Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

ENTERTAINING DIVA

This Christmas tree sugar cookies recipe is the best cut-out cookie recipe ever! The finished cookies look festive.

The cookie dough always holds its shape. And the white or green royal icing hardens but won’t break your teeth when you eat it.

INGREDIENTS

Egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, cold unsalted butter

STEP ONE

In a small bowl, beat an egg. Add in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon almond extract and ¾ teaspoon salt. Set aside.

STEP TWO

In another bowl, mix together 2½ cups of flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon baking powder. Set aside.

STEP THREE

Cut up 2 sticks (1 cup) of cold (straight from the refrigerator) butter into ½ inch chunks. Process the butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar in the food processor until combined, about 30 seconds.

STEP four

Blend in the egg mixture until combined, about 10 seconds. Then add the flour mixture and process until all of the flour is combined, about 30 seconds.

STEP FIVE

Divide the dough in half to make it easier to roll. Put one ball of dough in between 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 1/8" thick.

STEP SIX

Put the rolled out dough on a cookie sheet or tray, still keeping the parchment paper on both sides. Repeat with the other ball of dough.

STEP SEVEN

Refrigerate the rolled out dough for 1½ hours, or freeze for 30 minutes. When the cookie dough is stiff, take the first sheet of cookie dough out of the refrigerator (leaving the other one in).

STEP EIGHT

Peel off the top layer of parchment paper. Use the Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut shapes in the cookie dough. Put the cut out cookie dough back in the refrigerator

STEP NINE

Repeat the process with the second sheet of cookie dough. Refrigerate the cut-out cookie dough for another 30 minutes or until the dough is stiff.

STEP TEN

Use a thin spatula (or a cake knife) to separate the cookies from the bottom layer of parchment paper. Put another piece of parchment paper down on a cookie sheet.

STEP ELEVEN

Then lay out the cookies about ½ inch apart. Bake at 300℉ for 14 to 16 minutes, until the bottom of the cookies are slightly brown.

How To Make White Royal Icing

Mix 4 cups icing sugar, 3 Tablespoons meringue powder and ½ cup of WARM water in a stand mixer on low speed. Once they are combined, increase to medium speed. Mix for 5 to 8 minutes until the icing forms soft peaks.

How To Make Brown Royal Icing

Move about ½ cup of the white icing into a small bowl. Mix in about 1 to 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder or a few drops of brown food coloring. Cover the top of the icing with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.

How To Make Green Royal Icing

Mix a few drops green gel food coloring into white icing a little bit at a time until you get the color you want.

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