Sugar Cookie Christmas Tree

I made my first sugar cookie Christmas tree. So easy and beautiful! I used sugar cookies and a very thick but super simple powdered sugar icing. It's great to use as a centerpiece and to make with kids.

The holidays are not my most productive time of the year, bake-wise.

Maybe because it's summer here (Buenos Aires), and the hot weather takes the fun of turning the oven on.

But a short trip to the US last month brought back cookie cutters. A lot of them.

Then I had to decide what type of cookie to use. While sugar cookies are a classic, I debated making my beloved gingerbread cookies with white glaze. They are perfect for hanging in the tree and taste so amazing.

But traditional won, and a white Christmas it was. A hot one.

Assembling the tree

I glazed them with a simple confectioners' sugar and lemon juice glaze and added some red sugar crystals and crushed peppermint candy.

A lack of piping bag skills calls for some crushed stuff, the redder the better.

Turns out, a sugar cookie Christmas tree has no need for fancy decoration really. You can get away with some sprinkling. Or even with a top star that has a smudged glaze. I wonder whose fault was that, huh?

I hope they will be the centerpieces on my holiday table.

I say hope because I always make a list of homemade gifts and decorated cookies for the table and such, but they rarely come to life. Sad, I know. But so true.

Happy holidays everyone! Hope your days are filled with love, cookies, and harmony.

Related recipes you might like:

Sugar Cookie Christmas Tree

Author: Paula Montenegro

Click the stars to Rate this Recipe!

So easy and beautiful! I used sugar cookies and a very thick but simple powdered sugar icing. 

Print SAVESaved!

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 2 small trees

Course Cookies

Cook ModePrevent screen from going dark

Ingredients

 

US Customary - Metric

 

0.5x1x2x

For the cookies:

• ▢ ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ▢ ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ▢ 1 egg, at room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , or ¾ teaspoon vanilla paste
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

For the glaze:

• ▢ ½ cup confectioners' sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons lemon juice, milk or water

Instructions

 

For the cookies:

• Beat ¾ cup unsalted butter with ¾ cup light brown sugar until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
• Add 1 egg and beat until incorporated.
• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon almond extract and mix well.
• Sift dry ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt (I measure them and sift directly over the butter mixture). Add them in 2 or 3 parts to the butter, mixing at low speed and only until combined and no dry spots remain.
• Divide the dough into two or three parts. Cover well in plastic wrap and chill for at least half an hour and up to 2 days.
• When ready to bake, place each portion of dough between sheets of parchment paper, roll about ¼ inch thickness (add some flour if needed to prevent the rolling pin from sticking) and place on cookie sheets.
• Refrigerate them for another 15-20 minutes, or freeze for five minutes, or until they are very cold but not starting to crack.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
• With cookie cutters cut dough into the shapes you want. I used the star cookie cutters from Sur La Table.
• Place the cut cookies on baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes, until dry and just starting to color. If you want chewy centers underbake them for a minute or two. Careful as different sized cookies will have different baking times.
• Let cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.

For the glaze:

• Mix ½ cup confectioners' sugar with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Add more in drops until you have a thick and smooth consistency, similar to thick honey.

To assemble:

• Take the largest star cookie and glaze the top. Place on the serving plate and sprinkle the ends with colored sugar and crushed peppermint candy.
• Continue glazing and piling the other star cookies, from the largest to the smallest. Be sure to alternate pointed ends so you create a tree.
• Let the glaze set before you move the tree.
• Repeat if you made cookies for more than one tree.

Notes

Bake ahead: the cookies can be baked ahead and kept in airtight containers or tins for about a week. The dough can be frozen for up to a month.

Cuisine American

Keyword christmas cookie tree

Did you try this recipe?Let me know in the comments below!