Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Cookies Recipe
These festive Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Cookies are a delightful holiday treat. Soft sugar cookies are baked in the shape of Christmas trees, decorated with vibrant red food gel and green sugar sprinkles, and sandwiched together with a creamy vanilla buttercream filling. Perfect for holiday gatherings or gifting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 sandwich cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Decoration
- Red food gel
- Green sugar sprinkles
Vanilla Buttercream Filling
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3–5 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1–2 drops red food gel
Instructions
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a smooth dough forms.
- Shape and Decorate Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface. Use a Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place the cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use red food gel to add decorative touches to the trees, and sprinkle green sugar sprinkles over them for a festive look.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before assembling.
- Make the Vanilla Buttercream Filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter until creamy. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, salt, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth. Add heavy whipping cream a tablespoon at a time until the desired spreading consistency is achieved. Mix in 1-2 drops of red food gel to tint the filling with a light pink hue.
- Assemble the Cookies: Spread a generous amount of the vanilla buttercream filling onto the flat side of one cookie and top with a second cookie to create a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies. Chill for 15-20 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set properly.
Notes
- If red food gel is unavailable, you can substitute with any red food coloring or edible markers for decoration.
- Make sure the butter and egg are at room temperature to ensure the dough mixes evenly.
- For firmer cookies, refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before rolling out.
- The cookies store well in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Adjust the amount of heavy cream for a thicker or thinner buttercream as preferred.
Keywords: Christmas cookies, holiday dessert, sugar cookies, vanilla buttercream, festive treats, Little Debbie inspired