Categorized:

  • Christmas
  • Cookies
  • Desserts

Tagged:

  • almond extract
  • butter
  • eggs
  • flour
  • powdered sugar
  • sprinkles
  • sugar
  • vanilla extract
Triangular decorated Christmas tree cookies shown on a red surface. - 1

Christmas Tree Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 1/3 cups (186g) unbleached all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
  • 10 Tbsp (141g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract*

Frosting

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 3 Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 - 3 tsp milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Green food coloring**, Christmas sprinkles and 8 1 1/2-inch broken pretzel rod pieces (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan or cake pan, line with a round of parchment paper and butter parchment paper. Dust pan lightly with flour then shake out excess.
  • In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment blend together butter and granulated sugar until combined. Scrape down bowl.
  • Mix in egg, then mix in 1 tsp vanilla and the almond extract. Scrape down bowl.
  • Add flour mixture and mix until combined.
  • Scoop dough into prepared pan. Spray hands with non-stick cooking spray then spread dough into an even layer in pan.
  • Bake in preheated oven until set, about 14 - 16 minutes.
  • If sides are a little higher after baking you can flatten down with the bottom of a measuring cup. Let cookie cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour).
  • To make the frosting in a medium mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer blend together powdered sugar, butter, milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla until well combined. Tint with food coloring if using.
  • Transfer frosting to a resealable bag, seal bag while pressing excess air out. Cut one small corner from the bottom edge, set aside.
  • Run a small sharp knife along edge of the cookie in pan to ensure it’s loose. If you used a springform pan remove then ring, if you used a cake pan the invert cookie onto a cutting board (it make take some forceful tapping on bottom or dropping pan upside down to help coax it out).
  • Cut cookie into 8 wedges, then trim rounded ends if desired.
  • Decorate cookies with frosting, sprinkles and pretzel pieces for tree trunks if using. Just gently press pretzel into cookie if using.

Notes

  • *If you don’t want to use almond extract just increase vanilla in cookie dough to 1 1/2 tsp. It’s not essential here, it just adds a nice light flavor.
  • **I like to use gel food coloring because it’s more concentrated but liquid works too.
  • I have also cut the the whole portion into 10 pieces instead of 8 if you need just a couple more.
  • If you don’t have a stand mixer an electric hand mixer would work fine for this recipe too.

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