Pinwheels are buttery vanilla shortbread cookies presented in a fun pinwheel design by rolling two colors of dough together, with colorful sprinkles or edible glitter for an added touch of whimsy.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugars in a large bowl.
Add butter and mix until the batter resembles cornmeal.
Add in the vanilla and continue mixing until the dough starts to form a ball.
Divide the dough in half and set one of the halves aside.
Add the food coloring until you get the shade you want, as well as an additional 1 tablespoon of flour.
Use a silicone spatula to “squish” the color throughout the dough.
Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Roll out the dough balls separately between two sheets of wax paper. Aim for a rectangle shape about the size of a piece of paper and 1/4″ thick.
Put both dough sheets in the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours.
Remove the different colored doughs from the fridge and stack them so the long side of the rectangle is facing you.
Pinch the long end a bit and begin rolling. The dough may crack a bit when you’re rolling. Don’t worry! Roll all the way and smooth the raw edge so it makes a smooth “log”.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Pull your dough log from the fridge. Using a sharp knife, cut the raw edges. Slice your log into 1/4″ discs.
Roll your slices into the decorators of your choice.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges have just begun to set.
Remove and let sit on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.