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–+ servings
colorful gelatin swirl cookies

Rainbow Jello Swirl Sugar Cookies

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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 2 Mixing bowl
  • 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Rubber spatula
  • 1 Measuring cups set
  • 1 Measuring spoons set
  • 2 Baking sheet
  • 2 silicone baking mat or parchment paper
  • 1 Rolling Pin
  • 1 sharp knife or bench scraper
  • 1 plastic wrap roll
  • 1 Cooling rack

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cup all-purpose flour sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract optional
  • 2 tablespoon milk room temperature
  • 4 tablespoon red Jell-O gelatin powder divided
  • 4 tablespoon orange Jell-O gelatin powder divided
  • 4 tablespoon lime Jell-O gelatin powder divided
  • 4 tablespoon berry blue Jell-O gelatin powder divided

Instructions
 

  • Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
  • Cream butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar in a mixer on medium until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth.
  • Mix in milk until incorporated.
  • Add dry ingredients to wet on low speed and mix just until a soft dough forms.
  • Divide dough into four equal portions by weight.
  • Knead 1 tablespoon of a single-flavor Jell-O powder into each portion until evenly colored (red, orange, lime, blue).
  • Flatten each colored dough into a 6x4-inch rectangle, wrap in plastic, and chill for 45 minutes.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll each color into a 9x6-inch rectangle of similar thickness.
  • Stack rectangles in desired order, pressing lightly to adhere, then trim edges to square.
  • Starting from a short side, roll the stack into a tight log to create a spiral, using the rolling pin to help if sticky.
  • Wrap the log tightly in plastic, twist ends to secure, and chill 15 minutes to firm.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment.
  • Slice the chilled log into 1/4-inch rounds with a sharp knife, rotating the log slightly between cuts to maintain round shape.
  • Arrange slices 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
  • Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set and bottoms are just turning light golden.
  • Cool cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

Use regular sweetened gelatin (not sugar-free) for better color and structure since the sugar helps tenderize and the added acids brighten flavor. If the dough gets sticky while stacking or rolling, dust very lightly with flour or chill briefly; too much flour will mute the colors. For crisper edges, chill the sliced rounds on the sheet for 10 minutes before baking; for softer cookies, pull them as soon as the centers look matte. You can adjust intensity by adding up to 1 extra teaspoon gelatin per dough color, but compensate with a teaspoon of milk if the dough feels dry. To prevent cracking spirals, roll slowly and evenly, pressing out air pockets, and always slice with a sharp, non-serrated knife. Store airtight up to 4 days or freeze the shaped log for 2 months and slice-bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to bake time.
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