppermint pinwheel, I encourage creative experimentation with cookie dough and designs. If you’re confident in your dough-shaping skills and can figure out how to arrange the red and white dough to mimic a candy cane swirl within the log, go for it! Baking is all about having fun and trying new things.

Absolutely! If you’re short on time or simply prefer a simpler cookie, you can easily make these without the full peppermint design. You can choose to make them as plain vanilla peppermint sugar cookies (omitting cocoa powder and food coloring) or just chocolate peppermint sugar cookies (omitting food coloring for the center). Simply roll the entire batch of dough into a straightforward log, chill it well, and then slice and bake according to the instructions. They will still be incredibly delicious!

These slice and bake sugar cookies, once baked, tend to be quite sturdy while still maintaining their desirable soft and chewy texture. This makes them a good candidate for shipping. While I haven’t personally sent them through the mail to confirm, their robust nature suggests they should travel well. If you do decide to ship them, please share your experience in the comments below – your feedback would be incredibly helpful for others!

Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheel Sugar Cookies

Mary

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