Plaid Christmas Sweater Cookies (Patterned Slice-and-Bake)

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I have a confession. I am that person. The one who starts plotting Christmas in October, who delights in the truly, spectacularly ugly holiday sweater. There’s a joy in the kitsch, a warmth in the wacky patterns and the feeling of a slightly scratchy wool blend. A few years back, I decided my cookie platter needed to match my sartorial spirit. The result was a three-day flour-pocalypse in my kitchen, with more failed, blurry-looking dough logs than I care to admit. The secret, I learned through gritted teeth and a dusting of red food coloring, isn’t just precision—it’s a little bit of stubbornness and a lot of cold butter. These cookies are my holiday masterpiece. They’re a project, a labor of love, a thing you do once a year to prove to yourself that you can. And when you slice into that log and see that perfect, tiny plaid pattern? Pure, unadulterated magic.

Quick Look

Prep	Cook	Total	Feeds	Level
2 hrs (over 2 days)	12 mins	2 hrs 12 mins (+4 hrs chill)	24-30 cookies	Advanced

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The show-stopping factor. These will be the most talked-about thing on your cookie tray, I guarantee it.
• It’s a baking puzzle. If you love detailed, methodical projects, this is your perfect winter pastime.
• The dough is wonderfully forgiving. It rerolls and re-chills beautifully, so mistakes aren’t fatal.
• They taste as good as they look. A buttery, vanilla-scented shortbread that’s the perfect canvas.

Grab These

For the Base Shortbread Dough:

• 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter, cool but not rock-hard
• ¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the “Plaid” Colors & Assembly:

• Gel food coloring: Red, Green, and a touch of Black or Brown (gel is a must—liquid will ruin the dough)
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (optional, for a deeper brown instead of black)
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten (for the “glue”)

Let’s Make It

First, make the dough. Whisk the flour and salt together. In a separate bowl, beat the cool butter and powdered sugar until just combined—don’t whip in a ton of air. Beat in the yolk and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture on low speed until the dough just comes together. Turn it out onto a surface and knead gently once or twice to bring it into a smooth ball.

Now, the division. This is where your inner artist (and accountant) comes out. Weigh the entire ball of dough. You’ll divide it roughly as follows:

• 40% – This will remain plain, for the background color.
• 25% – This will be dyed your main plaid color (I use red).
• 25% – This will be your contrasting plaid color (I use green).
• 10% – This will be dyed a dark brown or black, for the thin accent lines.

Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Now, the construction. We’re building the pattern from the inside out. Start with your main color (red). Roll it into a long, thin rope, about ½-inch thick. This will be the vertical stripe in the center of your “sweater.” Do the same with your dark brown dough, making a much skinnier rope. Brush the red rope with a tiny bit of beaten egg white and gently press the brown rope alongside it. Repeat so the red rope has a thin brown line on either side. This is your first stack. Wrap in plastic and chill.

Take your plain dough and roll it into a rectangle large enough to completely wrap around your chilled red/brown stack. Brush the stack with egg white and snugly wrap it in the plain dough, sealing the seam. You should now have a thick log with a red-and-brown striped center. Chill thoroughly.

This is the tricky part: slicing and assembling. Slice your chilled log in half lengthwise. You now have two long halves, each showing the striped interior. Brush the cut sides with egg white and press them together, striped side to striped side, to create a mirror image. You’ve just doubled your pattern! Wrap and chill again.

Now, for the horizontal stripes. Take your contrasting color (green) and roll it into several long, thin ropes, the same thickness as your initial red ones. Do the same with the remaining dark brown dough for the thin accents. Slice your chilled main log into ¼-inch thick slices. Lay these slices flat on a parchment sheet, spaced apart. Now, carefully lay the green and brown ropes across the slices to create the horizontal stripes of the plaid. Use egg white to glue them on. This is finicky work. Embrace it.

Finally, roll out your remaining plain dough into a thin sheet. Carefully wrap each decorated cookie slice in this plain dough blanket, sealing the pattern inside. Gently roll the wrapped cookie on the counter to smooth the seams. Repeat for all cookies. Chill until rock-hard.

Nutritional Facts (Per Cookie)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	~ 150 kcal
Protein	2g
Carbohydrates	18g
Fat	8g
Fiber	0g
Sugar	6g
*Note:	Values are estimates

Variations & Add-Ins

• Fair Isle Sweater: Use pastel colors like light blue, pale pink, and white for a softer, Nordic look.
• The Grinch: Use all green and red, skipping the brown, for a bold, cartoonish plaid.
• Orange & Cranberry: Add a teaspoon of orange zest to the dough and use cranberry red coloring for a festive twist.

Serving Ideas

These are a stand-alone spectacle. Arrange them on a stark white platter to let the pattern shine. They pair beautifully with a hot mug of cocoa or a glass of cold milk. They are the cookie you give your favorite person to show you really, truly care.

Storage & Reheating

Store in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to a week. They freeze perfectly for up to 3 months. The dough logs can be frozen for months before slicing and baking.

My Two Cents

Your best friend is the freezer. Use it relentlessly. After every single step—wrapping, slicing, assembling—chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. A firm, cold dough is the only thing that will hold this intricate pattern when you slice it. If the butter starts to soften, the pattern will smudge. Patience is not a virtue here; it’s a requirement.

You Asked, I’m Answering

“My pattern smudged when I sliced the final log!”
Your dough was too warm. Pop the whole log into the freezer for 15-20 minutes. And use a sharp, thin-bladed knife, wiping it clean between slices for the sharpest edges.

“Can I make this without so many colors?”
Absolutely! A two-color plaid (like red and white) is still stunning and dramatically reduces the work. The method is the same, just skip the dark accent color.

“The dough is cracking when I try to wrap the slices!”
This means your outer layer of dough is too cold and your inner log is too warm. Let the outer sheet sit at room temp for a few minutes to become pliable, and make sure the inner log is very cold. It’s a delicate dance.