Stacked Christmas Tree Cookies
The ultimate holiday treat, Stacked Christmas Tree Cookies are beautifully layered and utterly delicious. These cookies are not just sweet but also a fun craft that brings festive cheer to any gathering. With a buttery flavor and colorful frosting, they are sure to be a hit. Perfect for sharing or gift-giving, make them tonight!
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Baking Sheet
- Whisk
- Blender
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter softened for easier mixing
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar for sweetness
- 1 large Egg binds the ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract adds warm flavor
- 2 1/2 cups Flour base of the cookies
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder helps cookies rise
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar for frosting
- 1/2 cup Butter for frosting
- 3 tablespoons Milk adds moisture to frosting
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract flavor for frosting
- to taste Food Coloring for decorative purposes
- as desired Sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. It’s important to have your oven ready before you start; this ensures even baking of your cookies.
- 2. In a medium bowl, beat together butter, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla until the mixture is light and fluffy. This process incorporates air into the butter, making your cookies tender.
- 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. This helps to evenly distribute the baking powder throughout the flour, ensuring a uniform rise.
- 4. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, beating until well blended. You’ll notice the dough becoming thicker and more cohesive at this point.
- 5. Divide the dough into three portions, shaping each into different sizes of cookie balls. For small cookies, use a rounded teaspoon of dough; for medium, use two rounded teaspoons; and for large, three rounded teaspoons. You should have a total of 15 balls of each size, creating a fun stacking opportunity!
- 6. Place the small cookie balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press down gently with a glass to flatten them slightly, which helps them bake evenly.
- 7. Repeat this process for the medium and large cookie balls, placing each size on separate baking sheets. This is crucial because each size will bake at different times.
- 8. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven. The small cookies will take about 4 to 6 minutes, medium cookies about 6 to 8 minutes, and large cookies around 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them until the bottoms start to turn golden brown.
- 9. Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on wire racks. This cooling time allows them to firm up, making them easier to handle.
- 10. While the cookies cool, prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together powdered sugar and butter until it’s light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
- 11. If desired, add food coloring to the frosting for a festive look. You can use different colors to create a vibrant assortment.
- 12. Now it’s time to assemble your cookies! Use the frosting to “glue” together the three cookie sizes, starting with the largest on the bottom, followed by the medium, and finishing with the smallest on top. It creates a delightful tree shape!
- 13. Finally, pipe or spread frosting onto the top of the largest cookie and place the medium cookie on top. Repeat this step for the smallest cookie, adding a touch of frosting and finishing with sprinkles if desired. Enjoy your beautiful Stacked Christmas Tree Cookies!
Notes
- Make Ahead Of Time: If you would like to make these cookies ahead of time, the best option is to bake the cookies, cool them completely, then store in an airtight container and place into the fridge for a few days, or freezer for a longer period of time. When ready to serve them, bring them to room temperature, frost and decorate.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container for five days. They can be frozen for up to three months. If freezing, it’s ideal to freeze the unfrosted cookies, then thaw and decorate when ready to use.