Nothing beats a crunchy gingerbread biscuit at this time of year. These Christmas tree cookies make a great gift... if you can bare to give them away!
BY: Scarboro, Simon/Lines+Angles
Christmas Tree Cookies
MAKES 18-20 biscuits
Ingredients
- 225g butter at room temperature
- 170g dark muscovado sugar
- 1 egg
- 340g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 150g powdered sugar – sieved
- 1tbsp water
- green food colouring
When ready to roll out- working with only a small amount at a time. Use your cookie cutter to make as many Christmas trees as you can.
Method
- Start by mixing the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg slowly.
- In a separate bowl sieve all the dry ingredients together. Add to the butter, sugar and egg mix.
- Mix together slowly until all the ingredients are combined. Avoid over mixing as it will make for a very tough cookie. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and leave to cool in the fridge for at least an hour – overnight is even better.
- When ready to roll out- working with only a small amount at a time. Use your cookie cutter to make as many christmas trees as you can. Place them on a lined baking tray and pop in the fridge for 20 minutes – this chills them and prevents them from spreading and losing their shape whilst baking.
- Remove from the fridge and bake in the oven at 375º for 8-10 minutes or until the edges start to turn a little browner.
- Remove and leave to cool completely on a rack.
- To decorate: Make royal icing by adding the water to powdered sugar till it is a strong consistency. add enough green food colouring to make a nice Christmas colour. Don’t let the icing get too runny or it will be difficult to use. Place it in a piping bag with a small nozzle.
- Pipe dots all over each cookie. Leave to harden for at least an hour otherwise the icing will smudge.
Top tip:
Why not mix up different coloured icings for a more colourful look?
