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Retro Tinsel Christmas Tree Cookies

Betty Crocker Kitchens
Updated Aug 9, 2023
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Give your sugar cookies the retro treatment! This clever decorating technique gives you cookie making bragging rights. Tint Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy Vanilla Frosting with your favorite Christmas colors, pipe on a garland, add a shimmer and whatever other decorations you desire. What's your favorite Christmas topper? Try M&M’s® candy in place of a star.

Retro Tinsel Christmas Tree Cookies

  • Prep Time 40 min
  • Total 3 hr 40 min
  • Servings 32
  • Ingredients 5
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, butter and egg until soft dough forms.
  • Step 
    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.
  • Step 
    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.
  • Step 
    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.

Nutrition

130 Calories
5g Total Fat
1g Protein
20g Total Carbohydrate
13g Sugars

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

  • tip 1
    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 pr...
  • tip 2
    Once cookies are glazed, get creative and decorate with edible glitter, nonpareils and candy sprinkles.
  • tip 3
    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.
  • tip 4
    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.
  • tip 5
    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.
  • tip 6
    For best results, bake one cookie sheet at a time on the middle oven rack.
  • tip 7
    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.
  • tip 8
    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...
  • tip 9
    Be sure the frosting is completely set before storing cookies to avoid them sticking together.
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