Introduction

Get into the festive spirit with these charming Christmas Tree Cookie Stacks. They combine soft sugar cookies and creamy frosting, decorated with colorful sugar pearls for a delightful holiday treat. Perfect for parties or as a fun family baking project.

The image shows small cookie stacks with three layers each. The bottom and middle layers are light golden brown cookies with a rough texture. Between the bottom and middle cookie layer is bright green frosting, smooth and piped in a circular motion. On top of the middle cookie rests a swirl of light mint green frosting, fluffy and thick, decorated with small round edible pearls in red, white, and green. A shiny golden-yellow candy ball is placed at the very top of each frosting swirl. These cookie stacks are placed on a white marbled surface with a blurred dark gray background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 (16.5-oz.) tube sugar cookie dough
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 cups (452 g) confectioners’ sugar, divided, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons milk or water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Green gel food coloring
18 yellow sugar pearls or mini M&M’s
3 tablespoons red and white sugar pearls
A piping bag with a medium star tip

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the center. Roll the sugar cookie dough into 8 balls of 1 teaspoon each, 8 balls of 2 teaspoons each, and 8 balls of 3 teaspoons each. Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently press each down.
Step 2: Bake the smallest cookies for about 5 minutes until centers are set. Remove them to a wire rack to cool.
Step 3: Continue baking the medium and largest cookies for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until set. Let them cool on the baking sheets for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks.
Step 4: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with a handheld mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth. Mix in milk and vanilla extract. Gradually add the remaining 2 cups confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until smooth. Stir in 1 to 2 drops of green gel food coloring until you reach the desired shade.
Step 5: Fill the piping bag fitted with the medium star tip with the green frosting. On a serving platter, place the largest cookies and pipe a circle of frosting on each. Stack a medium cookie on top of each largest cookie and pipe another frosting circle. Add the smallest cookie on top of each stack and pipe a frosting point on these smallest cookies to resemble a tree tip. Decorate with yellow, red, and white sugar pearls. Dust the completed cookie stacks lightly with confectioners’ sugar for a snowy effect.

Tips & Variations

For extra flavor, you can add a pinch of almond extract to the frosting along with vanilla.
Use different colored sugar pearls to customize the decoration according to your holiday theme.
If you prefer a firmer frosting, chill it for 10 minutes before piping.

Storage

Store the assembled cookie stacks in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can refrigerate them if your kitchen is warm, but bring to room temperature before serving for the best taste and texture. Reheat is not recommended as it may soften the cookies and frosting.

How to Serve

The image shows six small Christmas tree-shaped treats arranged on a white marbled surface. Each treat has three layers of round, light golden cookie bases stacked from largest to smallest going bottom to top. Between the cookie layers is thick, swirled frosting in shades of dark green and lighter mint green, making the shape look like tree branches. The frosting looks creamy and smooth, with the bottom large layer and the middle layer being a deep green, and the top swirled frosting layer a softer mint green. Small round red, white, and green edible beads decorate the frosting, resembling ornaments. On the very top of each tree is a small shiny yellow ball acting as a tree topper. Soft shadows fall underneath, highlighting the texture and height of each treat. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use homemade sugar cookie dough instead of store-bought?

Absolutely! Homemade dough works great and allows you to customize flavors. Just be sure to chill your dough well before shaping to maintain the cookie shapes during baking.

What if I don’t have a piping bag or star tip?

You can use a zip-top plastic bag with a small corner snipped off for piping the frosting. While you won’t get the star pattern, it will still hold the cookie stack securely and look festive.