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There's nothing that says Christmas party, like Christmas tree cookies. And these aren't just any Christmas tree cookies. Rachael Ray Every Day Executive Food Editor Nina Elder says these delicious shortbread cookies will bring out the holiday spirit in everybody. Nina told Tonia's Kitchen the cookies also combine candy, which should satisfy anyone's sweet tooth, and the festive shape should warm everyone's heart!
There's nothing that says Christmas party, like Christmas tree cookies. And these aren't just any Christmas tree cookies. Rachael Ray Every Day Executive Food Editor Nina Elder says these delicious shortbread cookies will bring out the holiday spirit in everybody. Nina told Tonia's Kitchen the cookies also combine candy, which should satisfy anyone's sweet tooth, and the festive shape should warm everyone's heart!
1 batch Vanilla Thumbprint
Cookie dough
4 tbsp. green colored sugar
Instant Icing
M&M’s Minis, dragées and
yellow gum drops
Vanilla Thumbprint Cookie Dough
2-2
⁄ 3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted
butter, at room
temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
In a medium bowl, whisk
the flour and salt. In a large
bowl, using an electric
mixer on medium-high,
beat the butter and sugar
until light and fluffy, about
2 minutes. Beat in the egg
and vanilla. Add the flour
mixture; beat on low speed
until just blended. Shape
into a disk, wrap in plastic
and refrigerate until firm,
about 11
/2 hours.
2. Position the racks in the
top and bottom thirds of
the oven; preheat to 350°.
Roll 2 tsp. of dough into a
1-inch ball. Repeat with
the remaining dough,
dividing the balls between
two parchment-lined
baking sheets, spacing
1 inch apart. Using your
thumb, make an
indentation in the center
of each dough ball.
Icing
In a bowl, microwave
your favorite store bought
frosting on
high until melted,
10 to 15 seconds.
Using a spoon,
drizzle on cookies
(like the sugar and
gingerbread cutouts
pictured here), or
grab a pastry brush
and use the melted
frosting as a glaze.
1. Position a rack in the
center of the oven and
preheat to 350°. Halve the
cookie dough and press
each half into two
parchment-lined 9-inch
round pans.
2. Using the tines of a fork,
gently crimp the edges of
the dough. Sprinkle 2 tbsp.
green colored sugar over
the dough in each pan.
Bake until golden around
the edges and just cooked
in the middle, about
25 minutes. While the
cookies are still warm, cut
each into 8 wedges directly
in the pan. Place pans on
a rack; let cool completely.
3. Fill a resealable plastic
bag with vanilla Instant
Icing, snip off a small piece
from the corner of the bag
and form garlands over the
trees. Decorate, using
M&M’s minis and dragées
for ornaments and yellow
gum drops for stars.
