3-D Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies
These 3D Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies are a festive and fun way to celebrate the holidays! Perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday parties, or a fun family baking project, these cookies are as delightful to make as they are to eat!
Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies
If you're looking for a show stopping Christmas cookie recipe, you'll absolutely love these 3-D Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies!
I love how different they are and little kids will love how much fun they are to make.
They are perfect to make sure because or for adding to Christmas cookie exchanges or for bringing to Christmas parties. And of course, they are also a fun cookie to make and leave for Santa.
Ingredients
Butter: Use unsalted butter and make sure to pull it out of the fridge about a half an hour before making to allow it to come to room temperature.
Brown Sugar: Use packed brown sugar for a hint of caramel flavor.
Granulated Sugar: This sugar adds sweetness and helps with the browning of the cookies.
Molasses: Choose unsulphured molasses.
Egg: Make sure to pull out your egg when you remove your butter from the fridge to allow them to come to room temperature.
Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract will give the best flavor, but you can use imitation vanilla if you need to.
All-Purpose Flour
Ground Cinnamon, Ginger, and All Spice: These spices are work well for giving these gingerbread cookies that classic gingerbread flavor.
Salt
How to Make
To make the 3D Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies, begin by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar just until combined. Avoid over-mixing to prevent the cookies from getting hard.
Next, add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the mixture and mix until all the wet ingredients are fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix with the electric mixer until a crumbly dough begins to form.
Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and press it into a ball.
Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough and use a rolling pin to roll it out to a ¼-inch thickness. Be sure to roll the dough slightly thinner than the cut-out area of the cookie cutter where the cookies will interlock; this will make sure they fit together properly when forming the trees.
Using a 3D Christmas tree cookie cutter, cut out the tree shapes from the dough and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes until they are set but not overly browned.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before using a spatula to transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
Once the cookies have cooled, prepare the royal frosting by beating together warm water, meringue powder, and vanilla extract in a medium mixing bowl on medium speed until soft peaks form.
Gradually add powdered sugar and mix on low speed until the frosting reaches a thick, smooth consistency. If you'd like the frosting to be colored, you can add food coloring.
Decorate each cookie with the royal frosting and sprinkles, being mindful not to frost the areas where the cookies will interlock to make sure they fit together well after the frosting dries.
Allow the frosting to dry completely before assembling the cookies into 3D trees.
You can frost each side separately, letting one side dry completely before frosting the other, or assemble the trees first and then decorate them with a piping bag.
Enjoy!
Tips for Making 3D Gingerbread Tree Cookies
Here are some helpful tips for making these 3D Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies:
Roll to the Right Thickness: For these cookies to interlock properly and stand as 3D trees, it's important to roll the dough slightly thinner than the cut-out section of the cookie cutter. If the dough is too thick, the pieces may not fit together well.
Avoid Over-Mixing the Dough: When combining the butter, sugars, and other wet ingredients, mix just until combined. Over-mixing can result in tougher cookies rather than the soft, tender texture you're aiming for.
Keep the Dough Cool: If the dough becomes too soft or sticky while rolling and cutting, pop it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to firm it up. This makes the dough easier to handle and helps the cookies hold their shape better.
Make Sure Frosting Is Completely Dry: Whether you frost one side at a time or assemble the trees and then decorate, make sure the frosting is fully dry before handling the cookies to avoid smudging or breaking them. Allow at least 1-2 hours for the royal icing to set properly.
Get Creative with Decorations: Use different colors of royal icing, sprinkles, and edible glitter to make each tree unique. You can also add small candy decorations, like mini stars, to create festive accents.
Use Parchment Paper for Rolling: Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. This not only prevents sticking but also makes it easier to transfer the rolled-out dough to the baking sheet.
Make Sure the Cookies Are Fully Cooled: Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before frosting or assembling them. Warm cookies can cause the frosting to melt and not stick properly.
Leftover and Storing
Storing Leftovers and Freezing Tips for 3D Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies
Storing Leftover Cookies: You can store any leftover 3D Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature.
If the cookies are already assembled into trees, cover them loosely with plastic wrap to avoid breaking or damaging any decorations.
They can be stored at room temperature up to five days.
Make sure the cookies are completely dry before storing them to prevent any smudging or sticking.
Freezing Baked Cookies: You can freeze the baked cookies for longer storage, but it's better to this before decorating and assembling them into trees.
Arrange the undecorated, cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours, or until solid.
Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag, separating the layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
You can store them in the freezer for up to three months.
When you’re ready to decorate, let the cookies thaw completely at room temperature before frosting.
Freezing Cookie Dough: If you prefer to prepare the dough in advance, you can easily freeze the gingerbread dough for later use.
After preparing the dough and rolling it into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and then place it in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. The dough can be frozen for up to three months.
When you're ready to bake, let the dough thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, roll it out and proceed with cutting and baking as directed in the recipe.
3D Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened, 1 stick
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Royal Frosting
- 5 Tablespoons warm water
- 3 Tablespoons meringue powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- Food coloring optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer, just until blended (do not over-mix).
- Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, all spice, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix with the electric mixer until a crumbly dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and press the dough into a ball. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to ¼-inch thickness (the dough should be just slightly thinner than the cut out area of the cookie cutter where the cookies will interlock. If the dough is too thick the cookies will not interlock to form the trees).
- Use a 3D Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut the trees out of the dough. Transfer the trees to the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies at 375F for 9-10 minutes until set. Cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- Use royal frosting and sprinkles to decorate the cookies.
Royal Frosting:
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the water, meringue powder, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until soft peaks form.
- If desired, add food coloring and mix well.
- Use the frosting immediately to decorate cookies, then allow to air fry until fully set, about 1-2 hours.
