These colorful cookies are perfect for a holiday cookie tray!

Pinwheels & Checkerboards

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Red and green gel coloring
1-ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions

~In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

~In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture.

~Divide dough into four portions. Tint one portion red and one portion green. Stir chocolate into another portion. Wrap chocolate and plain portions in plastic; refrigerate for one hour or until easy to handle.

~For pinwheel cookies, divide red and green portions in half. Roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 9×6-in. rectangle. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove waxed paper. Place one green rectangle over a red rectangle. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic. Repeat. Refrigerate two hours or until firm.

~For checkerboard cookies, divide plain and chocolate portions in half. Roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 6 4-in. rectangle. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into eight 1/2-in. strips. Stack the strips in groups of four, alternating plain and chocolate strips and forming eight separate stacks. Form a four-stack block by alternating chocolate-topped and plain-topped stacks. Repeat. Press together gently. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least two hours.

~Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap and cut pinwheel and checkerboard dough into 1/4-in. slices. Place one inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake nine to 11 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

~Makes six dozen pinwheel and four dozen checkerboard cookies.