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The Best Gluten Free Christmas Tree Cookies Recipe

Introducing the BEST Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies– a simple cookie dough cake cut into Christmas tree shapes and decorated with an easy vanilla buttercream frosting. An easy recipe for this fun and festive holiday season! 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: christmas tree cookies, gluten free christmas cookies
Servings: 8 large tree cookies

Equipment

Ingredients

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

  • 2 cups gluten-free flour I use Bob Red's Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup (2 sticks ) salted butter softened
  • 4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract for whiter frosting or regular vanilla extract
  • 2-4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream

Instructions

Gluten-Free Cookie Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a circle baking dish or 9-inch cake pan. Either make the cookie dough from scratch (directions below) or mix a box of gluten-free chocolate chip cookie mix according to the package, then continue to step 5.
  • Stir flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl.
  • In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, and both sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla into the butter mixture until smooth.
  • Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
  • Spread cookie dough into the prepared pan.
  • Bake until golden and the cake springs back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Once the cookie cake is completely cool, use a sharp knife to slice it into eight equal wedges, just like you would with a pizza.

Buttercream

  • In a stand mixer, add the butter and beat together on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract to the butter and continue to beat until well combined.
  • Gradually add the confectioners' sugar to the butter, one cup at a time. Start the mixer on low speed to avoid a sugar shower. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • After incorporating all the sugar, check the consistency of the buttercream. If it's too thick, add milk or heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If it's too thin, add a bit more confectioners' sugar. Add food coloring gel if desired.

Decorating

  • Starting at the long end, use a tipless piping bag, pipe a row of buttercream, and swipe down with a small spatula or popsicle stick. Repeat making rows until the tree is filled. I ended up having 6 rows of buttercream. Decorate with sprinkles, sparkling gold or silver dust/glitter, and top each tree with a star.

Notes

Expert Tips

    • Box Cookie Mix: Feel free to sub gluten-free box cookie mix. I have tested Pillsbury and King Arthur's gluten-free boxed cookie mix and they both turned out great. 
    • Dairy-Free Option: Swap the milk and butter in the buttercream and cookies for your favorite non-dairy alternative. My favorite brands of vegan butter are Earth Balance or Miyokos. I also recommend using Hu kitchen chocolate chips which are dairy-free. Be sure to use a thicker milk like oat milk or cashew milk for the buttercream.
    • Substitutions: I don't recommend making any gluten-free flour swaps for this recipe-- like almond flour or coconut flour. I have tested with these specific ingredients and recommend sticking to the recipe!

Serving Tips

  • Serve these delicious holiday cookies on your favorite holiday cookie platters. They’re fine to sit out at room temperature for a couple of hours but transfer to the fridge if not serving right away. 

Storage Tips

  • Store leftover gluten-free Christmas cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. 

  • Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 727kcal | Carbohydrates: 147g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 418mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 1133IU | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1mg