Candy Cane Forest Sugar Cookie Trees for Elf Movie Night

Don’t be a cotton-headed ninny muggins — try out these Candy Cane Forest Sugar Cookie Trees for your next Elf movie night! Your family is going to love these frosted peppermint sugar cookies, and they fit into one of the of the main food food groups – candy canes!!

We love the movie Elf and just how sweet Buddy is! We created these candy cane sugar cookie trees because he “passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest” before walking through the Lincoln Tunnel.

For tonight’s movie night, take a note from Buddy’s book, lets “make ginger bread houses, and eat cookie dough, and go ice skating, and maybe even hold hands.”

While you wait the cookies to bake, try out these Ultimate Elf Movie Trivia Questions and Answers on your family!

What You’ll Need

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg, room temperature

• 2 cups all-purpose flour + extra for rolling

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 Christmas tree cookie cutter – we used one that’s about 4 inches at its widest and 3 inches in height

You’ll need to make the frosting or pick up white icing and candy canes at the store.

For the topping, you’ll need:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 3-4 candy canes or 8-10 peppermint candies, crushed

How to Make Candy Cane Forest Sugar Cookie Trees

First, you’ll want to cream together softened butter and sugar in a large bowl.

Then, add in your egg and mix together.

Next, you’ll add in your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until crumbles of a cookie dough form.

Now, use your hands to knead it into a cookie dough, and then wrap the cookie dough in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Once the time is up, remove from the refrigerator, sprinkle a smooth working surface with flour, and add flour on a rolling pin as well.

Once you have the space ready, roll out the cookie dough so that it’s about ¼ of an inch in size.

Now it’s cookie cutter time! Use cookie cutter to cut out 15 to 18 cookies. Line them up on a baking sheet (you will most likely have to cook in two batches – one standard baking sheet can fit about 12 cookies, comfortably).

Bake for 7 to 9 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Then – you’re ready to decorate!

In a large bowl, mix together softened butter, confectioners’ sugar, and milk with an electric mixer. Start on low and gradually increase to high speed.

Once the buttercream is formed, scoop into a piping bag with Wilton icing round tip #8.

Frost the cookies and use an offset spatula to smooth it out.

The last step is sprinkle with crushed candy canes or peppermint candies!

We also made a Buddy the Elf Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Board which was so much fun! These cookies are perfect for hot chocolate as well!!

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• Christmas Movie Night Snacks Paired with Movies (& Free Printable Invites)
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• Easy Mickey Christmas Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
• 3 Ingredient Strawberry Santa Claus Hats (No Bake!)

Yield: 15-18 Cookies

Candy Cane Forest Sugar Cookie Trees for Elf Movie Night

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 33 minutes

Don't be a cotton-headed ninny muggins -- try out these Candy Cane Forest Sugar Cookie Trees for your next Elf movie night! Your family is going to love these frosted peppermint sugar cookies, and they fit into one of the of the main food food groups - candy canes!!

Print

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 cups all-purpose flour + extra for rolling
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 Christmas tree cookie cutter - we used one that’s about 4 inches at its widest and 3 inches in height

For the topping:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 3-4 candy canes or 8-10 peppermint candies, crushed

Instructions

To Prepare the Cookies:

1. In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar.
2. Add egg and mix together.
3. Add dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until crumbles of a cookie dough form.
4. Use your hands to knead it into a cookie dough.
5. Wrap the cookie dough in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Once the time is up, remove from the refrigerator. Sprinkle a smooth working surface with flour. Add flour on a rolling pin as well.
8. Roll out the cookie dough so that it’s about ¼ of an inch in size.
9. Use cookie cutter to cut out 15 to 18 cookies. Line them up on a baking sheet (you will most likely have to cook in two batches - one standard baking sheet can fit about 12 cookies, comfortably).
10. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

To decorate:

1. In a large bowl, mix together softened butter, confectioners’ sugar and milk with an electric mixer. Start on low and gradually increase to high speed.
2. Once the buttercream is formed, scoop into a piping bag with Wilton icing round tip #8.
3. Frost the cookies and use an offset spatula to smooth it out.
4. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes/peppermint candies.

Notes

• Yields: 15 to 18 cookies (depending on the size of your cookie cutter)
• Our Christmas tree cookie cutter was about 4 inches at its widest and 3 inches in height.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

18

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 105mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.