Christmas Tree Cookie Balls Recipes

Steps:

• Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl. Cream using an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the butter mixture and mix to combine. Shape dough into a ball, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. Cut out different-sized stars with cookie cutters; the height of the Christmas tree will depend on the number of cookies you stack, but you need at least 7 or 8 stars. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer cookies carefully onto wire racks and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Combine confectioners' sugar, meringue powder, and water in a bowl and beat at low speed using an electric blender until peaks form, 7 to 10 minutes. Pour icing into a piping bag with a star-shaped tip.
• Place the largest star onto a plate and pipe a little bit of royal icing into the middle. Add the second-largest star on top, turning the star slightly so the points are offset from the previous star cookie. Repeat adding smaller-sized star cookies and attaching them with royal icing. Decorate the cookie Christmas tree with royal icing, silver balls, and other holiday decor. Roll out yellow fondant and cut out a small star to place on top of the cookie tree and secure with royal icing. Decorate remaining cookies to your liking.
• Dust the finished tree with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat 1 cup of the butter, 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and the salt with electric mixer on medium speed about2 minutes or until creamy. Beat in 1/4 teaspoon of the almond extract. On low speed, beat in flour just until combined. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. Shape dough into 48 (3/4-inch) balls. Roll 16 balls in each color of sanding sugar, coating completely. On cookie sheets, place balls 1 inch apart.
• Bake 15 minutes or until set and bottoms are light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. In small bowl, beat remaining 1/4 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and the milk with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. For each sandwich cookie, spread about 1/2 teaspoon filling on bottom of 1 cookie; top with second cookie, bottom side down, to form ball.

Steps:

• Mix confectioners' sugar, butter or margarine, egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir in flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide dough into halves. On lightly floured cloth-covered board, roll each half out to 3/16 inch thick. on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Cut into Christmas shapes.
• Bake on parchment lined baking sheets for 7 to 8 minutes. Let cool on wire racks and decorate as desired.

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended.
• Shape into 40 (1-inch) balls. Mix melted chocolate and food coloring until blended. Dip 1 lollipop stick in melted chocolate, then insert chocolate-dipped end into center of 1 cookie ball. Place on waxed paper-covered rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie balls. Freeze 10 min.
• Dip balls in remaining chocolate; return to baking sheet. Decorate with decorating icing and candies as shown in photo. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate coating is firm.

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended. Shape into 10 (1-inch) balls, using a level tablespoon for each. Place on a waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Shape remaining cream cheese mixture into 2 cubes. Add to baking sheet. Freeze 15 minutes.
• Microwave white chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH for 30 seconds; stir. Microwave 30 seconds more; stir. Continue heating and stirring in 10-second increments until completely melted.
• Dip each cube-shaped cookie ball into white chocolate using a fork, letting any excess drip back into the bowl; return to baking sheet. Stir green food coloring into remaining chocolate. Dip each of the remaining cookie balls into the tinted chocolate; return to baking sheet. Top immediately with sprinkles. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until chocolate is firm.
• Decorate cube-shaped pieces with red decorating gel to resemble presents. Arrange green cookie balls on a platter to resemble a Christmas tree. Add pretzel piece for the trunk. Place cookie ball presents under the tree.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Make cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Line large cookie sheet with waxed paper. Crumble cake into large bowl. Add frosting; mix well. Shape mixture into 49 (1 1/2-inch) balls; place on cookie sheet. Freeze about 1 hour or until firm. When firm, transfer to refrigerator.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and oil uncovered on High 20 to 40 seconds or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Remove 4 balls from refrigerator. Using 2 forks, roll 1 ball at a time in melted chocolate to coat; gently shake off excess chocolate. Place on second large waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.
• In 2-quart microwavable bowl, microwave candy melts uncovered on Medium (50%) 1 minute 30 seconds; stir. Continue microwaving and stirring in 30-second increments until melted and smooth.
• Remove 1 ball from refrigerator. Using 2 forks, dip and roll ball in green coating; gently shake off excess. Place on cookie sheet; immediately sprinkle ball with yellow candy sprinkles.
• Remove a few balls from refrigerator at a time. Repeat dipping and rolling with remaining balls; rolling 1 ball at a time in green coating. Gently shake off excess each time. Place on cookie sheet; immediately sprinkle top with holiday candy sprinkles.
• Refrigerate all coated cake balls about 10 minutes or until set.
• On serving tray, arrange cake balls as follows: For star at top of tree, place yellow sprinkled ball. Place remaining green cake balls in triangle tree-shaped pattern (use photo as a guide). Place the 4 chocolate-coated balls at short side of triangle for tree trunk. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended.
• Shape into 48 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.
• Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.