This festive gingerbread Christmas tree is a delightful treat that adds a charming touch to your holiday celebrations. Made with a spiced gingerbread dough, it can be decorated with icing, candies, and edible glitter for a beautiful centerpiece.
The recipe is straightforward and perfect for baking with family or friends. Enjoy the process of assembling and decorating your gingerbread tree to make lasting holiday memories.
Creating the Perfect Gingerbread Christmas Tree
The gingerbread Christmas tree is a delightful centerpiece that embodies the spirit of the holiday season.
With its layers of spiced gingerbread cookies, this festive treat not only looks stunning but also fills the air with the warm aroma of ginger and cinnamon.
Each layer can be customized, allowing for a unique creation that reflects your personal style and festive spirit.
Gathering Your Ingredients
To embark on this baking project, you’ll need a selection of ingredients that come together to create the perfect gingerbread dough.
The foundation includes all-purpose flour, ground ginger, and cinnamon, which provide the essential flavors.
Don’t forget the royal icing and assorted candies, as these will be crucial for decorating your tree and adding that festive touch.
Preparing the Dough
The preparation of the gingerbread dough is a crucial step that sets the stage for your tree.
Begin by whisking together the dry ingredients, which helps to evenly distribute the spices.
Creaming the butter and brown sugar until fluffy creates a light texture, ensuring that your cookies will be both soft and flavorful.
After mixing in the molasses and egg, gradually incorporate the dry ingredients to form a cohesive dough.
Chilling the dough is essential, as it allows the flavors to meld and makes it easier to roll out later.
Shaping and Baking the Cookies
Once the dough has chilled, it’s time to roll it out.
Aim for a thickness of about 1/4 inch, which will yield cookies that are sturdy enough to hold their shape while still being tender.
Using cookie cutters, cut out various tree shapes to create layers that will stack beautifully.
Baking the cookies until firm ensures that they will hold up during assembly.
Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before moving on to the fun part—decorating!
Assembling Your Gingerbread Tree
Assembling the gingerbread tree is where the magic happens.
Start by stacking the cooled cookies in a tree shape, using royal icing as the glue to hold each layer together.
This is a great opportunity to get creative; consider varying the sizes of the layers for added dimension.
Decorating with Festive Flair
The decoration phase is where your gingerbread tree truly comes to life.
Using royal icing, pipe intricate designs on the tree to mimic garlands or snow.
Then, let your imagination run wild with assorted candies—gumdrops, sprinkles, and chocolate can all add vibrant colors and textures.
Once decorated, allow the icing to set before proudly displaying your gingerbread tree in a festive spot.
The twinkling lights and holiday decorations around it will enhance its charm, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for all to enjoy.
Festive Gingerbread Christmas Tree
This gingerbread Christmas tree features layers of spiced gingerbread cookies shaped into a tree form. The assembly and decoration can be customized with various toppings, making it a fun and interactive holiday project.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- Royal icing for decoration
- Assorted candies for decoration (e.g., gumdrops, sprinkles, chocolate)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in molasses and egg, then gradually add the dry ingredients until a dough forms.
- Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Roll and Cut: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out tree shapes in various sizes for layering.
- Bake: Place the cutouts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 8-10 minutes or until firm. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Assemble the Tree: Once cooled, stack the gingerbread layers in a tree shape, using royal icing to hold them together.
- Decorate: Use royal icing to pipe decorations on the tree and add assorted candies for embellishment. Allow the icing to set before displaying.
Cook and Prep Times
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Servings: 12 slices
- Calories: 180kcal
- Fat: 7g
- Protein: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 28g