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 truly magical about these festive cookies — soft, buttery, and bursting with colors that instantly brighten up your kitchen. The Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe is a charming treat that not only tastes incredible but looks absolutely stunning on any holiday table or party platter.

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 fell in love with this Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe the first time I piped those vibrant stripes into a perfect little circle. You’ll appreciate not just how pretty they turn out, but also the simple steps that make it fun and rewarding to bake.

Bright and festive: The colorful stripes create a beautiful, eye-catching cookie that is perfect for celebrations.
Buttery and tender: The texture is wonderfully soft, not crunchy, which makes them melt in your mouth.
Easy to customize: You can adjust colors and decorations as you like to match any theme or occasion.
Great for gifting: These cookies are as lovely to give as they are to eat, making them a thoughtful homemade gift.

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

Each ingredient in the Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe plays a key part in creating that rich, tender crumb and the brilliant color contrast. Using quality basics ensures your cookies look and taste their very best.

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 gives the dough a creamy texture and rich flavor, helping the cookies stay tender.
Icing sugar: This fine sugar blends smoothly with butter for that delicate crumb and sweetness.
Egg white: Adds structure without making the cookies tough; helps hold the shape when piping.
Vanilla extract: A touch of warmth and aroma that rounds out the buttery flavor beautifully.
Salt: Enhances the sweetness and balances flavors perfectly.
All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the cookie and gives just the right amount of firmness.
Cornstarch: Keeps the cookies soft and tender by reducing gluten development—this is a neat little trick.
Gel food coloring: Use concentrated gel for vibrant colors without changing dough consistency.
Sprinkles: Add that final festive touch and a bit of crunch.

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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

I like to tweak the colors depending on the celebration—reds and greens for Christmas, pastels for spring, or even a rainbow theme to brighten up any day. You can easily switch out sprinkles or add edible glitter for extra sparkle!

Color Variations: Try adding natural colorants like beet powder or matcha if you prefer natural dyes, though the results will be more muted.
Flavour Twists: Swap vanilla for almond or lemon extract for a fresh twist on flavor.
Dietary Modifications: For a dairy-free version, use vegan butter and be sure to check your sprinkles don’t contain animal products.

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

Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Start by whisking the unsalted butter and icing sugar until the mixture is soft and creamy. It should look light in color and fluffy — this is crucial because it builds the texture of your cookies.

Step 2: Add Egg White and Vanilla

Next, whisk in the egg white to bind everything smoothly, then stir in the vanilla extract. I find whisking by hand helps keep the mixture airy without overworking it.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

Gently fold in the salt, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch using a spatula. Be careful not to overmix here—you want the dough to come together smoothly but stay tender once baked.

Step 4: Divide and Color the Dough

Once the dough is ready, weigh it and split it into two equal parts. Slowly add your red or green gel food coloring to one half, kneading gently until you get that festive hue you love. This part feels like magic—you’re turning simple dough into something so vivid.

Step 5: Create Colorful Dough Stripes

Place each colored dough portion into separate piping bags. Pipe stripes onto plastic wrap, layering them twice for dramatic color contrast. Too many thin layers blend together, so keep it simple for that bold swirled effect.

Step 6: Form the Wreath Logs

Roll the layered dough in the plastic wrap into a cylinder. Trim any excess wrap with scissors and slip the cylinder into another piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, ideally about 1 cm wide for that pretty shape.

Step 7: Pipe Your Wreath Cookies

Pipe circles onto parchment paper, shaping them into wreaths. If the ends aren’t perfect, give them a gentle tap with your finger to smooth out the edges. Then sprinkle generously with colorful sprinkles — this is the fun part!

Step 8: Bake to Perfection

Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for 10–12 minutes. You want them just dry to the touch but not browned. Overbaking will make them lose that delicate melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Top Tip

After making this recipe multiple times, I learned that the key to vibrant colors and perfect piping is not rushing the layering step. Take your time to pipe clean stripes on the plastic wrap—this makes all the difference for the final wreath pattern!

Use Gel Food Coloring: Gel colors won’t change your dough’s consistency like liquid colors might.
Don’t Overmix Dough: Gently fold your dry ingredients just until combined to keep the cookies tender.
Choose the Right Nozzle Size: I found a star nozzle about 1 cm wide is perfect for piping wreath shapes—not too small to clog or lose shape.
Test Bake One Cookie: Always bake one cookie first to check timing and texture before baking the whole batch.

How to Serve Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe

colorful wreath cookies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I usually keep it simple with festive round sprinkles in red, green, and white—they add a lovely pop of color and just a little crunch. Sometimes I add edible gold dust or tiny silver dragées for a more elegant twist.

Side Dishes

These cookies are perfect alongside a warm cup of spiced tea, hot chocolate, or even a fresh fruit platter to balance the richness. For holiday gatherings, I like serving them with a cheese board for a sweet and savory combo.

Creative Ways to Present

Anniversary parties, Christmas, or even hostess gifts—they look fantastic stacked in clear glass jars tied with a ribbon. You can also place them on a festive serving plate surrounded by holly leaves or seasonal flowers to create a gorgeous centerpiece.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover wreath cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay soft and fresh for about a week, but honestly, mine rarely last that long because everyone loves them so much!

Freezing

You can freeze baked cookies for up to three months if you need to prepare ahead. Just let them cool completely, layer them with parchment paper in a freezer-safe container, and thaw at room temp before serving.

Reheating

If you want to refresh slightly soft cookies, pop them in a warm (not hot) oven for 3–5 minutes to regain that fresh-baked texture—just watch carefully so you don’t dry them out!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use regular food coloring instead of gel for the Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe?

You can, but gel food coloring is strongly recommended because it provides vibrant color without adding extra liquid that could change the dough consistency and affect how the cookies bake.

What if my dough is too soft to pipe?

If your dough feels too soft, refrigerate it for 20-30 minutes to firm up. This makes piping easier and helps the cookies hold their shape during baking. Avoid adding more flour to fix softness, as that can make cookies dry and tough.

Why do the cookies lose their vibrant color after baking?

Colors can fade if the oven is too hot or if the cookies bake too long. Bake at 180°C/350°F for just 10-12 minutes until dry but not browned to retain bright colors. Also, using gel colors helps maintain vibrancy.

Can I make the dough ahead and refrigerate before piping?

Yes, you can wrap the prepared dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day before dividing and coloring. Allow it to warm slightly before piping to make it easier to work with.

Final Thoughts

This Colorful Wreath Butter Cookies Recipe feels like a little celebration every time I make it. It’s such a joy to see those cheerful colors come to life and to share these tender, buttery treats with friends and family. If you want a cookie recipe that’s easy, delicious, and will add a splash of color to your baking lineup—this one’s a winner. Give it a try, and I hope it brings as much warmth to your kitchen as it does to mine!