Christmas Tree Cutout Cookies
These buttery Christmas tree sugar cookies are decorated with green royal icing, white icing accents, and colorful sprinkles. A festive treat for Christmas cookie trays, homemade gifts, or a decorating afternoon with kids!
Equipment
- Christmas tree cookie cutter
- 2 small piping bottles (or bags) with small, round tips
- toothpicks
- parchment paper to make cleanup easier
Ingredients
For the sugar cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
For the royal icing:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp meringue powder
- 9–10 Tbsp water plus more as needed
For decorating:
- Green gel food coloring
- Sprinkles of your choice
Instructions
Step 1: Make the dough.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms.
Step 2: Chill and roll.
- Divide the dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. I use ⅜ inch if I know kids will be helping because it makes the cookies sturdier.
- Cut out Christmas tree shapes and carefully transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Take your time lifting the tops and branch tips so they keep their shape. If the dough gets soft or sticky, return it to the refrigerator briefly before continuing.
Step 3: Bake.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn lightly golden.
- Start checking at 8 minutes, especially if your trees have narrow tips. Thicker or larger cookies may need a little longer.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4: Make and color the royal icing.
- Sift the powdered sugar and meringue powder into a large mixing bowl. Add 9 tablespoons of water and beat with a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment for about 1½–2 minutes.
- Check the consistency by lifting the whisk. For coating the cookies, the icing should drizzle back into the bowl and smooth into the surface within about 5–10 seconds. Add the remaining water a little at a time as needed.
- Set aside a small amount of white icing for decorating, then tint the rest green with gel food coloring. Add the coloring a little at a time until you like the shade.
- If you want to pipe white lines or dots that hold their shape, keep that portion a little thicker than the green icing. Keep both colors covered when you aren’t using them so they don’t begin to dry out.
Step 5: Ice the Christmas tree cookies.
- Transfer the green royal icing to a piping bag or icing bottle fitted with a small round tip. Outline each Christmas tree, then fill the center with more icing.
- Use a toothpick or scribe tool to guide the icing into the branch tips, fill small gaps, and pop any air bubbles. Avoid overfilling the cookies so the icing stays within the edges.
Step 6: Decorate with white icing and sprinkles.
- While the green icing is still wet, add sprinkles for colorful ornaments. Decorate one or two cookies at a time so the sprinkles stick before the icing begins to set.
- Use the reserved white icing to add dots, garlands, or snowy accents. For a flat design, add the white icing while the green base is still wet. For raised details with more defined edges, let the green icing set before piping the white decorations.
- If the green icing has already dried, you can use a small dot of fresh icing to attach individual sprinkles.
- Let the finished cookies dry uncovered for at least 6–8 hours or overnight before stacking or packaging. Thick icing or humid conditions may require additional drying time.