Whimsical Christmas Trees
Many of my neighbors put up their Christmas lights and trees the day after Thanksgiving. I admire their enthusiasm and love seeing the holiday lights glowing up and down the street. Unfortunately, I’ve never been that organized. Usually my tree doesn’t go up until well into December and one year it didn’t make an appearance at all. I’ll never live that one down.
“I wish we could put some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.” Harlan Miller
Christmas tree sugar cookies, on the other hand, are always part of my holiday baking and this year these whimsical mint-green trees were the first Christmas cookies I made. Seeing their cuteness and tasting their deliciousness makes me determined to get out the Christmas decorations, put on some Christmas music, and decorate the whole house. No tree-less Christmas this year!
Cookie specifics
These mint-green cookies were made using Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies. It produces a soft and chewy cookie that’s perfect for cutting out any shape, even the most delicate ones. I also decorated them with a thick vanilla royal icing, tinted with just a few drops of green to achieve the minty color. The free-hand swirls are made with white royal icing, flavored with a hint of almond extract.
Shape
“Fat Little Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter” by The Fussy Pup, which I purchased on Amazon.com
Size
The Fat little Christmas Tree measures 3½" X 3¾"
My Own (Tweaked) Family Recipe
Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookie. Recipe based on several sugar cookie recipes from family and friends. My goal was to make a cookie full of flavor that would hold its shape for delicate cutouts but not end up hard as a rock. This is it!
Royal Icing: the perfect icing for decorating cutout cookies whether they’re super sophisticated or quirky
Cookies
Lofthouse Style Sugar Cookies: flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, confectioners’ sugar, butter, eggs, pure vanilla extract, salt
Icing & Decorative Embellishments
Royal Icing: confectioners’ sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, pure vanilla extract or almond extract, cream of tartar, gel food coloring
Plate, Box or Bag?
Bags. I wrapped the cookies individually in clear, food-safe bags, secured with a twist tie. This is the best way to give cookies as individual gifts to friends and family.
What I’ve learned...
These cookies were made with the best ingredients I could find and I baked a small batch — only one dozen...so far. I’ve experimented with less expensive ingredients, but have come to the conclusion that flavor is best when I use the best. Why spend all this time baking and decorating if taste and texture are just so-so? Decorating the cookies takes time, but it’s an enjoyable process for me and I know that those who receive them appreciate that. Life is just better when you can share something you love with someone you love. Don’t you agree?
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