Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies (Gluten-Free)

Last Updated on December 10, 2025 by Carrie Korem, FNTP

Every year when the holiday baking begins, there is something so nostalgic and fun about pinwheel cookies. I decided to take this classic and make a gluten free pinwheel cookie that keeps the same holiday magic with a peppermint swirl that tastes fresh and cozy.

This pinwheel cookies recipe starts with one simple dough that becomes two colors and flavors. A hint of peppermint and red food coloring give these cookies that classic swirl without any artificial dyes. The India Tree natural food coloring is made from real vegetables and beta carotene and does not contain synthetic dyes or corn syrup. For the peppermint, I used a few drops of peppermint essential oil for a clean and bright peppermint flavor.

These slice and bake cookies need chill time, but the hands on time is very easy. If you want perfectly clean cookie slices, make sure to chill the dough as directed. Sprinkle a few white sprinkles before baking and you have the sweetest holiday cookie that looks beautiful as a gift or on your dessert table.

Merry Christmas!

It Is All Made From the Same Dough

The great thing about making pinwheel cookies is that the entire recipe starts with a single dough. After mixing the cookie dough, you divide it into two equal parts. One dough stays plain, and the other is flavored and colored. This keeps the texture even, the flavor balanced, and the recipe simple for holiday baking.

You only need basic gluten free ingredients like almond flour, coconut flour, arrowroot and ghee. The dough is easy to handle and rolls out smoothly between parchment paper.

What Are Slice and Bake Cookies

Pinwheel cookies belong to the slice and bake family. This simply means that the dough is shaped into a log, chilled, and then sliced into cookies before baking. This makes holiday baking very convenient, especially if you want to prep ahead. The dough can sit in the refrigerator until you are ready to slice and bake.

Slice and bake cookies are also a great choice if you want cookies to look polished for a holiday party or gift box.

How to Roll Pinwheel Cookies

Rolling pinwheel cookies is easier than it looks. Here are the simple steps.

Spread each dough between parchment paper and roll into equal sized rectangles. Place the red peppermint dough on top of the plain dough. The parchment helps to flip it without sticking.

Roll the stacked dough tightly into a log. Use the parchment to lift the dough and guide it as you roll. Chill well so the log firms up. This makes slicing the cookies clean and easy.

Chill time is important so do not skip the three hours.

Enjoy Your Holiday Baking

These festive gluten free pinwheel cookies are such fun to make and are always a hit with the kids!

Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies (Grain-Free, Paleo)

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
• Yield: Makes about 20 cookies
• Category: Dessert
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units USM

• 2 cups finely ground almond flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1/2 cup maple sugar or whole cane sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored, grass-fed gelatin
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 5 tablespoons ghee or palm shortening, frozen
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons India Tree Red Food Coloring
• 5 drops Peppermint essential oil (I use doTERRA peppermint oil)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Place the almond flour, coconut flour, maple sugar, gelatin, arrowroot and sea salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process 2-3 times to combine. Add the ghee and egg and process until the dough forms a ball. Remove half of the dough from the bowl, form it into a flat 6-inch disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Add the red food coloring and the peppermint oil to the remaining dough and process until the dough is red. Form the red dough into a flat 6-inch disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Place 2 pieces of parchment paper on the counter. Place each dough round on a piece of parchment. Sprinkle with arrowroot and roll each dough round into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle (if the measurement isn’t exact, that’s ok). With the red dough still attached to the parchment, carefully take the red dough and place it on top of the “white” dough with the parchment now facing up. Slowly peel the parchment off of the red dough.
4. Using the parchment paper as an aid, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. After the cylinder is formed, roll it back and forth on the counter to slightly elongate it and compact it. Wrap the log in plastic wrap, twisting the edges so all of the dough is covered. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and adjust the rack to the middle position. Remove the dough log from the refrigerator and cut it into 1/4” thick slices using a paring knife. Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool and serve.
6. Note: I only test the recipes on my site with the listed ingredients and measurements. If you would like to try a substitution, you are welcome to share what you used and how it turned out in the comments below. Thanks!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1