3D Gingerbread Trees
These 3D Gingerbread Trees are a fun and festive way to celebrate the holiday season! Made with delicious gingerbread cookie dough and decorated with royal icing, these trees are sure to be a hit at any holiday party or gathering.
These festive trees are a great way to liven up with holiday dessert with a delicious-smelling treat that is not only beautiful but also tastes. Skip the gingerbread houses this year, and let the kids decorate their trees for the table.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is perfect for beginners and experienced bakers alike. The gingerbread cookie dough is simple to prepare, and the royal icing decoration is a fun activity for the whole family.
- These Gingerbread Trees will be a showstopper on any dessert table. They are not only delicious but also visually appealing.
- The combination of gingerbread and royal icing gives these trees a classic holiday flavor that everyone loves.
🛒Ingredients
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While these treats may seem daunting, they are easy to put together and only need a few simple ingredients. So, you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank to make this festive dessert.
- butter
- brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- molasses
- large egg
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- all spice
- salt
Royal Icing Ingredients:
- warm water
- meringue powder
- vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
- Food coloring, optional
See the recipe card below for quantities.
🔪 How to Make These 3D Gingerbread Trees
Making these gingerbread trees this holiday season is simple. Just follow the step-by-step directions and you will have a festive dessert on your table in no time at all.
Step 1: Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Preheat oven to 375F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer, just until blended (do not over-mix). Then add the molasses, egg, and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, all spice, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix with the electric mixer until a crumbly dough forms.
Step 4: Roll out the dough
Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and press the dough into a ball. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to ¼-inch thickness (the dough should be just slightly thinner than the cut out area of the cookie cutter where the cookies will interlock. If the dough is too thick the cookies will not interlock to form the trees).
Step 5: Cut out the Christmas trees
Use a 3D Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut the trees out of the dough. Transfer the trees to the prepared baking sheet.
Step 6: Bake the cookies
Bake the cookies at 375F for 9-10 minutes until set. Cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
Step 7: Start the royal frosting
In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the water, meringue powder, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Then add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until soft peaks form.
Step 8: Finish the royal frosting
If desired, add food coloring and mix well. Use the frosting immediately to decorate cookies, then allow to air fry until fully set, about 1-2 hours.
Step 9: Decorate the cookies
Use royal frosting and sprinkles to decorate the cookies.
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- Add food coloring to the royal icing for a pop of color.
- Use different types of sprinkles or candies for decoration.
- Instead of trees, use a different cookie cutter shape for the gingerbread cookies.
Are you looking for another gingerbread recipe to make this holiday season? If so, check out this Gingerbread cake roll recipe.
🥄 Equipment
To make these 3D Gingerbread Trees, you will need:
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- 3D Christmas tree cookie cutter
- Piping bag
🥫 Storage
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container on a plate wrapped with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to five days. The baked cookies can also be frozen for up to three months. However, we recommend that you freeze them flat and not assemble them.
Serve With
These cookies go well with just about any holiday meal we love to serve them with this Oven Roasted Turkey Breast or with this Slow Cooker Baked Ziti if you like something a little different.
💭 Tips
Here are a few tips that you can use to ensure that these gingerbread trees turn out perfectly for you.
- For soft cookies roll out the dough thickly. However, they will be harder to stand up. For more sturdy cookies roll them out thinner. It’s best to roll them just slightly than the court out part of the tree where the cookies will interlock so that they fit snuggly.
- Don’t frost the cookies where they come together otherwise, you will have it hard to put them together once the frosting dries.
- Frost one side of the cookie, let it dry completely and then flip the cookie and frost the other side. Make sure both sides are completely dry before you put them together.
- The royal frosting should be used immediately, but if it needs to be held for a little while before use, keep it covered well with plastic and at room temperature.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes, you can use regular frosting, but it may not harden so you may not be able to lock them together.
Yes, you can make the cookies ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to three months.
Can I use this recipe to make regular flat gingerbread cookies?
Yes, you can use this recipe to make regular gingerbread cookies by rolling out the dough and using a gingerbread man cookie instead.
🍽 More Gingerbread Recipes
Do you enjoy gingerbread? If so, give these recipes a try:
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
3D Gingerbread Trees
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Rolling Pin
- parchment paper
- Piping bag
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Royal Frosting Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons warm water
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- Food coloring optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer, just until blended (do not over-mix).
- Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, all spice, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix with the electric mixer until a crumbly dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and press the dough into a ball. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to ¼-inch thickness (the dough should be just slightly thinner than the cut out area of the cookie cutter where the cookies will interlock. If the dough is too thick the cookies will not interlock to form the trees).
- Use a 3D Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut the trees out of the dough. Transfer the trees to the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies at 375F for 9-10 minutes until set. Cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- Use royal frosting and sprinkles to decorate the cookies.
Royal Frosting Directions
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the water, meringue powder, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until soft peaks form.
- If desired, add food coloring and mix well.
- Use the frosting immediately to decorate cookies, then allow to air fry until fully set, about 1-2 hours.
