This Christmas, give your dessert tray a cute cookie makeover. With a delightful butter cookie dough, these Christmas tree butter cookies are dyed with natural food colouring – matcha and cocoa powder. The dough is piped directly onto the baking tray in a sweeping motion to create the iconic Christmas tree shape.
Ingredients
UNITSIngredients
160 gmButter (salted or unsalted, softened)
120 gmPowdered sugar
1 tspVanilla extract
50 mlMilk
200 gmRefined flour (all-purpose flour)
6 gmCocoa powder (unsweetened)
10 gmMatcha powder, optional
5-6 dropsGreen food colouring, adjust to preference
Take the softened butter in a large mixing bowl. Using a cake mixer or an electric hand whisk, whisk the butter for 30 seconds until light and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the whipped butter. Continue whisking for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes pale in colour and forms stiff peaks. Sift in the refined flour gradually to avoid lumps. Using a spatula, cut and fold the flour into the butter mixture until just combined. Add the milk and fold until you have a smooth dough.
Description - Step 2
Divide and flavour the dough
Measure out 75 grams of the prepared cookie dough and transfer it to a separate bowl. Add the cocoa powder to this portion and mix using a spatula until the cocoa is evenly distributed. This will be used for the tree trunk. To the remaining larger portion of dough, add the matcha powder and green food colouring. Start with 3-4 drops of food colouring and mix well. Add more drops one at a time until you achieve a vibrant Christmas tree green colour that you're happy with.
Description - Step 3
Prepare for baking
Preheat your oven to 150°C and let it heat for 15 minutes. Then line a baking tray with parchment paper. Transfer the chocolate dough into one piping bag fitted with a star-shaped nozzle, filling it about halfway. Transfer the green dough into a second piping bag, also fitted with a star nozzle, again filling it halfway. Twist the tops of both piping bags to seal and keep the dough from coming out the top while piping.
Description - Step 4
Pipe the Christmas tree cookies
Hold the piping bag with the chocolate dough vertically above the lined baking tray. Pipe a straight vertical line about 2-3 inches long for the tree trunk, applying steady pressure. Leave about 3-4 inches of space between each trunk for the tree to spread. Now take the piping bag with green dough. Starting about 2 inches above the top of the chocolate trunk, begin piping the tree. Pipe in a sweeping motion from left to right, creating wavy horizontal lines, creating a triangular Christmas tree shape. Repeat this process for all 8-9 cookies, spacing them adequately apart on the tray.
Description - Step 5
Bake the cookies
Place the baking tray in the preheated oven and bake at 150 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. Check the cookies after 10 minutes of baking. If the tops are browning too quickly or the green colour is darkening too much, cover the tray loosely with a sheet of silver foil to protect the surface while allowing the cookies to continue baking. Continue baking for the remaining 10 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are firm, and the bottoms are lightly golden. Remove the tray from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Description - Step 6
Garnish and serve
Once the cookies have cooled completely, it's time to add the finishing touch. Hold each cookie upright at a slight angle over a plate or clean surface. Using a fine-mesh sieve or tea strainer, dust icing sugar generously over the top of each tree.
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American
Intermediate
Dessert
