Christmas-Tree Cookies

Crunchy, buttery cookies shaped like Christmas trees — festive, fun to decorate, and perfect for holiday parties, gifts, or cozy winter baking.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple short-bread/sugar-cookie base — buttery, light, and bakes evenly
• Festive tree shape makes them great for holiday parties or gift tins
• You can decorate in many ways — icing, sprinkles, chocolate dip, nuts — fun and creative
• Easy enough for beginners; decorative enough for holiday cookie exchanges
• Keeps well — good for making ahead and storing

Ingredients

For the Cookie Dough

• 300 g (about 2 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
• 200 g (about 1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar (or caster sugar)
• Optional: a pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
• Optional flavor: 1 tsp vanilla extract — for subtle flavor

For Decorating / Optional Finish
You can choose how to decorate — here are some ideas:

• Icing (royal icing or simple powdered-sugar glaze)
• Melted chocolate or white-chocolate coating
• Sprinkles, colored sugar, edible pearls, mini candies (for “ornaments”)
• Crushed nuts, chopped pistachios, or freeze-dried berries for texture
• Pretzel sticks (for trunk) — fun if you want each cookie to look like a full little tree

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Instructions

1. Make the Dough
   • In a bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. If using vanilla extract, add it here.
   • Gradually add flour (and a pinch of salt if using), mixing until the dough just comes together. Don’t overwork it — you want it smooth but not tough.
   • Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 20–30 minutes. Chilling helps keep cookies from spreading too much and holds the shape.
2. Shape the Cookies
   • Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
   • On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ¼-inch (≈ 5–6 mm) thickness.
   • Use a Christmas-tree cookie cutter (or a knife if you don’t have one) to cut out tree shapes. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
   • If you want “trunks,” you can insert a small piece of pretzel stick at the bottom of each tree cookie (press gently so it stays in place).
3. Bake
   • Bake for 10–14 minutes, or until edges are just starting to turn golden. Cookies should remain fairly pale for a tender, buttery texture — avoid over-baking for a soft short-bread-like bite.
   • Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
4. Decorate
   You have many decorating options depending on how fancy you want to go:
   • Icing & Sprinkles: Pipe or spread a thin layer of royal icing or powdered-sugar glaze, then add sprinkles or candy decorations (like ornaments).
   • Chocolate-dipped trees: Dip half (or base) of each cooled cookie in melted chocolate or white chocolate; allow to set. Optionally sprinkle crushed nuts or crushed freeze-dried berries on the wet chocolate for festive color and crunch.
   • Colorful sugar/simple glaze: Mix powdered sugar + a little milk + food coloring for a quick glaze. Drizzle or flood the cookies, then add edible pearls, colored sugar for ornaments, or dust with colored sugar for sparkle.
   • Trunk + ornaments look: Use pretzel stick as trunk, pipe brown icing or melt chocolate for trunk, decorate tree with green icing and “ornaments” — candies, sugar pearls, or sprinkles.

You Must Know

• Chilling the dough before cutting helps the cookies hold their shape — important for tree shapes.
• Don’t over-bake: cookies should stay light in color for a tender, buttery texture.
• Wait until cookies are fully cooled before decorating — warm cookies melt icing/chocolate.
• When using melted chocolate or glaze, ensure it is cooled slightly before decorating to avoid overly runny topping.

Pro Tips

• For smoother dough, use room-temperature butter and don’t overmix once flour is added.
• After cutting cookies, chill on the baking sheet 10 minutes before baking — helps maintain shape.
• Try mixing up decorate styles: half with chocolate-dip + nuts, half with icing + sprinkles — fun variety on cookie platters.
• Store decorated cookies in airtight container at room temperature — layering with parchment paper helps prevent sticking.
• Want a more festive crunch? Add chopped nuts or crushed freeze-dried fruit on top of melted chocolate before it sets.

Ingredient Substitutions & Variations

• Use whole-wheat flour (or part whole-wheat / part all-purpose) for a more rustic texture — but expect slightly denser cookies.
• Use plant-based butter / margarine for a dairy-free version (flavor slightly changes).
• Replace sugar with coconut sugar or other sweetener (texture and sweetness may vary slightly).
• Instead of plain butter cookies — make sugar-cookie dough (with egg) if you prefer a slightly sweeter, lighter cookie.
• For a spicy twist — add ¼ tsp cinnamon or ground ginger for a subtle holiday spice.

Serving Suggestions

• Arrange on a festive platter with assorted Christmas cookies (stars, snowflakes, gingerbread) for holiday parties.
• Package in small cellophane bags tied with ribbon — makes a lovely homemade gift.
• Serve with hot cocoa, tea, or coffee for a cozy winter treat.
• Pair with warm desserts — fruit compote, pudding, or whipped cream for a sweet holiday dessert spread.

Storage Tips

• Once fully cooled and decorated, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5–7 days.
• If storing multiple layers, place parchment paper between layers so cookies don’t stick or smudge.
• Cookies freeze well (without decorations) — freeze dough or baked plain cookies; thaw and decorate when ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I use powdered-sugar icing instead of chocolate?
Yes — a simple glaze or royal icing works great and allows for colorful decorations.

→ My cookies spread / lost shape — why?
Probably the dough was too warm or not chilled before baking. Next time, chill dough longer or pop shaped cookies in fridge 10–15 min before baking.

→ Can kids help decorate?
Absolutely — decorating with icing, sprinkles, and candy makes it a fun holiday activity for all ages.

→ Are these cookies good for gifting?
Yes — they travel well when stored in airtight containers or wrapped carefully, and make a festive homemade gift.

Enjoy baking and decorating your Christmas-Tree Cookies — a festive, buttery treat that brings holiday spirit to your kitchen 🎄

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