Best Gingerbread Sandwich Trees Recipes

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GINGERBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE SANDWICH COOKIES



Gingerbread Christmas Tree Sandwich Cookies image

These spicy gingerbread sandwich cookies get their kick from black pepper and cayenne in the dough. The cream cheese frosting works double time -- as a filling it mellows the ginger kick just enough, and it decorates the tops of the cookies, too.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 3h40m

Yield 10 to 11 sandwich cookies

Number Of Ingredients 20

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and rolling (see Cook's Note)
3 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Green and red miniature candy-coated chocolates, such as M and M's, for decorating
Pretzel sticks, for decorating

Steps:

  • For the cookie dough: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne and baking powder in a medium bowl.
  • Beat the granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg (the mixture might look curdled). Add the flour mixture and mix on low until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
  • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Keeping one dough disk refrigerated, roll the other on a well-floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking (if the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in). Use a 3 1/2-inch-wide by 3 3/4-inch-tall Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut out trees as close together as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape, then use a small offset spatula to transfer the trees to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart (they will not spread much during baking). Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Repeat this process with the remaining dough disk to make about 22 total. Freeze the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
  • Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
  • Bake, rotating the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through cooking, until the cookies are slightly firm to the touch but not browned at the edges, about 12 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes. The cookies will continue to firm as they cool.
  • For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and salt and mix until smooth and creamy. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (size 6).
  • For the add-ins: Pipe frosting in the style of a garland on half of the cookies. Lightly press the candy-coated chocolates into the frosting garlands. Cut the pretzel sticks to the same length as the cookie tree trunks. Pipe a small amount of frosting onto the trunks, then press pretzel stick pieces into the frosting. Turn the remaining cookies over (bottom-side up) and pipe frosting onto each. Top each with a decorated cookie and serve immediately.

GINGERBREAD TREES



Gingerbread Trees image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 1h50m

Yield About 24 gingerbread trees

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon gingerbread spice
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons hot water
White sanding sugar, for decorating
Candy-coated sunflower seeds, for decorating

Steps:

  • Whisk the flour, gingerbread spice, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter, brown sugar and molasses in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and add the flour mixture in two batches, beating until just combined. Divide the dough between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Flatten into disks and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
  • Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350˚. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface until about 3/8 inch thick. Cut out trees using 2- to 3-inch cutters. (If the dough becomes too sticky, refrigerate 15 minutes.) Arrange the cutouts 1 inch apart on the prepared pans.
  • Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are puffed and the edges are lightly set, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the pans, then remove the cookies to racks to cool completely.
  • Roll out the other disk of dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out more cookies. Once the baking sheets have cooled, arrange the cutouts on the pans, bake and let cool.
  • Make the icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar with the water until smooth and very thick. Transfer the icing to a resealable plastic bag, snip off a corner and pipe on the cookies; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Decorate with the sunflower seeds.

GINGERBREAD TREES WITH LEMON ICING



Gingerbread Trees with Lemon Icing image

Drizzles of lemony icing and sprinklings of sanding sugar give these simple gingerbread triangles their Christmas tree appearance and holiday flair.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cookie Recipes

Yield Makes 60

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
Sanding or coarse sugar (optional)

Steps:

  • Make cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until creamy, 3 minutes. Add egg and beat to combine. Add molasses and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. With a sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut dough into small 2-inch-wide triangles. Arrange triangles, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are firm and golden at edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
  • Make icing: In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and confectioners' sugar and whisk until smooth. Drizzle icing over cooled cookies and sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 214 g, Fat 9 g, Protein 2 g

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