Name: Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 100 g unsalted butter at room temperature; 50 g icing sugar; 1 egg white; 1 tsp vanilla extract or essence; ½ tsp salt; 100 g all-purpose flour; 60 g cornstarch; Red gel food colouring; Sprinkles

There's something magical about crafting cookies that look as joyful as they taste. This Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe brings a festive charm to your kitchen with vibrant stripes and a buttery melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s hard to resist. It's as much fun to make as it is to share with friends and family.

The image shows several round cookies with one swirl layer made from red and cream dough twisted together in a ring shape. The cookies have small green, red, and white round sprinkles scattered evenly over the surface. One cookie in the middle has a red and white twisted string looped through its center hole. The cookies are placed directly on a white marbled surface, spaced out with some sprinkles scattered around them. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I’ve made these Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies more times than I can count, especially during the holidays. They’re not just pretty — they have this soft, tender crumb and rich buttery flavor that reminds me of cozy family baking days. Plus, piping the colorful dough feels almost therapeutic!

Eye-catching design: The interplay of red and green dough in a wreath shape makes every batch look like a little edible masterpiece.
Simple ingredients: With pantry staples like butter, flour, and cornstarch, you don’t need anything fancy to create magic.
Perfect for sharing: These cookies feel special enough for gifts but are easy to transport and serve at parties.
Customizable and forgiving: You can tweak colors and decorations without worrying about ruining the dough’s delicate balance.

The image shows several round cookies shaped like wreaths, each with two thick layers swirled together, one bright red and one white, creating a striped effect. The cookies are decorated with small round sprinkles in red, green, and white, scattered on top and around them. One cookie in the foreground is tied with a red and white striped string through the center hole. The cookies rest directly on a white marbled surface with soft natural lighting, giving a fresh and festive look. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

Every ingredient in this Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe plays a key role in creating that melt-in-your-mouth texture and vibrant presentation. Let me walk you through why each one is essential – knowing this really helps when you’re shopping and prepping.

Flat lay of a small pile of pale yellow unsalted butter, a small white ceramic bowl filled with fine white icing sugar, a single whole clean white egg, a few green vanilla beans pods and a small white bowl with clear vanilla extract, a pinch of coarse salt crystals on the marble, a small mound of white all-purpose flour, a small heap of white cornstarch powder, a dollop of vibrant red gel food coloring in a small white bowl, and a scattering of multicolored round sprinkles arranged neatly around them, all placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Unsalted butter: Room temperature butter brings richness and tenderness; using unsalted lets you control the salt level.
Icing sugar: It blends smoothly into the butter, ensuring no gritty texture and a light sweetness.
Egg white: Adds moisture and helps bind the dough without weighing it down like yolks would.
Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla brightens the flavors and adds warmth.
Salt: Just a pinch to balance the sweetness and enhance the buttery notes.
All-purpose flour: Provides structure for the cookies so they hold their shape while baking.
Cornstarch: This is the secret to that tender, slightly crumbly texture; it lightens the dough beautifully.
Gel food coloring: Offers vibrant, concentrated color without affecting dough consistency.
Sprinkles: The fun finishing touch adds texture and extra color pop!

📝

Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

One of the best parts of this Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe is how you can make it truly your own. I like to switch up the colors depending on the season or theme — sometimes pink and gold for Valentine’s, or icy blue and white for winter. You can also play around with different sprinkles or even edible glitter for extra sparkle!

Variation: Last Christmas, I added a tiny bit of almond extract for a subtle nutty note—it was a hit with friends who loved something a little different.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Creaming the Butter and Sugar

Start by whisking the room temperature unsalted butter and icing sugar together until you get a pale, creamy mixture. This part sets the stage for tender cookies with a smooth texture. Don’t rush—cream it long enough to incorporate plenty of air, but be careful not to overdo it or it might get greasy.

Step 2: Adding Egg White and Vanilla

Next, whisk in the egg white until the mixture is smooth, then add the vanilla extract or essence. This combination adds moisture and a lovely scent. I always recommend using vanilla extract over essence for a more natural flavor, but either works well in a pinch.

Step 3: Mixing in the Dry Ingredients

Toss in the salt, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch, then carefully fold everything together with a spatula. This step is delicate — mix just until combined to avoid tough cookies. The cornstarch is key; it makes the texture softer and more tender than a classic butter cookie.

Step 4: Dividing and Coloring the Dough

Weigh the dough and split it evenly into two parts. Slowly knead red or green gel food coloring into one half (or both, if you want two colors). Gel coloring works best because it’s vibrant and doesn't thin out the dough like liquid food coloring might. Add a little at a time so you can get the hue just right.

Step 5: Shaping the Dough into Wreaths

Place each colored dough into separate piping bags. Pipe stripes of color onto a sheet of plastic wrap—two layers per color works beautifully for clear stripes that don’t mix too much. Then, roll the plastic tightly to form a dough cylinder. Trim off any excess plastic at the edges with scissors.

Put this dough tube into another piping bag fitted with a star nozzle (around 1cm diameter). Piping with this setup creates that nice ridged texture on your wreath cookies.

Pipe the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in a circle, gently making a wreath shape. If the circle’s end looks uneven, tap it lightly with your finger to smooth things out.

Step 6: Finishing Touches and Baking

Sprinkle your wreaths with festive sprinkles for a little extra cheer. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes — you want them lightly set but not browned to keep that soft texture. Keep an eye on them after 10 minutes and test with a gentle touch.

Top Tip

After making this Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe several times, I’ve picked up a few tips that really helped me achieve the perfect look and texture every time. These little tricks save you from headaches and guarantee that wow factor.

Butter Temperature: Make sure your butter is soft but not melted; this affects how well the sugar incorporates and the dough texture.
Gel Color Control: Add gel food coloring gradually — it’s super concentrated, and a little goes a long way without changing dough consistency.
Use a Wide Star Nozzle: I tried a tiny nozzle once, but the dough got stuck and piping was slow. A 1cm (about ⅓ inch) nozzle is just right for smooth, consistent piping.
Watch Your Bake Time: Don’t let them brown—cookies should look set but pale for that tender crumb; otherwise, they'll be more crisp than tender.

How to Serve Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe

colorful wreath cookies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I love topping my wreath cookies with festive sprinkles—bright red and green pearls, tiny silver balls, or edible glitter. These add just enough texture and shine without overpowering the buttery flavor. Sometimes I even dust a little powdered sugar for a snowy effect.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair wonderfully with a hot cup of spiced tea or rich cocoa. For brunch or a festive dessert spread, I serve them alongside fresh fruit, tangy citrus marmalade, or a small cheese board—it’s a nice contrast to their sweetness.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday parties, I arrange these colorful wreath cookies on a big white platter with seasonal greenery like pine sprigs or holly berries around the edges. Sometimes I tie cookie stacks with ribbons to gift neighbors—it's a sweet, homemade touch that's always appreciated.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I keep leftover cookies in an airtight tin at room temperature—they usually last beautifully for up to a week without drying out. Placing a slice of bread in the container helps keep them moist too, a little trick I learned over time.

Freezing

You can freeze these cookies once fully baked and cooled. I wrap them well in parchment and store them in a freezer-safe container. When ready to enjoy, just let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours—they taste just as fresh.

Reheating

If you want to warm them up, pop cookies in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F) for 5 minutes—this refreshes that fresh-baked aroma and softens them slightly without drying them out.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use liquid food coloring instead of gel?

While you can use liquid food coloring, gel is preferable because it’s more concentrated and doesn’t change the dough’s consistency. Using liquid food coloring may make your dough too wet and affect the texture.

Why is cornstarch used in this cookie recipe?

Cornstarch helps make the cookies softer and more tender by reducing the gluten formation in the flour. It gives these butter cookies a delicate crumb that melts in your mouth, unlike a regular crisp cookie.

How do I stop the colored dough from blending too much when piping?

To get distinct stripes, pipe thicker lines of dough and only do two layers of each color on the plastic wrap. Thin stripes tend to blend when piped, causing the colors to mix and lose that vibrant contrast.

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

You can try substituting the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend, but keep in mind the texture might change since gluten contributes to structure. Adding extra cornstarch or xanthan gum may help achieve a similar tender texture. Always test bake a small batch first.

Final Thoughts

This Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe holds a special place in my heart because it turns simple ingredients into something joyful and memorable. It's one of those recipes you come back to year after year, sharing stories while you bake and brightening ordinary days with a pop of color and warmth. I can’t wait for you to make them your own and enjoy every sweet, buttery bite just as much as I do.