Christmas Tree Cookies
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Christmas tree cookies decorated with snow and a sweet red heart in the middle are the perfect yummy holiday treat for your cookie exchange!
These Christmas tree sugar cookies are so fun! We made ours Grinch inspired, but you can decorate them any way you like. Serve them up with other cookie favorites like giant sprinkle cookies or peanut butter blossoms.
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Christmas Tree Cookies
Christmas Tree Cookies
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Christmas Tree Cookie Ingredients
- Butter – Room temperature, unsalted.
- Sugar – White granulated and powdered.
- Half and half – Flavored coffee creamer will also work.
- Vanilla – Real vanilla extract.
- Eggs – Large.
- Flour – All purpose.
- Baking powder – For leavening. Make sure it’s powder and not soda.
- Salt – Skip if you use salted butter.
- Food coloring – Green.
- Candy melts – Red candy melts or colored white chocolate.
How do you make Christmas tree cookies? (step-by-step)
⭐ First, in a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar, beat in the half and half, vanilla and the eggs, add in the flour, baking powder and salt.
⭐ Next, squeeze in food coloring and mix until a thick dough forms; chill. Roll dough out onto a floured surface.
⭐ Then, using a Christmas tree cutter cut out your cookies. Shape the top of the tree into a little curl.
⭐ Next, place cookies on a lined baking sheet and bake until cookies are just set and starting to turn light brown around the edges. Cool on baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
⭐ Finally, while cookies are baking prepare glaze and melt candy melts. When cookies are cooled add glaze “snow” and candy melt “hearts.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Preparation
Can you make Christmas tree cookies ahead of time?
Yes, these are a perfect for making a few days before your party or get together. Store them in a sealed container at room temperature.
How to decorate Christmas tree cookies?
We made ours Grinch inspired (like our Grinch brownies) with swooped tops and a red heart in the middle! You can use candy melts, icing, or red heart sprinkles to make the hearts.
Alternatively you can use colorful sprinkles or M&M’s turned sideways for a more traditional string of lights decoration.
Leftovers and storage
How long do Christmas tree sugar cookies last?
The cookies should be stored in an air tight container and can remain at room temperature for about 3 – 5 days. Longer than that and you’ll want to store your cookies in the refrigerator or freezer.
Can you freeze cookies?
Yes, you can freeze cookies. Allow them to cool completely, then store in an air tight, freezer safe container. Cookies can remain in the freezer for several months, after which time you run the risk of freezer burn and they will begin to deteriorate in texture and flavor.
To thaw, allow the cookies to come to room temperature and then enjoy!
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
🎄 Bake the cookies and put out decorations for friends and family to decorate their own!
🎄 Try making with several different shades of green for a fun varied forest of trees.
🎄 Use M&M’s turned on their side to make Christmas lights on the trees.
🎄 Make them with our classic sugar cookie recipe or this delicious ginger cookie recipe.
What to eat with Christmas tree cookies (serving suggestions)
These are so fun after a big holiday dinner of traditional prime rib roast, creamed corn, and air fryer asparagus. Or as a fun treat in your kids lunch boxes around Christmas time (we like to put these peanut butter and jelly hand pies with them!).
More fun Christmas recipes
- Christmas tree cupcakes
- Christmas tree brownies
- Hot cocoa muddy buddies
- Rice krispies coal treats
- Peppermint mocha
Other cookie recipes you’ll love
- Chocolate peppermint cookies
- Pumpkin crinkle cookies
- Chocolate shortbread cookies
- Chocolate chip covered Gideon’s Bakehouse cookies
- Red velvet cake mix cookies
- Snickerdoodles
- See all our yummy cookie recipes
Tools we love
- Bakers half sheet – It’s cool, we only have about six of these bakers half sheets because they’re good for absolutely everything!
- Silicone baking mats – Nothing sticks to these! Whaaaa?! Like magic.
- Electric mixer – I love love love love love (x’s 100) my stand mixer. Really and truly. But my daily work horse is this handheld electric mixer!
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How to Make Christmas Tree Cookies
Christmas Tree Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie dough
- 1 cup butter salted, softened
- 2 cups sugar white granulated
- 2 tablespoons half and half flavored coffee creamer also works great
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract large
- 3 eggs
- 4 cups flour all purpose
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt skip if you use salted butter
Decorations
- 1 cup powdered sugar also called confectioners sugar or icing sugar
- ½ teaspoon real vanilla extract
- green food coloring we used neon green
- 1 cup candy melts red
Instructions
Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the half and half, vanilla, and the eggs until well combined.
- Next add in the flour, baking powder and salt. Add green food coloring and mix. Continue to add food coloring in small amounts until desired shade is reached.
- Mix until a thick dough forms, cover or wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll out to ¼" thickness. This is easiest if you do half the dough at a time. Use a cookie cutter to cut out tree shapes.
- Place cut out cookies about 1" apart on parchment or silicone lined baking sheets and, if desired, shape the top of the tree into a curl.
- Bake at 350° F for 7-9 minutes until cookies are just set and starting to turn light brown around the edges. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Decoration
- For the snow: Mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and stir to make a thick glaze. If it is not wet enough add milk or water ¼ teaspoon at a time until you have a thick glaze. Put a little glaze on the top of the tree and the tips and allow to set.
- For the hearts: In a microwave safe bowl melt the red candy melts in 15 - 20 second increments, stirring in-between, until smooth and melted. Carefully transfer the red chocolate to a sandwich bag and snip off a tiny corner. Pipe hearts into the center of the cookies and allow to set.
Notes
Nutrition
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Christmas Tree Cookies
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Making these tonight! I cant wait to try them!
These grinch Christmas tree cookies were the perfect surprise for our annual Grinch Christmas movie night!
These are SO easy to make and SO cute! We packaged them up and gifted them to our neighbors. Everyone was raving about how cute and delicious they are!
Could you use peppermint white choc instead of the white icing? Thanks!! They are adorable
absolutely!