Easy Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

What Others Are Saying

Oh, these are just darling!! I actually really like the zig zaggy look and the fact that you can see the cookie underneath. ---Lisa

These are cookies even I can decorate to look good! Thanks.---Bridgette

Tips and Tricks

• Cookie-cutter hack. If you don't have a tree cookie cutter you can cut out a triangle template from a piece of parchment paper. Press the triangle template onto the dough, then cut around the edge using a pizza cutter. Repeat for all cookies.
• Keep your baking sheets cold. When making multiple batches, I like to roll and cut all of the cookies and keep the prepared baking sheets in the refrigerator while the other cookies bake. Starting with cold dough helps the cookies hold their shape.
• Don't overbake the cookies. These sugar cookies should remain soft and tender. They may look slightly underdone when you remove them from the oven, but they'll continue to set as they cool.
• Use one open star tip for all three designs. An open star tip, such as a Wilton 32, can create several different looks depending on how you hold and move the piping bag.
• Turn the cookie upside down when decorating. I find it easier to pipe the frosting starting at the wide end of the tree and working toward the narrow end. Turning the cookie upside down makes this much easier.
• Add sprinkles while the frosting is wet. Christmas sprinkles and sugar pearls will stick to the buttercream before it begins to crust.
• Let the buttercream set before stacking. Buttercream doesn't harden as firmly as royal icing, but it will develop a slight crust as it sits. I recommend stacking these cookies no more than two high.

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies

• Butter and Shortening: I use a combination of butter and shortening for the best texture and flavor. If you don't want to use shortening you can use all butter, but I highly recommend trying the recipe as written first.
• Sugar: There are only two types of cookies that I don't use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar for: sugar cookies and snickerdoodles. White sugar is best for sugar cookies. It gives them great flavor and texture.
• Egg: For richness and texture.
• Vanilla Extract and Almond Extract: Extracts are where you can get creative when making cookies. Vanilla and almond are my favorites to use and are a wonderful flavor combination.
• Flour: All-purpose flour is a great option for baking cookies.
• Cornstarch: This recipe requires a substantial amount of cornstarch. Trust me, it makes a soft and tender cookie.
• Baking powder: Baking powder gives sugar cookies life and a light texture.

Easy Buttercream Frosting

My favorite buttercream frosting holds sprinkles well and sets up enough to prevent smudging.

• Butter: For the best flavor and texture, always use butter in your frosting.
• Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar gives the frosting a fluffy and smooth texture.
• Milk or Heavy Cream: A bit of milk or cream helps thin the frosting out to a spreadable consistency.
• Vanilla: For flavoring.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Helpful Supplies and Tools

• Star Tip  (If you live near a Michael's Craft store you can usually score frosting tips for less than $1.)
• Rubber Spatula or Spoon (to spoon frosting into bags)
• Disposable Frosting Bags
• Green Food Coloring
• Mini Sugar Pearls and Christmas Sprinkles---I like these ones because they come with gold stars for the top of each cookie.

How To Make Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer*), combine butter, shortening, and sugar. Beat until fluffy.

Step 2: Turn the electric mixer to a low speed and add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add baking powder. Stir in the flour and cornstarch, and mix until a soft dough forms.

Step 3: Roll the dough ¼" - ⅜" thick. Cut out with tree cookie cutters. I didn't want to mix up a different color of frosting for the tree trunks so I cut them off before baking.

Bake the cookies and let them cool completely.

Step 4: Make a batch of buttercream frosting. Tint with food coloring.

Step 5: Attach an open star frosting tip (Wilton 32) to a frosting bag and fill the bag with buttercream frosting. Pipe frosting onto each cookie (see tutorials for each cookie design below).  Here is a mess-free way to fill a frosting bag.

Starburst: It's easier to start at the wide end and work towards the narrow end. This is why my cookie is upside down.

Hold the piping bag straight, just above the surface of the cookie, and squeeze out a small burst of frosting as you move the tip away from the cookie. Watch my video (plays under the first image at the top of the page) to see how I do this.

Continue adding starbursts until the cookie is covered with frosting.

Zig-zag: It's easier to start at the wide end and work towards the narrow end. This is why my cookie is upside down.

Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle. Squeeze the bag as you move from left to right to release frosting in a continuous line. Switch directions as you get to the end of each row. Watch my video (plays under the first image at the top of the page) to see how I do this.

Continue adding zig-zag lines until the cookie is covered with frosting.

Shells: It's easier to start at the wide end and work towards the narrow end. This is why my cookie is upside down.

Hold the frosting bag at a 45-degree angle. Give the bag a squeeze to release a burst of frosting then quickly pull back and release to create the shell shape (wider at the front and narrow at the back). Watch my video (plays under the first image at the top of the page) to see how I do this.

Continue adding rows of shells until the cookie is covered with frosting.

Sprinkles: Add sprinkles while the frosting is still wet. Store decorated cookies on the baking sheet covered with plastic or in an airtight container. Once the frosting is set, the cookies can be stacked 2 cookies tall.

Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies FAQs

More Sugar Cookies To Make

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