These Festive Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Stacks are a fun way to turn sugar cookies into an edible centerpiece or gift!
Festive Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Stacks: Your Ultimate Holiday Edible Centerpiece
The holiday season is a magical time, filled with warmth, joy, and the delightful aroma of freshly baked goods. For many, Christmas baking is more than just a tradition; it’s a cherished ritual that brings families together and creates lasting memories. However, amidst the hustle and bustle of gift shopping, decorating, and festive gatherings, finding time for elaborate culinary creations can feel overwhelming. That’s where smart shortcuts and brilliantly simple ideas come into play, allowing you to embrace the holiday spirit without adding unnecessary stress to your plate.
Imagine a stunning, edible centerpiece that captivates your guests and doubles as a delectable dessert. Picture a unique, homemade gift that truly stands out from the usual holiday offerings. Our Festive Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Stacks are precisely that – a charming, easy-to-make treat that transforms simple sugar cookies into an impressive and delightful spectacle. Whether adorning your festive table or presented as a thoughtful present, these stacked cookie trees are guaranteed to bring smiles and holiday cheer.
This holiday season, we’re thrilled to partner with Betty Crocker™ to help you Get Your Betty On! We understand that sometimes, life calls for a little help in the kitchen, and when it comes to baking delicious cookies with minimal effort, Betty Crocker is an unparalleled ally. Their trusted mixes make holiday baking accessible and enjoyable for everyone, from seasoned bakers to those just starting their culinary journey. For an abundance of inspiring cookie recipes and festive ideas, especially those perfect for baking with children, Betty Crocker truly has you covered.
Baking Memories: A Fun Activity for the Whole Family
There’s nothing quite like the joy of baking with loved ones, and these Festive Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Stacks offer the perfect opportunity to create heartwarming holiday memories. Just the other day, my kids and I were feeling extra festive, and I wanted to make something special for our table. I stumbled upon a wonderful idea for cookie stacks on BettyCrocker.com, originally featuring chocolate chip cookies. Given our family’s deep love for classic sugar cookies, we decided to adapt the concept, transforming it into these delightful sugar cookie trees.
Getting the kids involved was half the fun! They eagerly helped roll out the dough, a simple task made easier with a quality cookie mix. Cutting out the various sizes of circles sparked their creativity, and their excitement grew with each perfectly shaped cookie. But the absolute highlight, as always, was the decorating. Watching their faces light up as they liberally applied colorful holiday sprinkles to our burgeoning cookie trees was a pure delight. This project proved to be not only incredibly easy but also wonderfully engaging, making it an ideal festive activity for children of all ages.
While my initial intention was to use these charming cookie stacks purely as a table decoration, my children, with their discerning palates, had other plans. Let’s just say these delightful sugar cookies didn’t stand a chance of lasting long at our house! Their enthusiastic reception only confirmed that these stacks are not just beautiful, but utterly irresistible. And while they might not have graced our holiday table for long, they certainly sparked a brilliant idea for a future Christmas centerpiece that combines beauty with deliciousness.
Crafting Your Edible Masterpiece: Tips for Perfect Cookie Stacks
The beauty of these Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Stacks lies in their simplicity and visual impact. To achieve that perfect festive look, a few key steps make all the difference. Starting with a reliable cookie mix, like Betty Crocker’s Sugar Cookie mix, ensures a consistent and delicious base. The slight addition of flour helps the cookies hold their shape, crucial for stacking. Dividing and coloring the dough into vibrant red and green hues immediately sets a festive tone, making each layer a celebration of holiday colors.
Rolling the dough to an even 1/4-inch thickness is important for uniform baking and stable stacking. Using graduated circle cookie cutters, typically in a set of four different sizes, allows you to create the classic Christmas tree silhouette. Remember to flour your cutters lightly to prevent sticking. Baking until the edges are just set prevents over-browning and maintains the soft, chewiness of the sugar cookie. Once cooled, these circular layers become the foundation of your edible trees.
The “snow” that binds your cookie tree together is a lightly microwaved vanilla frosting. Warming the Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting for a short burst makes it wonderfully pourable, allowing it to drip elegantly down the sides of your cookie stack, creating a beautiful, frosted effect. This step not only adds visual appeal but also ensures each cookie layer is perfectly adhered.
Decorating & Customizing Your Festive Cookie Trees
Once your cookie layers are ready and your frosting is perfectly pourable, it’s time for the most creative part: assembly and decoration. Start with the largest cookie at the base, creating a stable foundation. Apply a generous layer of the slightly warmed frosting, then place the next smallest cookie on top, gently pressing down. Repeat this process, gradually decreasing the cookie size with each layer, allowing the frosting to cascade down the sides, mimicking freshly fallen snow or glistening tinsel. The slight overhang of each cookie layer creates the iconic Christmas tree shape.
Now, for the dazzling finish: holiday sprinkles! This is where you can truly let your imagination shine. Use a mix of traditional red and green sprinkles, sparkling edible glitter, or even small silver dragees for a touch of elegance. For an extra special touch, consider topping each cookie tree with a small star-shaped cookie or a delicate sugar decoration, symbolizing the star at the top of a Christmas tree. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different sprinkle combinations to create unique and personalized cookie stacks.
These Festive Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Stacks are incredibly versatile. While we made taller, grander stacks, you can easily adjust the number of cookies per stack to create several smaller, equally charming trees. These smaller versions make perfect individual desserts or delightful party favors. Their festive appearance and delicious taste make them a show-stopping addition to any holiday table, inviting guests to marvel at their beauty before indulging in their sweetness.
Beyond the Centerpiece: Gifting and Sharing the Joy
While these sugar cookie stacks make an undeniable statement as an edible centerpiece, their charm extends far beyond the dining table. Imagine the delight of friends, family, or colleagues receiving one of these handcrafted cookie trees as a holiday gift. Elegantly packaged in clear cellophane bags tied with a festive ribbon, or nestled in a decorative box, they become a truly personal and memorable present.
These cookie stacks are also ideal for holiday potlucks, school events, or office parties. Their sturdy structure makes them relatively easy to transport, and their impressive appearance ensures they’ll be a conversation starter. You can even host a cookie decorating party, providing all the ingredients and letting guests assemble and decorate their own mini cookie trees to take home. It’s a fantastic way to foster togetherness and creativity during the most wonderful time of the year.
Remember, the holiday season is about spreading joy and creating cherished moments. These Festive Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Stacks offer a simple yet impactful way to do just that, blending the warmth of homemade treats with the convenience of smart baking solutions. So, gather your ingredients, enlist your little helpers, and get ready to create some holiday magic!
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Festive Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Stacks
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Ingredients
- 1 pouch Betty Crocker™ Sugar Cookie mix
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup butter at room temperature
- 1 egg
- red and green food coloring
- 1 1/2 cups Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
- assorted holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- In medium bowl, stir together cookie mix, flour, melted butter and egg until soft dough forms. Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions, and color one portion red and one portion green with the food coloring.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4” thick. Cut various sizes of circles using floured cookie cutters. (My set has 4 different sizes, so I used all 4 sizes.) Transfer the circles to ungreased cookie sheets and bake until the edges have set, 7 to 9 minutes. Let the cookies sit for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Put the frosting in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds, until the frosting is easily pourable.
- To assemble the cookie stacks, start with the largest size of cookie, then stack the cookies with frosting in-between each layer, letting some of the frosting drip down the sides of the stack. Sprinkle on holiday sprinkles as desired.
- I made taller stacks, so I got 2 large stacks from one recipe. If you want to make multiple stacks, you can make them shorter.
Recipe Notes:
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Betty Crocker. The opinions and text are all mine.