Christmas cookie baking season is here! I don’t usually (or let’s just say ever) decorate cookies at the bake shop. But… these Tree Sugar Cookies were an exception. We created this recipe for our friends at ColorKitchen because the holidays are for giving and sharing. You can stop into the bake shop to pick up some of ColorKitchen’s natural food dyes to bake these cookies at home.
Their sprinkles and dyes are plant based and made without the use of artificial colors, which I bet you can’t you even tell?! These Tree Sugar Cookies are a fun holiday baking project to do when you have time at home this holiday season. You can also skip the rolling, cutting, and make these into traditional round cookies with frosting and tree sprinkles!
Why Organic
Why use organic ingredients in this recipe? You all know I’m a huge organic advocate, and I bet you may be thinking sometimes, Why would I even bother to use organic ingredients in something that is so sweet and indulgent? But, that is the exact reason why you should use organic ingredients! Sweet things need to have flavor in order to be good, otherwise they are just sweet and they don’t taste like much else. Organic ingredients are more pure than conventional ones, therefore they actually have more flavor than the non organic options. Say it with me, organic means more flavor! And not just more flavor but a more true and pure flavor. And organic ingredients are much healthier for you to eat in general as they do not contain GMOs or anything artificial. Plus, you are being environmentally friendly when you choose organic ingredients!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
This simple holiday sugar cookie recipe is topped with festive colors and sprinkles for a Christmas cookie that everyone will love!
Ingredients
- Dough
1/2 cup (113 grams) organic salted butter, softened
198 grams (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
2 organic large eggs
255 grams (2 cups) organic all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon organic cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Icing
1 1/2 cups (339 grams) organic salted butter, softened
708 grams (5 cups) organic powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 teaspoon ColorKitchen Green Dye
4 grams (a pinch) organic Dutch cocoa
a pinch of ColorKitchen Pink Dye
a pinch of ColorKitchen Blue Dye
- Extras
Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter
Rolling pin
Extra flour for rolling out cookie dough
Piping bags
Ateco decorating tips #56, 30, 133, 96, 21, 34
ColorKitchen Christmas Tree Sprinkles
Organic fine shredded coconut
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until all ingredients are combined and there’s no butter chunks. Add the eggs and mix just slightly.
- In a separate bowl, add the flour, cloves, baking powder and salt and whisk together.Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix until a cookie dough forms.
- Flour a surface and roll out the cookie dough to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out Christmas Trees with a Christmas Tree cookie cutter. Place on prepared baking sheets, space at least 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 11 minutes or until lightly browned on bottoms.
- To make the icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar and water. Mix on low until combined and then speed up to mixer to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
- Split the frosting in six bowls. Add 50 grams in one bowl and add the Dutch cocoa, stir to combine into a chocolate frosting. Transfer to a piping bag with with Ateco tip #56.
- In two bowls, add 222 grams of frosting to each bowl. In one of the bowls add 1/2 teaspoon ColorKitchen Green Dye and in the other add 2 teaspoon ColorKitchen Green Dye. Stir both to combine completely. Transfer the light green frosting to a piping bag with Ateco tip #30. And transfer the dark green frosting to a piping bag with Ateco tip #133.
- In the last three bowls, add 171 grams of frosting in each. In one of the bowls, add just a pinch of ColorKitchen Blue Dye and stir to combine completely. In another bowl add just a pinch ColorKitchen Pink Dye and stir to combine completely. You want these to be very light and pastel. Leave one frosting white.
- Transfer the white frosting to a piping bag with Ateco tip #96. Transfer the blue frosting to a piping bag with Ateco tip #21. And transfer the pink frosting to a piping bag with Ateco tip #34.
- Pipe different designs on each tree! Try doing all sorts of things to make them different and unique. Sprinkle with ColorKitchen Christmas Tree Sprinkles or fine shredded coconut to make them look snowy!
- Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Notes
- You don’t have to use cookie cutters, you can simple roll cookies into balls and flatten them slightly so they are about 2-inches in diameter. You can also use a butter knife to add frosting on top of cookies for a simple and festive cookie still!
- Gluten Free – Replace the organic flour for 270 grams (1 3/4 cups) organic gluten free flour blend, my favorite is Namaste Organic Perfect Flour Blend.
- High Altitude – Bake at 375°F for 8 minutes or until lightly browned on bottoms.
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