Name: Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 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; Red food gel (for coloring); Green sugar sprinkles; 3/4 cup 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 (for frosting color)

Ingredients

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

Red food gel

Green sugar sprinkles

3/4 cup 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 for buttercream

Instructions

Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

Step 2: In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment or in a medium bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light, fluffy, and creamy—about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.

Step 3: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix well, scraping down the sides to combine evenly.

Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Scrape down the sides and mix a few seconds longer to ensure even combination.

Step 5: Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thickness. Transfer to a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Step 6: Using a 5-inch circle cookie cutter, cut out as many circles as possible. Use a 2-inch tree cookie cutter to cut out tree shapes in the centers of half of the circles.

Step 7: Place the cookies on a baking sheet spaced 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool completely.

Step 8: For the buttercream, cream together the butter and confectioner’s sugar in a stand or electric mixer. Slowly add heavy whipping cream until the mixture is smooth. Add salt and vanilla extract; continue mixing. Optionally, add a few drops of white food coloring for a brighter appearance.

Step 9: Remove about 1/4 cup of the buttercream and tint it red with food gel. Transfer both the white and red buttercream to piping bags.

Step 10: Once cookies are cooled, pipe a layer of white buttercream onto the bottom of each whole cookie. Use the red buttercream to pipe stripes mimicking the classic Little Debbie tree cake design. Sprinkle green sugar sprinkles on top. Finish by placing a cookie with a tree cutout on top, centering it to form a sandwich.

Step 11: Enjoy your festive Christmas Tree Cake Cookies!

Tips & Variations

For cleaner cookie cutouts, chill the dough well before cutting and bake cookies immediately after cutting to prevent spreading.

Swap green sugar sprinkles with finely chopped pistachios for a nutty twist.

If you don’t have food gel, natural coloring from beet juice or spinach powder can be used, but colors may be less vibrant.

Use a piping tip with a fine opening for more precise buttercream stripes.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, the dough can be prepared and refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator before rolling and cutting.

What if I don’t have a Christmas tree cookie cutter?

You can substitute any festive shape, such as stars or snowflakes, or simply skip the cutout step and decorate whole cookies with buttercream and sprinkles.