One of my favorite Christmas traditions might be the cookies. Some we make every year because we know there would be great disappointment without them, some might only make an appearance once in a while, but they all tie memories together and make our holiday gatherings feel special and familiar. The perfect Christmas cookie is both beautiful and tasty, and I think these Raspberry Almond Pinwheels check both boxes.
If you’ve made jelly roll cakes or cinnamon rolls, you’ll be very familiar with the method used to make these. A simple sugar cookie dough is rolled out into a 12 by 12 inch square between two pieces of wax paper. A very thin layer of raspberry jam is spread over the dough, followed by the toasted almonds.
It’s important to make sure the almonds are lightly toasted because this really brings out their best flavor. They also need to be chopped finely because this allows the knife to run through the dough more easily when slicing them into pinwheel cookies.
While slicing the dough into 1/4 inch thick slices, don’t worry too much if there is some cracking. Just gently pat the dough back together and know that it will mend as it bakes. If your log of dough has a flat side from chilling in the fridge, you can reshape it in more of a circle after slicing and placing them on the baking sheet. Remember that the dough will spread some in the baking process, so don’t worry if they don’t look perfect going into the oven. I was a little worried about mine, but they turned out just fine!
One tip to help prevent cracks is to measure the flour lightly. Don’t pack it in as you scoop it. If the dough has too much flour, it will be dry. Dry dough cracks more easily.
I love that the jam becomes thick and syrupy as it bakes in the cookie. It creates a bit of chewiness, and along with the crunchy almonds and soft sugar cookie dough, all the textures make these cookies so tasty!
My mind is already thinking of all the variations these cookies could handle… maybe a cinnamon sugar, cookie butter with pecans, or even white chocolate and pistachio. Haven’t tried these combos yet, just thinking out loud here!
Christmas cookies sure have a special place in my heart, and there’s always room for more. So happy to be able to share some of my favorites with you all. Thanks for baking along with me!
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Raspberry Almond Pinwheels
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 42 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
The perfect Christmas cookie is both beautiful and tasty, and I think these Raspberry Almond Pinwheels check both boxes.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup almonds
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam
Instructions
- Toast almonds in a pan, stirring constantly over medium heat on the stovetop. Watch closely for them to turn lightly golden brown and become fragrant. Remove from the heat immediately. Chop finely and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add egg and vanilla extract and mix.
- In a separate bowl, mix all-purpose flour and baking powder.
- Slowly add the flour mixture into the mixing bowl on low speed until just incorporated. Do not over-mix.
- Roll the dough out into a 12 by 12 inch square between two pieces of wax paper. Use a ruler to help keep the sides from becoming too thin as you roll it out.
- Spread the raspberry jam into a thin even layer over the dough. Sprinkle chopped almonds over the top. Using the wax paper to help, roll the dough up tightly, jelly-roll style. Cover and chill for at least two hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the dough into 1/4 inch thick slices. Don’t worry too much if it cracks… just carefully transfer to the baking sheet and pat it back together. Any gaps will fill in as it bakes. If your dough slices aren’t round but are more oval-like, this is a good time to gently push them into a round shape.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 9-12 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Store in an airtight container. These freeze well up to 3 months.
Notes
This recipe is adapted from Taste of Home’s Raspberry Nut Pinwheels.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 143
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 77mg
- Fat: 6.4g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.3g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Protein: 2.3g
- Cholesterol: 18mg
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