Description
Soft, thick, pale, and perfectly shaped Christmas cookies—smooth white icing, glossy finish, and adorable festive garlands. These beauties look straight out of a holiday bakery!
Ingredients:
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1–2 tablespoons milk (only if needed)
Royal Icing:
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
4–5 tablespoons warm water
½ teaspoon clear vanilla extract
Red & green gel food coloring
Mini gold, red, and white sprinkle pearls
Instructions:
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. (
2 minutes)
Beat butter and sugar 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract. (
4 minutes)
Add dry ingredients gradually. Add 1–2 tbsp milk only if the dough feels dry. (
2 minutes)
Form dough into 2 disks, wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour for perfect edges. (
60 minutes)
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness and cut out Christmas tree shapes. (
10 minutes)
Bake 8–10 minutes until pale but set. Cool completely. (
15 minutes)
Make royal icing by whisking sugar + meringue powder, adding water until flood consistency, then add clear vanilla. Tint small portions red and green. (
5 minutes)
Outline and flood each cookie with white icing. Let set 20 minutes. (
20 minutes)
Pipe green and red garland lines. Place gold/red/white sprinkles along the garland. (
10 minutes)
Let cookies dry 6–8 hours uncovered for the glossy finish. (
6–8 hours)
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Chilling: 1 hour | Cooking Time: 10 minutes | Decorating + Drying Time: 7 hours | Total Time: ~8 hours 30 minutes
Kcal: ~180 kcal | Servings: 24 cookies
#ChristmasCookies #HolidayBaking #SugarCookies #FestiveTreats
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these detailed instructions for perfect cookies. First, ensure all ingredients are at room temperature. Precisely measure your flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off to avoid dense cookies. When creaming the butter and sugar, beat for the full 2-3 minutes until visibly light and fluffy. This incorporates air for a soft texture. After adding the dry ingredients, mix only until just combined to prevent toughness. When rolling, use guide sticks on either side of your dough to ensure a perfectly even 1/4-inch thickness. For clean cuts, dip your cookie cutter in flour between each press. Bake on the middle rack and rotate the sheet halfway through for even cooking.
Serving Suggestions
These elegant cookies are perfect for gifting. Stack them in a clear cellophane bag tied with a ribbon, or arrange them on a festive platter as a stunning centerpiece for your holiday dessert table. Pair them with a warm mug of spiced apple cider, hot chocolate, or a glass of cold milk. For an adult gathering, they complement coffee, dessert wines, or port beautifully.
How-to Summary
In summary, create a soft sugar cookie dough, chill it, then roll, cut into tree shapes, and bake until pale. Prepare a glossy royal icing, outline and flood the cooled cookies with white, let it set, then decorate with colored garland lines and sprinkle pearls. The key to the professional finish is allowing the iced cookies to dry completely, uncovered, for 6-8 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time? Absolutely. The wrapped dough disks can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Let it soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.
What can I use instead of meringue powder? For a similar consistency, you can use pasteurized liquid egg whites. Start with about 3 tablespoons and adjust with powdered sugar as needed.
Why are my cookies spreading? This is usually due to dough that is too warm or under-chilled. Ensure your dough is firm from the full hour in the fridge and your baking sheet is cool before loading the next batch.
How do I store finished cookies? Once the icing is fully hardened, store them in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
My icing is too thick/thin. How do I fix it? For flood consistency, it should ribbon off your spoon and smooth out in 10-15 seconds. Thicken with more powdered sugar; thin with tiny drops of warm water.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overmixing the dough after adding flour, which develops gluten and makes cookies tough.
- Rolling dough unevenly, leading to some cookies baking faster than others.
- Adding too much milk to the dough; only add if it won’t come together after mixing.
- Decorating cookies before they are completely cool, causing the icing to melt.
- Rushing the drying process by covering the cookies, which ruins the glossy finish.
Conclusion
With patience and attention to detail, these stunning Christmas tree cookies are an achievable and rewarding holiday project. The combination of a soft, flavorful cookie and smooth, glossy icing creates a treat that is as delightful to eat as it is beautiful to display. By following this enhanced guide and avoiding common pitfalls, you’ll create bakery-worthy cookies that will impress your family and friends and become a cherished part of your festive traditions.