Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

Instructions

Making the Cookie Dough

1. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until softened. Alternatively, you can make the cookie dough, in a large mixing bowl, by hand or with an electric hand whisk.
2. Add the sugar to the softened butter and cream until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed mixture. Beat well between adding each egg.
4. Add the peppermint to the mixture, and mix until well combined.
5. Sift the flour and baking powder together, and add to the mixture. Gently mix together until the dough comes together and is smooth.
6. Turn the cookie dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and split into 3 equal portions.
7. Shape one piece of cookie dough into a rectangle, about 2cm thick, and wrap in cling film. This will be the white part of your cookie.
8. Place one portion of cookie dough into the stand mixer bowl and add green food coloring. Mix well until all the cookie dough is green in color. Add more coloring until you get the color you want. The color will fade when baked, so it is best to go stronger on the coloring, rather than pale. Turn the green cookie dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into another rectangle, similar to the 'white' cookie dough. Wrap in cling film. Scrap down the mixer bowl and paddle to remove any remaining green dough.
9. Place the final portion of cookie dough into the stand mixer bowl and add red food coloring. Mix well until all the cookie dough is red in color. Add more coloring until you get the color you want. Turn the red cookie dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into another rectangle, similar to the 'white' cookie dough. Wrap in cling film.
10. Chill all 3 portions of cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Assembling the Cookies

1. Remove the chilled cookie dough from the fridge, and unwrap.
2. Place the white cookie dough onto a large piece of cling film, and place another piece of cling film on top. Gently roll the dough out into a large rectangle, until about 4mm thickness. Every 5 rolls, peel back the top layer of cling film to release the dough, replace and continue to roll out the dough. Repeat for the green and red cookie dough, so you have 3 pieces of cookie dough of similar size.
3. Remove the top sheet of cling film from the white and red cookie doughs. Place the uncovered side of the red dough on top of the uncovered side of the white dough. Flip over the dough so the white dough is on top, and remove the cling film.
4. Remove the top sheet of cling film from the green cookie dough, and place on top of the white dough. Gently roll over the cookie dough to seal the three layers together.
5. Remove the cling film from the top of the green dough layer, and from the narrow end begin to roll the cookie dough into a sausage. Use the bottom layer of cling film to pull the dough into a tight roll.
6. Pour the sprinkles into a baking tray, it stops them rolling everywhere, and place the cookie dough sausage on top. Roll the sausage in the sprinkles so that they coat the dough. Wrap the sprinkle dough in a clean piece of cling film and chill in the fridge for 2 hours, or overnight.

Baking the Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 355F and line two large baking sheets with baking parchment.
2. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and unwrap.
3. Using a sharp knife, slice the cookie dough into equal rounds, approximately 1cm in width.
4. Place the rounds onto the baking parchment, leaving space between them to allow them to spread when baking.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a pale golden color.
6. Slide the baked cookies and parchment off the baking tray and onto a wire rack to cool.