Little Debbie inspired Christmas tree sugar cookies are a twist on the original snack cake. Dipped in frosting they are easy to make!
You might also like our stacked snowman sugar cookies, our gingerbread cookie boxes, or our bakery-style sugar cookies.
Watch our step by step video!
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies
Sugar cookies, but they look like Little Debbie Christmas trees! These are in no way a substitution for the classic snack cakes, they are just a fun way to decorate Christmas sugar cookies. My hack for frosting these cookies is one that we’ve done for years and years. You’ll love how easy it is!
This recipe makes 30 tree cookies, each dipped in melty soft buttercream, sprinkled with green sugar then decorated with red buttercream. I used my classic sugar cookie recipe for delicious cookies that are buttery and soft. This is the only cut-out sugar cookie recipe that I use.
Buttercream Dipped Sugar Cookies
What’s easier than spreading frosting over cookies? Dipping the cookies in melted frosting!
Dipping the cookies in frosting is what gives them a smooth finish. You can do this trick with store-bought frosting or homemade buttercream. I used homemade buttercream this time, but have used store-bought frosting with great results in the past.
You simply warm up the frosting in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, stir, then dip the tops of the cookies in the warm frosting. Let the excess frosting drip off then turn the cookies over and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet to set up. Once set, they are easy to transport and package up.
The red details are red buttercream frosting that has NOT been melted. I spooned it into a piping bag and piped the lines onto the cookies. The red buttercream will also set up enough to package or transport cookies but does not set up quite as hard as royal icing.
Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Ingredients
Scroll down for a printable version
Sugar Cookie Dough
- 1 c. butter softened
- 1/2 c. shortening
- 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. almond extract (optional—can use extra vanilla if you’d like)
- 4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c. cornstarch
- 2 tsp. baking powder
Frosting
- 3/4 cup butter
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 6 Tbsp. milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- red food coloring
- green sugar sprinkles
How To Make Little DEBBIE-INSPIRED Tree Cookies
In a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) combine butter, shortening, and sugar. Beat until fluffy. Turn the electric mixer down and add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add baking powder. Stir in flour* and cornstarch and mix until soft dough forms.
*Start with 3 1/2 cups of flour, and if the dough seems too soft add the last 1/2 cup of flour. If the dough seems a bit dry, add a tablespoon or two of water.
Lightly flour your working surface and shape the dough into a large ball.
Roll the dough out to the desired thickness using a rolling pin (I usually do 1/4- 3/8″) and cut into tree shapes.
Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes on ungreased baking sheets (I line mine with parchment).
Cookies will be soft. Let sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully moving to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Beat frosting ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Spoon out a heaping 1/2 cup of frosting into a small bowl and add food coloring to tint it red. Set the red frosting aside.
Heat the remaining white frosting in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Stir.
It should be smooth and thin.
Hold onto the edges of the cookie and dip the top of the cookie into the warm frosting. Allow excess to drip off.
Note: the frosting will begin to thicken as it cools. When that happens, simply reheat in the microwave for 10 seconds and stir. It’ll be thin and ready for dipping again.
Place dipped cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle immediately with green sugar sprinkles.
Once all of the sugar cookies have been dipped and sprinkled, fit a frosting bag with a small round tip and spoon the red frosting into the bag.
Decorate the tops of the tree cookies with red lines of frosting.
The cookies will harden slightly as they set. Enough to transport or package up. I don’t recommend stacking cookies that have been decorated with buttercream frosting more than 2 cookies tall because buttercream will never be as hard as royal icing.
Store the cookies wrapped in plastic on the baking sheet or in an airtight container.
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies Recipe
(printable version)
Little Debbie Tree Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
Frosting
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 Tbsp. milk
Instructions
Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl combine butter, shortening, and sugar. Beat until fluffy. Turn the mixer down and add egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Add baking powder. Add flour* and cornstarch and mix thoroughly. *Start with 3 1/2 cups of flour and add the last 1/2 cup at the end if the dough seems too soft (I always use the full amount of flour).
- Lightly flour your working surface and shape dough into a large ball. No refrigeration necessary.
- Roll dough out to desired thickness using a rolling pin (I usually do 1/4- 3/8″) and cut into tree shapes. Add flour to dough if it feels too sticky but a nice soft dough is what you want. Carefully transfer the cut-out cookie shapes with a spatula to a baking sheet.
- Bake on baking sheets at 325 degrees for 12 minutes. Cookies will be soft. Let them sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully moving to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream Frosting
- Beat frosting ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spoon out a heaping 1/2 cup of frosting into a small bowl and add food coloring to tint it red. Set the bowl of red frosting to the side.
- Heat the remaining white frosting in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Stir.It should be smooth and thin.
- Hold onto the edges of the cookie and dip the top of the cookie into the warm frosting. Allow excess to drip off.Note: the frosting will begin to thicken as it cools. When that happens, simply reheat in the microwave for 10 seconds and stir. It'll be thin and ready for dipping again.
- Place dipped cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle immediately with green sugar sprinkles.
- Once all of the sugar cookies have been dipped and sprinkled, fit a frosting bag with a small round tip and spoon the red frosting into the bag. Decorate the tops of the tree cookies with red lines of frosting.
Notes
Nutrition
DOES SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED?
Some recipes call for refrigeration, but this one doesn’t. If you’d like to make it ahead of time you can wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and then use it later, but this is a great last-minute recipe because refrigeration is not necessary.
WHY DO YOU USE A COMBINATION OF CORNSTARCH AND FLOUR FOR SUGAR COOKIES?
Corn starch softens the dough making it feel like a cloud. It also makes for a softer sugar cookie.
WHY DO YOU USE BOTH BUTTER AND SHORTENING FOR SUGAR COOKIES?
I like using both for flavor (butter) and texture (shortening).
HOW LONG WILL SUGAR COOKIES LAST?
These will stay fresh for about 3 days, but you can freeze them for months.
Note: I make these using my kitchen-aid mixer and keep it on the entire time (on the 2nd to lowest setting). If you don’t have a stand mixer, just make sure to beat everything until fluffy before adding the flour.
Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!
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