Baking cookies is a fun and festive way to spend the holidays. Children and adults can both participate in the cookie-making process, making for fun family time. Besides eating all these cookies, which is tempting, you can also use them to make a cookie tree. Cookie trees make great gifts for family members and friends.
Making a cookie tree requires very few supplies, most of which can already be found in the kitchen. You will need a rolling pin, cookie cutters of various sizes, a cookie sheet, a cooling rack, a frosting bag with frosting, and candy decorations. You can use any cookie recipe, although sugar cookies make the best trees because they aren't flaky.
Roll out the cookie dough until it is approximately a quarter inch (10.16 cm) thick. To prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin, coat it in flour. Use the cookie cutters to make cookies of various sizes. Some should be really small for the tip of the cookie tree, while at least one is large for the base. Various size stars make the best cookie trees.
Bake the cookies according to the recipe directions. Cook them until they are slightly crisp to prevent the cookies from breaking when they are stacked as a tree. Allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Color the frosting with food dye, using holiday colors. Fill up the frosting bag with the colored cookie frosting. Frost the cookie that is being used for the base of the tree first. Apply the frosting about a quarter inch thick so it acts as a glue to adhere the other cookies.
Position the cookies, one on top of the other, in order of largest to smallest. Add a quarter inch (10.16 cm) layer of frosting between each cookie. You can make a star on top of your cookie tree by attaching it with frosting so it stands upright.
Attach a fancy frosting tip to your frosting bag and pipe frosting around the layers of cookies. You can make the frosting to resemble garland, lights or popcorn strings. Sprinkle powdered sugar on the tree so it resembles snow, if desired.
Decorate the cookie tree with small candies or sprinkles. Red hots and M&Ms make great ornaments. This is often the kids' favorite part about making a cookie tree. Completed cookie trees can be placed on a paper plate and wrapped in cellophane to distribute as gifts.