Molasses and warm spices bake into sturdy gingerbread that holds its shape. Once cooled, the trees fit together and await royal frosting and sprinkles.
Steps + Photos to make this recipe for 3D Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Get out all of your ingredients.
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until just blended.
Step 3: Add molasses, egg, and vanilla; mix until incorporated.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, all spice, and salt. Add dry mixture to wet and mix until a crumbly dough forms.
Step 5: Turn dough onto parchment, press into a ball, cover with another sheet, and roll to ¼-inch thickness.
Step 6: Cut out trees using a 3D cookie cutter, ensuring dough is slightly thinner than the interlocking cut.
Step 7: Transfer to prepared baking sheet and bake for 9–10 minutes, until set. Cool briefly, then move to wire rack.
Step 8: For royal frosting: Beat water, meringue powder, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and mix on low until thick. Tint with food coloring if desired.
Step 9: Decorate with royal frosting and sprinkles. Allow to dry fully before assembling the 3D trees.
Tools & Equipment
- Large mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- 3D Christmas tree cookie cutter
- Baking sheet
- Wire cooling rack
- Spatula
- Piping bag for frosting
Tips for Success
- Roll dough slightly thinner than the cutter’s interlock slot so the trees fit.
- Avoid frosting the interlocking sections to prevent breakage.
- Let one side of each cookie dry before frosting the other.
- Assemble only after frosting is completely dry.
- Store extras at room temperature up to 5 days or freeze (unassembled) up to 3 months.
- Use royal frosting immediately, but cover well if pausing.
3D Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies
Ingredients
For Gingerbread Cookies:
- ½ c 1 stick butter, softened
- ½ c brown sugar packed
- 2 T granulated sugar
- ⅓ c molasses
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 3 c all-purpose flour
- 2 t ground cinnamon
- 2 t ground ginger
- ½ t allspice
- ½ t salt
For Royal Frosting:
- 5 T warm water
- 3 T meringue powder
- 2 t vanilla extract
- 4 c powdered sugar
- Food coloring optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line the baking sheet with parchment.
- Mix butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with mixer until blended.
- Add molasses, egg, and vanilla; mix until incorporated.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, all spice, and salt. Add to wet and mix until crumbly dough forms.
- Roll dough between parchment sheets to ¼-inch thickness.
- Cut out 3D tree cookies out of the dough, slightly thinner than the interlock slot. Transfer to a baking sheet. Knead leftover dough back into the ball and roll out between parchment until it’s all used.
- Bake for 9–10 min, until set. Cool 2–3 min, then transfer to a wire rack. You’ll want to test the cookies to see if they lock together but wait until they are FULLY COOLED, or they will likely crumble.
- For frosting: Beat water, meringue powder, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar; mix until thick. Tint if desired.
- Frost cookies, allow to dry fully. This will take at least 6 hours, but overnight is safest. Then assemble into trees by gently pushing the bottom-cut tree onto a top-cut tree.
- If the trees are having trouble standing after assembly, add a bit of royal frosting to the gaps in the locking areas as you would with a craft project. Lean on a clean glass or jar until the icing dries.
The bottom line
These 3D gingerbread Christmas tree cookies turn a zesty favorite into an edible centerpiece or friendly “forest” for a tablescape. The gingerbread dough bakes into sturdy holiday cookies with molasses, cinnamon, and ginger, while the royal frosting locks the trees into place. Assemble them just before serving for festive cookies that double as decoration. For more gingerbread ideas, here’s our take on the Sterberks CopyCat Gingerbread Latte and Ideas for your next gingerbread house project!
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Well loved