Are you looking for a fun and festive centerpiece for your Christmas dessert bar? This Christmas frosting board is gorgeous and delicious. It is fun to eat and will make adults and kids alike smile. It is also fun to make! With just a few ingredients and some piping bag magic, you will have a new holiday masterpiece. You can pair it with your favorite cookies, crackers, or even pretzels.
Ingredients for the Buttercream Christmas Tree Board
You’ll need a handful of simple ingredients to create this festive buttercream Christmas tree. Consider this your shopping list to gather all of the ingredients.
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Green food coloring
- Red food coloring
- Sprinkles (optional)
- Biscoff cookie (plus extras for dipping)
Additional Items for Assembly:
✓ Charcuterie board or parchment paper
✓ Piping bags (at least 2)
✓ Piping tips (2 different styles)
✓ Assorted cookies or crackers for dipping (e.g., butter cookies, sugar cookies, graham crackers, pretzels)
How to make a Christmas Frosting Board Step-by-Step
Step 1: Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. When the butter is ready, add it to a mixing bowl and mix at medium speed until it is creamy and fluffy. This will likely take about 2 minutes.
Step 2: Gradually add the powdered sugar, about ½ a cup at a time, and mix on low speed. Fully incorporate the sugar in the bowl, and then add more as you go.
Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and increase the speed to medium. Mix until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated.
Step 3: Add the cream, vanilla, and salt and continue mixing at medium speed until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.
Step 4: Scoop out about ⅓ cup of the buttercream and place it in a small bowl. Add red food coloring a little at a time, mixing until you like the color. Transfer it to a piping bag and set it aside.
Add green food coloring for the frosting left in the mixer. Mix until evenly colored, then transfer to another piping bag with a star or round piping tip.
Step 5: Pipe the tree shape. On your board or a piece of parchment paper, start by piping 7 or 8 evenly spaced circles at the base of the tree. You will start at the bottom of the tree and work your way down. So consider your spacing as you start.
Step 6: Use the back of a spoon to press into each circle and gently pull downward to create a petal-like effect. (see image below)
Repeat this process for each row, reducing the number of circles by one as you work upward to form a tree shape.
Step 7: Decorate the tree with the red frosting you set aside, pipe garland, and ornaments. Consider adding sprinkles or glitter to add additional flair.
Step 8: Surround the buttercream Christmas tree with dipping options, such as cookies or pretzels. Place a Biscoff cookie at the tree’s base as the trunk.
Tips for Making the Perfect Buttercream Christmas Tree Board
Here are a few tips to help you create this Christmas buttercream board. I hope you enjoy making this board and don’t strive for perfection. Instead, strive to have fun with this recipe.
Practice Piping. Before building the board, practice the first version of two or three bottom rows on some parchment paper. When building out the Christmas tree, you will start in the bottom row and work your way up. It takes a bit of patience and practice to find your method.
Use the spoon. When you use your spoon to press and pull the circles into shape, wipe the spoon clean after every few circles. This will help to avoid smudging and keep the design crisp and neat.
Gel food coloring. We recommend that you use gel food coloring for more vibrant colors. Also, the gel doesn’t thin out the frosting like the old fashioned liquid colors can do. So if you are using the liquid colors, just keep that in mind and a bit of extra powdered sugar to thicken the frosting as needed.
Make it yours. You can add glitter or mini candy stars for an extra festive touch. If your tree has a color theme, add it to your Christmas frosting tree, too. Customize it to fit your party and your house. Have fun with it.
Buttercream Christmas Tree Board
A festive and fun buttercream board shaped like a Christmas tree, perfect for holiday gatherings. Pair it with cookies, crackers, or pretzels for dipping!
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
- 2.5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp heavy cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
- Green food coloring
- Red food coloring
- Sprinkles (if desired)
- 1 Biscoff cookie (more for dipping in the frosting later)
Instructions
- Add the butter to the bowl of an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar half a cup at a time.
- Pause to scrape the bowl, add the heavy cream, salt and vanilla.
- Mix again on medium speed for an additional 2 minutes until the frosting is light and smooth.
- Remove about ⅓ cup of frosting and put in a small bowl. Add in the desired amount of red food coloring. Mix and place in a piping bag.
- Add green food coloring into the larger bowl, mix to combine and transfer to a piping bag.
- To assemble the tree, start with the bottom layer. Pipe 7 - 8 circles onto the board about ½ inch apart. Use the backside of a spoon to press into each circle and pull toward you. Repeat for all circles.
- Repeat that process for all layers subtracting 1 circle for each layer until you reach the top.
- Add decorations on the tree with the red and remaining green frosting. Add sprinkles if desired.
- Serve with your favorite butter cookies, sugar cookies, graham crackers, pretzels, etc and enjoy!
Notes
- Use gel-based food coloring for vibrant colors without altering the frosting consistency.
- Store leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Let the frosting sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
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