Cookie Tree
A decadent treat made from sugar cookies and buttercream!
- Prep time
- 1 hr 20 min
- Cook time
- 12 min
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1.5 cups unsalted butter (339g, Room temp)
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar (300g)
- 3 eggs
- 6 cups all-purpose flour (720g)
- 1 cup cornstarch (125g)
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (7g)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract (15mL)
- 1 tbsp vanilla (15mL)
- 1 lb confectioner's sugar (454g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (225g)
- 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream (45mL, add as needed)
- ½ cup confectioners sugar (60g)
- 1 tbsp whole milk (15mL)
- 4 inch sheet edible of gold leaf
- Paint brush (medium)
Instructions
- 1
For the Cookies:
- 2
Preheat to 375F.
- 3
Cream butter and sugar together.
- 4
Add eggs one at a time then the vanilla extract while mixing on low, scrape the bowl down.
- 5
On low, mix in flour, cornstarch and salt.
- 6
Separate dough into two parts. Wrap in plastic and chill for about an hour.
- 7
Roll out between two pieces of parchment paper.
- 8
Roll to between ½ and 1/4 inch thickness.
- 9
With a cookie cutter, cut out star shapes.
- 10
Place stars on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- 11
Bake for about 12 minutes.
- 12
Allow cookies to cool on their baking sheet until room temperature.
- 13
For the Buttercream:
- 14
Cream the butter If you're using a stand mixer you'll want the paddle attachment for this part.
- 15
Sift in half the confectioner’s sugar and mix on low. Scrape the bowl down and sift in the remaining sugar then mix once more.
- 16
Add the vanilla and then the cream a tablespoon at a time. Beat until you have an even, fluffy consistency. Mix in food coloring until you have the desired color.
- 17
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a size 30 star tip.
- 18
For the Assembly:
- 19
Use the buttercream as glue between each layer.
- 20
Start by piping buttercream to the bottom of a medium sized star.
- 21
Place star in the middle of a cake stand and press.
- 22
Alternate sizes between small and large stars to create a layered look to ascends into a tree. Save a small star for the tree topper.
- 23
Once you’re finished stacking, pipe buttercream onto each branch.
- 24
Add ornament decorations. I used Christmas color chocolate balls to decorate with. Dust with powdered sugar for a snowy effect.
- 25
For the Star:
- 26
Mix milk and powdered sugar together to create a glaze.
- 27
Paint the glaze onto the cookie using a paintbrush.
- 28
Place a sheet of gold leaf over the the cookie.
- 29
Flatten with brush and smooth out.
- 30
Pipe buttercream to the top star.
- 31
Place gold star as the tree topper.