Retro Tinsel Christmas Tree Cookies

  • Prep 40 min
  • Total 3 hr 40 min
  • Servings 32

Ingredients

Steps

  • 1
    Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, butter and egg until soft dough forms.
  • 2
    On floured surface, roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 3-inch tree-shaped cookie cutter; place cutouts 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
  • 3
    Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
  • 4
    In large microwavable bowl, stir 1 1/4 cups frosting and the food color until blended. Microwave uncovered 25 to 30 seconds or until warmed and thinner consistency. Dip top side of each cookie into glaze, letting excess drip off. Place cookie right side up on cooling rack placed over cookie sheet or waxed paper. Rewarm frosting mixture in microwave to maintain dipping consistency, if needed. If desired, place 1 chocolate candy on top of each tree. Let stand about 2 hours or until set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

  • Cut cookies with a cutter dipped in flour. Cutting shapes as close together as possible on the rolled dough helps you avoid rerolling the dough scraps (rerolled dough will be a little tougher). To more easily move cookies from the surface to the cookie sheet, lightly press the back of your spatula in flour beforehand.
  • Once cookies are glazed, get creative and decorate with edible glitter, nonpareils and candy sprinkles.
  • To pipe garlands, spoon 2 tablespoons of frosting into small resealable food-storage plastic bag; partially seal, and cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to pipe lines of frosting over glazed cookies. Place M&M’s® candies on garlands for extra decoration.
  • For a sparkly look, spray on shimmering food color after glaze has set. Shimmering food color spray can be found in cake decorating section of large retail grocery stores.
  • These Christmas trees can come in any color you wish. To make more than one color, divide frosting, and tint each portion as desired. To account for dipping, additional frosting may be needed when using multiple colors.
  • For best results, bake one cookie sheet at a time on the middle oven rack.
  • To recreate the pastel colors we used, squeeze a tiny bit of gel food color into the frosting, or use a toothpick to control the amount. Then, stir to blend. You can always add more food color if you are looking for a darker color, but it’s easier to start out using less and adding more as needed.
  • When dipping cookies, it’s handy to have a damp paper towel nearby, so you can keep fingers clean and cookies smudge free. If frosting thickens while you’re in the midst of decorating, return to microwave, microwave in 5-second increments and keep a close eye—it doesn’t take long to warm frosting to the right consistency.
  • Be sure the frosting is completely set before storing cookies to avoid them sticking together.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Cookie
Calories
130
Calories from Fat
50
Total Fat
5g
8%
Saturated Fat
3g
15%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
15mg
4%
Sodium
90mg
4%
Potassium
10mg
0%
Total Carbohydrate
20g
7%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
13g
Protein
1g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
0%
0%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
0%
0%
Iron
2%
2%
Exchanges:
1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
1
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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