This easy swirled sugar cookie recipe uses ready made dough to quickly create these cute slice and bake cookies. Next time you’re at the grocery store grab two rolls of sugar cookie dough and whip up a batch.
Easy Swirled Sugar Cookie Recipe
Don’t let the number of steps below discourage you from making them. I just wanted to provide in-depth instructions so you can avoid some of the mistakes I made in testing this recipe.
Chilling the dough in some of the steps below is important to keep the cookies from spreading too much. Excess spreading will affect the final swirl design. Keep this in mind when planning to make this recipe.
Ingredients:
- 2 rolls ready-made sugar cookie dough, divided
- 1 cup sprinkles of your choice (red, pink and white nonpareils used)
- Red liquid food dye
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Parchment
Directions:
Allow the cookie dough rolls to come to room temperature. Place 1 roll of ready-made cookie dough in a large mixing bowl.
Add ½ teaspoon of food dye to the cookie dough. Blend by hand or with a hand mixer until the color is evenly mixed in. If a darker color is desired add several drops in and mix. Continue to do this until the cookie dough reaches the desired color.
Place a roll of cookie dough on a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with flour and spread around on the dough. This helps to make the parchment easier to remove. Cover with another piece of parchment and roll until about ½ an inch thick.
Repeat this process with the colored cookie dough.
Peel back the top parchment on both rolled cookie doughs. Place the uncolored dough on top of the pink dough. Starting on one end, use the parchment paper to guide the dough as you begin to roll it.
Place the roll of dough into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to make it easier to handle in the next step.
Coating The Cookies With Sprinkles:
For this step use a large baking sheet that has an edge so it can hold the sprinkles. Evenly spread the sprinkles out on the baking sheet.
Place the cookie dough on the baking sheet and roll/press sprinkles all over the cookie dough.
Wrap the sprinkle covered dough in parchment or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
Baking The Cookies:
When you are ready to bake preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the roll of cookie dough into slices ¼ inches thick.
Place sliced cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 11-14 minutes or until the edges/cookies are light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before removing from the baking sheet.
Swirled Cookie Frequently Asked Questions
Does the dough have to be chilled?
Yes. Without chilling the dough will spread too much. This will cause the cookies to spread and produce very large cookies. The spreading causes the colored swirls to blend into each other. Chilling helps to keep the swirls distinct and separate from each other.
Can I use something in place of sprinkles?
If you don’t have sprinkles, or don’t want to use them, the cookies can be made without them. You can also replace sprinkles with colored sanding sugars.
What kind of food coloring should I use?
You can use liquid or gel food coloring. Gel food coloring will produce a much brighter color as it is more concentrated than liquid food dye. Start with ¼ teaspoon of gel coloring and add more until you reach the color you desire.
Can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Yes! You can easily prepare the rolls of cookie dough 2 or 3 days ahead of time. Prepare the cookies up to step 6. Wrap the rolls of dough tightly in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake the cookies. When you are ready to bake them unwrap the dough, roll in sprinkles, slice and bake according to the directions.
Don’t make these cookies too far in advance. The food dye will slowly begin to bleed into the uncolored portion of dough. You also want to wait until you are ready to bake them to roll in sprinkles. The sprinkles are also colored with dye and the color will bleed into the cookie dough over time.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes, you can easily freeze the cookie dough. Once you make the dough and coat the roll in sprinkles wrap the finished roll in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped roll in a freezer bag. You may have to cut the roll in half so it can fit. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To use, remove the frozen dough and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Slice and bake as instructed.
Storage Instructions:
Once the cookies are cool, store in a storage bag or covered container at room temperature up to 5 days.
Here are some other easy to make cookie recipes:
Swirled Sugar Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Parchment
Ingredients
- 2 rolls sugar cookie dough
- 1 cup sprinkles
- red food dye
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Allow the cookie dough rolls to come to room temperature. Place 1 roll of ready-made cookie dough in a large mixing bowl.
- Add ½ teaspoon of food dye to the cookie dough. Blend by hand or with a hand mixer until the color is evenly mixed in. If a darker color is desired add several drops in and mix. Continue to do this until the cookie dough reaches the desired color.
- Place a roll of cookie dough on a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with flour and spread around on the dough. This helps to make the parchment easier to remove. Cover with another piece of parchment and roll until about ½ an inch thick.
- Repeat this process with the colored cookie dough.
- Peel back the top parchment on both rolled cookie doughs. Place the uncolored dough on top of the pink dough. Starting on one end, use the parchment paper to guide the dough as you begin to roll it.
- Place the roll of dough into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to make it easier to handle in the next step.
Coating the cookies in sprinkles:
- For this step use a large baking sheet that has an edge so it can hold the sprinkles. Evenly spread the sprinkles out on the baking sheet.
- Place the cookie dough on the baking sheet and roll/press sprinkles all over the cookie dough.
- Wrap the sprinkle covered dough in parchment or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
Baking the cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut the roll of cookie dough into slices ¼ inches thick.
- Place sliced cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake 11-14 minutes or until the edges/cookies are light golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before removing from the baking sheet.
Nutrition
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