Chef notes
There's nothing better than Christmas in Connecticut. From the beautiful decorations around town to snowy walks, it's such a picturesque place to celebrate the holidays. One of my favorite traditions is decorating our tree as a family, so these Christmas cookie trees are a great way to celebrate that time-honored tradition. I love a show stopping centerpiece, but I promise this edible one is actually surprisingly easy to make.
Ingredients
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2½ cups unsalted butter (5 sticks), room temperature, divided
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract, divided
- 3½ cups (1 pound) powdered sugar, plus more for "snow" effect (optional)
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, plus more as needed
- green food coloring
- small colored chocolate balls (optional)
- edible gold leaf (optional)
Preparation
1.Preheat to 375 F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until combined.
3.In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 1½ cups (3 sticks) butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
4.Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing the first to incorporate before adding the next; scrape down the sides, as needed, until completely combined. Add the 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
5.Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl, as needed.
6.Separate dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill for an hour.
7.Place chilled dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out to between 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch thickness.
8.Using cookie cutters, cut out stars in graduating sizes, and place onto prepared baking sheet.
9.Bake about 12 minutes.
10.Allow cookies to cool on their baking sheet until room temperature.
11.In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 1 cup (2 sticks) butter.
12.Sift in half the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Sift in the remaining half, mix on low and scrape down the bowl as necessary. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and mix until combined.
13.Add heavy whipping cream a tablespoon at a time. Beat until you have an even, fluffy consistency. Add food coloring, to desired color, and beat until fully combined. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a closed star tip.
14.Pipe buttercream onto the bottom of a medium star and place onto the middle of a cake stand.
15.Using buttercream as the "glue" between each layer, start with the largest star and work your way up to create a layered look that ascends into a tree; save a small star for the tree topper.
16.Once you're finished stacking, pipe buttercream onto each branch. If using, add ornament decorations to resemble a Christmas tree and dust with powdered sugar for a snowy effect.
