Description
Sparkling Sugar Tree Cookies are festive, buttery sugar cookies cut into tree shapes and decorated with royal icing and festive sprinkles. These soft and tender cookies offer a perfect holiday treat that combines classic flavors of vanilla and a sweet crunch from green nonpareils and gold stars. The recipe includes chilling steps to ensure easy handling and perfect shapes, followed by decorating with bright icing and sprinkles for a charming finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Decoration
- Royal icing (prepared, for decorating)
- Green nonpareils
- Edible gold stars
- Other festive sprinkles
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then mix until fully combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually incorporate this dry mixture into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the dough for easier rolling and cutting.
- Preheat Oven and Cut Shapes: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out one disc of dough on a floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness and cut out tree shapes using a cookie cutter.
- Chill Cut Cookies: Place the cutout cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill again in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to help maintain their shape during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn golden. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate: Once the cookies have completely cooled, decorate each cookie with royal icing. Immediately add green nonpareils, edible gold stars, and other festive sprinkles while the icing is still wet to ensure they adhere well.
- Let Icing Set: Allow the decorated cookies to dry at room temperature for several hours or overnight until the royal icing is fully set and hardened.
Notes
- Be sure to chill the dough twice to prevent spreading during baking and maintain crisp cookie edges.
- Use room temperature butter for easier creaming and smooth dough consistency.
- Royal icing must be applied on completely cooled cookies to avoid melting.
- Decorate quickly after icing to ensure sprinkles stick properly.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- These cookies freeze well before baking; freeze cut shapes on baking sheets, then transfer to freezer bags.
