Santa's Swirl Cookies

Delight your family and friends this season with these fun Christmas cookies I call Santa's Swirl Sugar Cookies! Easy slice and bake cookie recipe is transformed into festive treats with colored sugar and red and green nonpareils.
Of all the cookies I bake during the holiday season, Christmas sugar cookies remain on my family's most loved list. But rolled, cut-out sugar cookies are so time consuming.  I DO make them every year, because I think there would be a riot if I didn't, but every time I discover an easier way to get that sugar cookie fix for my family, I embrace it.
These slice and bake Christmas cookies sound difficult, but they are really quite easy to make.  There is a bit of rolling involved, but not quite the amount you do when you make cut-out cookies. I think they are so pretty with the swirl of color in them too!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1 large egg
• red and green colored sugar
• red, white and green nonpareils

INSTRUCTION:

1. In large bowl, cream butter, salt, and sugar together with an electric mixer.
2. Add in egg and extracts. Mix in flour and beat until dough comes together.
3. Divide dough in half. Roll out one of the halves into an 8 x 8" square and sprinkle sugars like patchwork. (see the photo in the text for reference). Roll up jelly-roll style then roll in nonpareils and wrap in tightly in plastic wrap. Repeat with other half of dough.
4. Refrigerate rolls for 2 or more hours, or until very firm.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment. Remove plastic wrap from rolls and slice into 1/4" slices, then lay on prepared cookie sheets about 2" apart.
6. Bake in oven for 6 -8 minutes or until edges just start to brown. Allow to rest on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.