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–+ servings
colorful moist swirled sugarcookies

Moist Rainbow Swirl Sugar Cookies

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 2 Mixing bowl
  • 1 hand mixer or stand mixer
  • 1 Silicone spatula
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 measuring cup set
  • 1 measuring spoon set
  • 1 Kitchen scale optional
  • 1 plastic wrap roll
  • 2 Baking sheet
  • 2 silicone baking mat or sheet parchment paper
  • 1 wire cooling rack
  • 1 small offset spatula or butter knife
  • 6 Small bowl for coloring
  • 6 toothpick for color control

Ingredients
  

  • 170 gram unsalted butter softened
  • 200 gram granulated sugar
  • 50 gram light brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
  • 300 gram all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk as needed
  • 6 drop gel food coloring assorted colors
  • 50 gram rainbow sprinkles optional, for rolling

Instructions
 

  • Cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth and well combined.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch until evenly mixed.
  • Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low just until a soft dough forms, adding the milk only if the dough seems crumbly or dry.
  • Divide the dough evenly into 6 small bowls and tint each portion with a small amount of gel food coloring, stirring just until the color is uniform.
  • Roll each colored portion into a thin rope about 10 inches long on a lightly floured surface.
  • Gather one short piece of each color, press them gently together, and twist into a rope to create a multicolor strand.
  • Coil the twisted rope into a loose spiral, then roll the spiral gently between your palms to form a smooth ball about 1.5 inches wide.
  • If using, roll the dough balls lightly in rainbow sprinkles to coat.
  • Place dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and chill for 1 hour to prevent spreading and to intensify the swirl definition.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  • Arrange chilled dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared sheets and bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set and centers look slightly puffy.
  • Remove from the oven and use a small offset spatula to nudge any uneven edges into a round shape while cookies are hot.
  • Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely for the best moist texture.
  • Repeat with remaining dough, keeping unbaked dough balls chilled between batches.

Notes

Use gel food coloring for vibrant swirls without thinning the dough, and color lightly first since you can deepen the hue by adding more with a toothpick. Cornstarch and an extra yolk help keep the cookies soft and moist, but avoid overmixing after adding flour to prevent toughness. For cleaner swirls, avoid kneading the colors together too much; a simple twist and coil is enough. If your kitchen is warm, chill formed balls for an extra 10 minutes just before baking to reduce spread. Bake until just set—the centers should look slightly underdone—because they finish setting on the sheet. Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread or a marshmallow to maintain moisture for several days, or freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 2 months and bake from frozen adding 1 to 2 minutes.
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