Poinsettia Pinwheel Cookies
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: about 18 cookies
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 18 servings
- Calories
- 475
- Total Fat
- 25
- Saturated Fat
- 16
- Carbohydrates
- 57
- Dietary Fiber
- 2
- Sugar
- 38
- Protein
- 5
- Cholesterol
- 47
- Sodium
- 137
- Total: 4 hr 30 min (includes chilling and cooling times)
- Active: 55 min
Ingredients
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (see Cook's Note)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
Red coarse sanding sugar, for decorating
White coarse sanding sugar, for decorating
Green coarse sanding sugar, for decorating
18 to 20 yellow candy-coated chocolates, such as M&Ms
Directions
- Beat the cream cheese, butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour and salt until combined. Divide the dough between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Flatten each into a 1/2-inch-thick disk and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
- Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with more flour as needed.
- Cut out 3-inch squares using a sharp paring knife or a 3-inch square cutter (you should be able to get 6 or 7 squares). Lift the cutouts using an offset spatula and arrange 2 inches apart on one of the prepared baking sheets. Re-wrap and refrigerate the dough scraps while you shape the pinwheels.
- Cut a 1 1/2-inch slit in all four corners of each dough square to form 8 points. Fold over every other point and press into the center of the square. Refrigerate while you make the leaves.
- Cut enough leaves out of the scraps using a sharp paring knife or a leaf-shaped cutter, making 2 leaves for each pinwheel. Arrange the leaves on the other prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush with water and sprinkle with green sanding sugar. Set aside in the refrigerator.
- Lightly brush the pinwheels with water and sprinkle half with red sanding sugar and half with white sanding sugar. Brush the end of 2 leaves and tuck underneath a pinwheel on opposite sides. (No need to press the dough; it will meld together as it bakes.)
- Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the cookies are puffed and the edges are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Immediately press a chocolate candy in the center of each warm cookie. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat with the remaining disk of dough, and any remaining scraps, to make more cookies.
Cook’s Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)