Christmas Tree Cookies
Festive and fun, these Christmas tree cookies bring a touch of holiday cheer to your kitchen! Perfect for gifting or hanging on the tree!
Christmas Tree Cookies
These Christmas tree cookies are a fun way to celebrate the holidays.
They’re made with buttery dough and filled with chocolate and walnuts, making them a unique and delicious cookie.
You can use tree cookie cutters and hang them on the tree, add to cookie exchanges or eat them.
Ingredients
Butter: Make sure to pull out the butter about 30-60 minutes before using to allow it to come to room temperature and soften.
Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works great.
Egg: Pull your large egg out of the fridge at the same time as the butter to allow it to come to room temperature.
Vanilla Extract: If possible, use real vanilla extract.
Salt
All-purpose Flour: Be sure to measure it properly (don’t pack it in!) to avoid overly dense cookies.
Chopped Chocolate: Chop it into small chunks so you get a good mix of chocolate in each bite.
Chopped Walnuts: You can substitute them with pecans or almonds if you prefer.
How to Make
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
Add the egg and vanilla extract, and continue beating until everything is fully combined.
Next, add the flour and salt to the bowl and mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated with the wet ones.
Be careful not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
Fold in the chopped chocolate and walnuts, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Once your dough is ready, shape it into a rectangle, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least three hours, or until it’s firm enough to roll out.
After chilling, remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness.
Use a Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies, then place them on the prepared baking sheet.
If you want, before baking, make a small hole at the top of each cookie using a straw, so you can hang them later.
Place the baking sheet with the cookies in the freezer or fridge for about five minutes to help them hold their shape during baking.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden.
Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and, while they are still warm, gently enlarge the hole with a straw if needed, as the dough will harden as it cools.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before threading a string through the holes and tying a knot to hang them.
If desired, dust the cookies with powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
Here are some tips for making these Christmas Tree Cookies the best:
Tips & Tricks
Here's some tips for making these cookies:
Chill the dough overnight: If you need to cut down on time, you can chill the dough overnight to make it easier to roll out the next day.
Try other nuts: Swap the walnuts for other nuts like pecans, almonds, or even macadamia nuts if you want.
Add colored sprinkles: To make the cookies even more festive, add colored sprinkles or edible glitter before baking.
Freeze dough for later: If you want to save time later, you can freeze the shaped, unbaked cookies. Just place them on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then store in a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen when you're ready.
Leftovers/Storage
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
To reheat, pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or warm them in the oven at 300°F for 5-7 minutes.
You can freeze the dough by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and placing it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge before rolling and cutting.
You can also freeze the dough for later. Cut the cookies out, place them on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then store in a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen when you're ready.
F.A.Qs.
My dough is too sticky to roll out. What should I do?
If your dough is too sticky, try chilling it for an additional 10-15 minutes. This will firm it up and make it easier to roll out.
The hole at the top of my cookies disappeared during baking. How do I fix this?
If the hole closes up, use a straw to re-punch the hole immediately after taking them out of the oven while they’re still warm.
Can I make these cookies without walnuts?
Absolutely! You can omit the walnuts and even substitute with other mix-ins like chocolate chips, dried fruit, or seeds.
I don’t have parchment paper. What else can I use to line the baking sheet?
You can use a silicone baking mat or grease the baking sheet lightly with butter or oil if you don’t have parchment paper.
Christmas Tree Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup softened butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup chopped chocolate
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar until creamy and smooth.
- Add wet ingredients: Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until fully combined.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: In the same bowl, add flour and salt. Mix just until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated with the wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix.
- Add chocolate and walnuts: Fold in the chopped chocolate and walnuts. You can use a food processor or a knife to chop them to your preferred size. Mix until evenly distributed.
- Chill the dough: Shape the dough into a rectangle, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until firm.
- Cut out cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about 5 mm (¼ thickness. Use a Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies.
- Prepare for baking: Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a straw or similar tool to make a small hole at the top of each cookie (to thread a string through later for hanging).
- Chill before baking: Place the cookies in the freezer or fridge for 5 minutes to help them keep their shape during baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Adjust the hole: Remove from the oven, and while the cookies are still warm, gently enlarge the hole with a straw if needed, as they will harden as they cool.
- Final decoration: Allow the cookies to cool completely. Thread a string through the hole, tie a knot, and they're ready to hang! Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
