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Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cookies
Yield: 16 cookies
These Little Debbie Christmas tree cookies are a fun twist to your favorite nostalgic holiday snack cake. Made with soft and tender vanilla cookies, creamy vanilla buttercream frosting, green sugar crystals, and those classic red stripes, they’re fun and easy to make, festive, and the perfect addition to your holiday cookie tray.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cookies
- 2 ½ cups (315 g) cake flour
- 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking powder
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 (1) large egg (room temperature)
- 3 tsp (3 tsp) vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
Additional Ingredients
- 1 tbsp (10 g) green sanding sugar
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) red gel food coloring
Instructions
Vanilla Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line baking sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter, vegetable oil, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Pour in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until a soft cookie dough forms.
- Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) to portion the cookie dough and place on the prepared baking sheet pans, allowing room for spreading. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes until the edges are set and the centers are puffed up. Cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light and creamy.
- Add in the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until fully combined with the butter. Add in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low speed until smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well combined.
- Increase the speed on the mixer to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix the buttercream for several minutes to remove any air bubbles.
Decorating the Cookies
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together ⅓ cup of the vanilla buttercream with the red gel food coloring. Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #5 piping tip with the red frosting. Set aside.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1A piping tip with the white vanilla buttercream frosting. Pipe a swirl of the frosting onto the cookies and spread evenly with an offset spatula to create a flat surface.
- Sprinkle the top of the cookies with green sanding sugar. Pipe stripes of red buttercream onto the cookies, creating random squiggle patterns to mimic the appearance of Little Debbie Christmas tree cakes.
Notes
Storing & Serving:
- Room temperature: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
- Freezer: Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container or storage bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to chill the cookies in the refrigerator to firm up the buttercream before stacking and freezing. Use parchment paper to separate the cookies.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 663IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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