Cookie Tree
‘Tis the season for baking, and what better way to celebrate than with a Christmas Cookie Tree. This festive treat made with gingerbread cookie mix and buttercream is sure to impress your loved ones, and it’s surprisingly easy to make.
I’ve always loved the idea of making a cookie tree for Christmas; they seemed so fun to make. So I thought I’d give it a try and make it as simple as possible for us. Christmas Cookie Trees are usually made with sugar cookies, but I feel like when you add the buttercream frosting they tend to be overly sweet.
This cookie tree is made with a gingerbread cookie mix to make things easier!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
Top tip: follow the directions on the cookie mix box. The mix I used called for butter and egg.
For the Buttercream
- Unsalted butter: Provides richness and helps the frosting adhere to the cookies.
- Powdered sugar: adds sweetness and a smooth, creamy texture.
- Whole milk: Milk thins the frosting to a pipeable consistency.
- Vanilla extract: adds a nice warm flavor.
- Green food coloring: transforms the buttercream into a festive shade of green.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Following the instructions on the cookie mix box, the mix I used called for 1 stick of butter, 1 tbsp of water and 1 egg. Combine the ingredients and roll out the dough. Using the cookie tree cutter, cut star shapes using all 15 pieces (Photo 1)
- Bake your cookies following the instructions. Allow to cool, and test your cookie tree (Photo 2). I like doing this to make sure it can stay up and it’s as straight as possible before piping frosting on them.
For the Buttercream:
- Cream together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth. If making a white star, remove about 2 tbsp of buttercream and set aside. Add green food coloring until desired color is reached.
Top Tip: If the buttercream is too runny, add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. If it’s too thick add 1 more tablespoon of milk.
How to Make a Cookie Tree
- To assemble the cookie tree, place the largest cookie on a serving platter. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip #22. Place a smaller cookie on top of the frosting, and repeat with smaller and smaller cookies until you reach the smallest cookie.
- Add a white star at the top.
- Decorate it with edible pearls and gold stars sprinkles.
Substitutions
- For a dairy-free option, substitute vegan butter for regular butter.
- To make the cookies gluten-free, use a gluten-free cookie mix.
Variations
- Experiment with different colors of buttercream frosting to create a more vibrant and festive Cookie Tree.
- Add almond or peppermint extract for a more flavorful buttercream
- Use a sugar cookie mix instead.
Equipment & Tools
- Gingerbread Cookie Mix
- Christmas Tree Cookie Tree kit
- Piping Bags for buttercream
- Star tip #22 for buttercream
- Edible pearls for decorating
- Gold stars sprinkles for decorating
How to Store a Christmas Cookie Tree
You can make the cookies ahead of time and store the unassembled Cookie Tree in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Make sure the it is completely cool before storing it. Place a sheet of parchment paper between each layer to prevent the cookies from sticking together.
Buttercream can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the frosting to prevent it from drying out.
Top Tips For The Best Cookie Tree
- Chill the dough: Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out will help prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Use a light hand when rolling out the dough: This will help ensure that the cookies are even in thickness and bake evenly.
- Bake the larger cookies on separate baking sheets so they can come out earlier than the smaller cookies. This is because the larger cookies will take longer to bake than the smaller cookies.
- Bake the cookies until they are golden brown: Overbaking the cookies will make them dry and crumbly.
- Use softened butter when making the buttercream. Softened butter will cream together more easily with the powdered sugar, resulting in a smoother buttercream.
- Add the milk gradually when making the buttercream.This will help prevent the frosting from becoming too thin.
- Beat the buttercream until it is light and fluffy: This will make it easier to pipe onto the cookies.
- Pipe a generous amount of frosting onto each cookie: This will help the cookies stick together and prevent the tree from toppling over.
- Decorate the tree with sprinkles, edible pearls, or other festive decorations: This will add a personal touch to your creation.
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Cookie Tree
Ingredients
For the Cookie Tree:
- 1 gingerbread cookie mix
- 1 Christmas Tree Cookie Tree kit
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 large egg
For the buttercream:
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temp
- 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2-4 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Green food coloring
Instructions
- Following the instructions on the cookie mix box, the mix I used called for 1 stick of butter, 1 tbsp of water and 1 egg. Combine the ingredients and roll out the dough. Using the cookie tree cutter, cut star shapes using all 15 pieces (refer to photos above).
- Bake your cookies following the instructions. Allow to cool, and test your cookie tree (as pictured). I like doing this to make sure it can stay up and it’s as straight as possible before piping frosting on them.
To make the buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium speed, until soft and creamy. Sift the powdered sugar, reduce speed to low and add 1 cup at a time.
- Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until desired consistency (I used 2 tbsp). Beat on medium-high for about 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla vanilla extract and continue mixing.
- Reserve 2 tbsp of buttercream if making a white star. If not, proceed with step 4.
- Add in green food coloring drops until you have the desired color. If the buttercream is too runny, add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. If it’s too thick add 1 more tablespoon of milk.
Assembly:
- Pipe the buttercream onto each star, this works as the “glue” between each layer. I used a star tip #22.
- Assemble your tree, starting from big to small stars. Don’t forget to add a white star at the top.
- To finish it off I decorated it with edible pearls and gold star sprinkles.
Love this cookie tree…thanks so much for sharing! Do you know approximately how many cookies to make for each size cookie cutter? Thanks again- Merry Christmas! 🎄
I made 1 per cookie size (they’re big), and if you have leftover cookie dough you can make more!