Two Ways to Dress Up Holiday Sugar Cookies

December 23, 2015

Dress up a simple sugar cookie base two ways to transform your holiday cookies into impressive baked treats!

Two Ways to Dress Up Holiday Sugar Cookies

This year, I didn’t have plans to do any holiday baking.  I just couldn’t find the time or motivation!  This week, I made time.  I had a pouch of sugar cookie mix in the cabinet, so I decided to make my husband sugar cookies. Well, it wasn’t that simple.  I turned my sugar cookies into my own little holiday baking challenge (I have been watching far too much Food Network lately!).  I initially wanted to make cut-out cookies, but I decided to dress up my holiday sugar cookies two different ways instead.  

I love to stock up on pouches of cookie mix when they go on sale at the store.  Sure, nothing really beats a homemade, made-from-scratch cookie, warm, straight from the oven. But these mixes work just as well when you’re in a pinch.  Dressing them up is just as simple!  With some food coloring, you can transform a regular sugar cookie into something magical!  With a little imagination, you can wow your holiday guests when it comes to last minute baking.

Holiday Sugar Cookies

For each of these sugar cookie ideas, you’ll be using the same base in three different cookie sizes.  I don’t have an exact number of cookies that were made.  Just be sure to cut out equal amounts of each shape until your dough is used up.

Holiday Sugar Cookie Trees

Ingredients

  1. Sugar cookie mix or prepared sugar cookie dough
  2. – Green food coloring
  3. – Star cookie cutters, in three different shapes
  4. – White icing tube
  5. – Powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Prepare cookie mix according to package.  If using prepared sugar cookie dough, add a few drops of green food coloring at a time until you achieve the perfect “Grinch” color green.
  2. Use star cookie cutters to cut out three different cookie sizes.  Make sure to cut out equal amounts in each size.
  3. Bake cookies according to package or until cookies become golden brown on the edges.
  4. Allow cookies to cool completely before assembling.
  5. Using the white icing tube, add a dot of icing to the center of the largest cookie.
  6. Next, stack a medium size cookie on top.
  7. Add a dot of icing to the medium size cookie, then stack a small cookie on top.
  8. Add a dot of icing to the small cookie and stack another small cookie on top.
  9. Cut the corners off of a small star cookie to create a “tree top.”  Use white icing to attach the top to the cookie stack.
  10. Add drops of white icing around the cookie tree to resemble snow.  Sift powdered sugar on top of cookies and serve.

Holiday Sugar Cookie Trees

Jam-Filled Holiday Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
  1. – Sugar cookie mix or prepared sugar cookie dough
  2. – Green food coloring
  3. – Star cookie cutters
  4. – Raspberry jam
  5. – Powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Prepare cookie mix according to package.  If using prepared sugar cookie dough, add a few drops of green food coloring at a time until you achieve the perfect “Grinch” color green.
  2. Use star cookie cutters to cut out cookie shapes.  Make sure to cut out equal amounts.
  3. Bake cookies according to package or until cookies become golden brown on the edges.
  4. Allow cookies to cool completely before assembling.
  5. Turn cookies over so the bottom is facing up.  Add a small spoonful of jam in the middle of half of the cookies.
  6. Top the jam-filled cookies with another cookie, pressing down gently to distribute jam inside the cookie sandwich.
  7. Sift powdered sugar over the cookies and serve.

Jam-Filled Sugar Cookie Stars

These cookies are the perfect, “Oh crap!  I forgot to buy dessert!” solution to your upcoming holiday weekend. They’re so easy to make and the end result is pretty impressive! The trees would make an adorable, edible centerpiece on the dessert table. And if you’re like us and have jars of homemade jam from Summer berries, the jam-filled stars are a perfect way to use some of it up!

Two Ways to Dress Up Holiday Sugar Cookies

What kind of holiday cookies did you bake this year?

13 Comments

  • Reply Helen at the Lazy Gastronome November 27, 2017 at 9:36 AM

    Love both of them! Now I’m in the cookie mood! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party! This Friday (December 1) we start the great cookie exchange on our blog. Would love to have you add these!

    • Reply Jessica November 27, 2017 at 10:21 AM

      Thank you, Helen! I need to get myself back into the baking mood! I definitely have a few cookies that I want to make for the holidays this year! Enjoy!

  • Reply Sandra L Garth November 29, 2017 at 12:25 PM

    Love these ideas and I know my granddaughter will enjoy helping me make them. This year I’ve honed my cookie list to just four varieties. In years past I would bake a different cookie for the 12 days of Christmas and it wore me out. Thanks for the recipe.

    • Reply Jessica November 29, 2017 at 7:31 PM

      Oh my goodness! You certainly did a lot of baking in the past! My list has definitely been shortened up over the past few years, but these were definitely a hit! I hope you enjoy making these with your granddaughter!

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  • Reply Miz Helen December 5, 2017 at 9:21 AM

    What great ideas for dressing up those holiday cookies! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
    Come Back Soon
    Miz Helen

    • Reply Jessica December 5, 2017 at 11:40 AM

      Thanks so much! 🙂

  • Reply Judy December 5, 2017 at 12:38 PM

    Such cute ideas. I have to try this with my cookies this year. I will be featuring this tonight at my Fall into Fall party that starts at 8pm EST. Please stop by and pick up an I’ve Been Featured button. http://diybydesign.blogspot.com Thanks.

    • Reply Jessica December 5, 2017 at 1:55 PM

      Thanks so much for the feature! Enjoy baking up these cookies!

  • Reply Monica @HappyandBlessedHome.com December 14, 2017 at 12:29 PM

    Thank you for this awesome Christmas Cookie Recipe. Pinned – I’ve included it in a roundup of 20 Amazing Christmas Cookie Recipes at Family Fun Friday. I’d love it if you could PIN and share this awesome cookie round-up featuring your recipe. Together we can spread some Christmas Cheer! Happy Holidays! https://www.happyandblessedhome.com/20-amazing-must-try-christmas-cookie-recipes/

    • Reply Jessica December 14, 2017 at 3:46 PM

      Thanks so much for pinning and including my recipe in your roundup! I’ve pinned it to my Christmas board. 🙂

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