Christmas Tree Cookie Balls Recipes

CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIES

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.

CHRISTMAS COOKIE ORNAMENTS

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar. Beat in the honey, egg and vanilla. Gradually add the flour and salt., Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll to an 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters dipped in flour. Transfer cutouts to ungreased baking sheets., Using a straw, make a hole in the top of each cookie. Remove the center circle of dough. Bake the cookies at 350° for 6 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Remove the cookies to wire racks to cool., For frosting, combine the confectioners' sugar, water, corn syrup and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Tint the frosting with liquid or paste food coloring in desired colors., Place each color of frosting in a pastry or plastic bag. Cut a small hole in the tip of each bag. Spread and pipe frosting onto cookies as desired., If desired, create stitch marks on a stocking or veins on holly leaves by dipping a toothpick in food coloring and painting on the lines., For hanging loops, cut forty 8-in. strips of 1/8-in.-wide ribbon. Thread a ribbon strip through the hole in each cookie and tie the ends into a bow.

CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIE BALLS

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.

COOKIE BALL CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Steps:

• Grind the cookies in a food processor, then add the cream cheese and pulse until the mixture comes together. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Scoop the cookie mixture into 36 balls; form each into a bulb shape with your hands. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze 10 minutes.
• Melt the red candy melts in the microwave as the label directs. Remove 9 cookie bulbs from the freezer and insert a toothpick or skewer into the wide ends. Fill a small bowl with red sugar.
• Dip a bulb in the red candy melts, leaving just a small circle around the toothpick uncovered. Let the excess drip off.
• Working quickly, sprinkle red sugar over the whole bulb. Set on a clean parchment-lined baking sheet. Coat the other 8 bulbs with red candy melts and red sugar.
• Repeat with the other colors, making 9 bulbs in each color. Let all the bulbs set at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, then remove the toothpicks.
• Unwrap the Tootsie Rolls; cut them in half crosswise. Use a paring knife to create ridges in each piece to look like the base of a bulb.
• Using some melted candy melts, attach a Tootsie Roll half to the uncovered end of each bulb. Let dry for about 10 minutes.
• Brush the Tootsie Rolls with silver luster dust. Attach the bulbs to licorice laces with more melted candy melts, if desired.

CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIE BALL POPS

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.

CHRISTMAS BALL COOKIES

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.

CAKE BALL CHRISTMAS 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.