Transform your holiday table into a magical centerpiece with "O Sweet Christmas Tree," a festive dessert as beautiful as it is delicious. This recipe combines buttery shortbread cookies and vibrant green frosting, expertly stacked to form a whimsical 3D Christmas tree. Featuring layers of delicately spiced, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies shaped like stars, this treat is adorned with shimmering sprinkles, edible pearls, and a charming candy star topper. Perfect for holiday parties, edible gifts, or a creative baking project with kids, this showstopping dessert is surprisingly simple to assemble. With just 30 minutes of prep time and a blend of staple ingredients like all-purpose flour, vanilla, and green food coloring, "O Sweet Christmas Tree" offers a delightful mix of festive creativity and classic holiday flavors ready to dazzle your guests this Christmas.
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add in the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms.
Divide the dough into three portions: leave one portion plain (for the tree trunk), and knead green food coloring into the remaining two portions until evenly colored.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the green dough to about 6 mm (1/4 inch) thick. Use star-shaped cookie cutters of varying sizes (large, medium, and small) to cut out cookie stars. You'll need about 15 stars in total.
Roll the plain dough into a log about 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick to create the tree base (trunk) and place it on the baking sheet.
Arrange the star-shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a small gap between each cookie.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the frosting by combining the powdered sugar, milk, and a drop or two of green food coloring in a bowl. Stir until smooth and spreadable, adding more milk if needed.
Assemble the Christmas tree by stacking the largest stars at the bottom and gradually moving to the smallest stars at the top. Use a small dollop of frosting between each layer to act as glue.
Decorate the tree by piping or spreading additional green frosting on the edges of the star layers, then add sprinkles, edible pearls, or candies as ornaments.
Place the mini star-shaped candy on the top of the tree as the finishing touch.
Refrigerate the assembled tree for 15-20 minutes to help set the frosting. Serve and enjoy!
Serving size | 1214.6 grams (1214.6g) |
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Amount per serving | % Daily Value* |
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Calories | 5143 |
Total Fat 211.20g | 271% |
Saturated Fat 120.00g | 600% |
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.00g | |
Cholesterol 698mg | 233% |
Sodium 1191mg | 52% |
Total Carbohydrate 786.10g | 286% |
Dietary Fiber 10.20g | 36% |
Total Sugars 488.60g | |
Protein 47.70g | 95% |
Vitamin D 54IU | 270% |
Calcium 174mg | 13% |
Iron 19mg | 103% |
Potassium 594mg | 13% |
Source of Calories