Buttery soft cookies that are delicious all year round, but I love to decorate them as Italian Christmas Tree Cookies during the holidays. This cookie is not only delicious, but it's easy to roll out and the cookies will not spread out while baking!
I know you're going to love the latest addition to our growing Christmas Cookies category.
This cookie dough is perfect to make all year round for easy cookie recipes simply by swapping out the shape and flavor. You can make stars for summer holidays, flowers for spring and pumpkins for Thanksgiving.
If your family is not fond of almond extract flavoring, simply use a full teaspoon of vanilla extract. Or during the summer you can use lemon extract. Peppermint extract is also a nice flavor to use during the Christmas season.
Most Famous Italian Cookies
Italian's love to bake cookies! And we love to make them look amazing. These Italian Christmas Tree Cookies are definitely a little over the top in their presentation, but they look festive when served.
They even make a nice centerpiece in the middle of the dessert table surrounded by other homemade Italian cookies like my Pizzelle cookies or my mother's famous Best Italian Cookies.
Table of Contents
Stainless Steel Cookie Cutters
Using cookie cutters are an easy way to bring your personality to a cookie recipe.There are so many different shapes available these days.
While plastic ones are economical, stainless stell cookie cutters are my favorite. However, you have to be careful when cleaning them because they can rust if you don't dry them completely.
Even though they are more expensive, they're great to use because they're sturdy and make a nice clean cut with the cookie dough recipe you are using.
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Main Ingredients Needed
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Butter
- Sugar
- Egg
- Almond extract - if you really don't like the taste of almond extract, you can substitute it for Vanilla Extract.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 | Combine the Ingredients
- In a large bowl on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Then beat in the egg and amond extract.
- Slow add the sifted flour and baking powder in a little at a time until combined.
- Make sure everything is combined.
- Tuen the dough out on a cutting board and shaped it into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate an hour.
Step 2 | Roll and Cut Cookie Dough
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough.
- Arrange the cookie cutters on top of the dough and cut out the shapes.
- Repeat until there is no dough left.
Step 3 | Baking Instructions
- Place the cookies on parhcment lined baking sheets.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
Baking Tip: Watch the cookies closely as they bake as the little ones may finish baking before the bigger shaped cookies. If that happens, gently remove them from the baking tray. This did NOT happen to the cookies I baked but I did check halfway through.
Step 4 | Decorating the Cookies
- Combine the ingredients together for the icing.
- Gently dip the front of the cookies in the icing and place on top of a cooling rack that is on top of a baking tray lined with parchment paper so the cookies can drip.
Step 5 | Add the Colored Sugar
- Sprinkle a little of the colored sugar on top of the cookies and allow them to dry completely.
Step 6 | Form the Christmas Tree
- Once the cookies have dried completely, start with the largest star and place it on the bottom and then continue stacking with the next size cookie finishing up with the smallest cookie. Only this cookie you're going to stand up on the top of the "tree."
- Dab a little more of the icing on the bottom of the star and also on top of the star it's going to rest on. Hold it in place for a few minutes until it has dried and stands.
- The cookies are ready to serve or display on your cookie tray.
Before You Begin!
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Variations
- Different Cookie Cutters - This recipe is sooooo good. You can use any shape of cookie cutter that you want. The recipe is perfect all year round.
- Change the Flavoring- you can leave out the almond extract if you really don't like the flavor or if you have allergies to almonds. Replace it with vanilla extract or even lemon extract.
- Kid friendly - little hands love to roll out dough and cut out shapes! Get the kids involved and have fun.
Storage Tips
- Allow the cookies to cool completely to room temperature before storing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Make sure you layer the cookies between parchment paper so the cookies don't stick to each other. If it's warm in your house, the cookies should be stored in the refrigerator so the icing doesn't melt.
Freezing Tips
- You need to freeze the cookies before decorating. Place the cooled and baked cookies in a single layer on Parchment Baking Sheets to flash freeze them for about 60 minutes.
- Once the cookies are frozen, store them in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Make sure you label and date the cookies.
- Properly stored frozen baked cookies can remain in the freezer for up to two months. When you're ready to use them, defrost and then follow the steps for decorating.
Top Recipe Tip
These cookies are delicious year round, not just for Christmas.
Recipe FAQ
Cut out cookies are made with a thicker cookie dough that needs to be rolled and then using cookie cutters cut into different shapes before baking. Drop cookies are made with a softer dough and require you to scoop the cookie dough and drop it on top of a baking sheet before baking.
- INGENUITY DIAMOND TEXTURE - The cookie sheet pan set has a diamond texture on the base increases its non-stick properties and ensures even and quick heat airflow to the cookie, which makes the cookies consistently baked without any over or undercooked parts.
📖 Recipe Card
Italian Christmas Tree Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Video
Method
- In a large bowl on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
- Then beat in the egg and almond extract.
- Slowly add the sifted flour and baking powder in a little at a time until combined.
- Make sure everything is combined.
- Turn the dough out on a cutting board and shaped it into a disc.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate an hour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough.
- Arrange the cookie cutters on top of the dough and cut out the shapes.
- Repeat until there is no dough left.
- Place the cookies on parhcment lined baking sheets.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
- Combine the ingredients together for the icing.
- Gently dip the front of the cookies in the icing and place on top of a cooling rack that is on top of a baking tray lined with parchment paper so the cookies can drip.
- Sprinkle a little of the colored sugar on top of the cookies and allow them to dry completely.
- Once the icing has dried completely, begin stacking the cookies starting with the largest star first and work your way up to the top finishing with the smallest star. Use a little more of the green icing to attach the small star so it stands on the top of the tree. Hold it in place for a few minutes until the icing dries.
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