Little Frosted Tree Cookies are an easy holiday sugar cookie you can make with kids using store-bought sugar cookie dough and canned frosting. They look bakery-style and festive, but come together fast—perfect when you need last-minute Christmas cookies that still feel special.
Each soft sugar cookie is topped with a tall swirl of green frosting shaped like a little tree, then decorated with candy ornaments. These frosted Christmas cookies are simple, playful, and ideal for classroom parties, cookie trays, or anyone looking for quick Christmas cookie recipes without a mixer or complicated steps.
If you love easy Christmas cookies with frosting that use shortcuts but still wow, these Little Frosted Tree Cookies are a must-make this holiday season. Another shortcut holiday dessert are these mini biscuit hot cocoa bites.
An Easy Christmas Cookie to Make With Kids
- Easy holiday cookies using store-bought dough
- No mixer or special decorating skills required
- Tall frosting that actually holds its shape
- Fun and kid-friendly to decorate
- Perfect for Christmas cookie trays and parties
These cookies are proof that simple ingredients can still make a big holiday statement.
Ingredients for Little Frosted Tree Cookies
Cookies
- 1 (16-oz / 24-count) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
- 1 (16-oz) can vanilla buttercream frosting (not whipped)
- 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
- Green food coloring
- Red, green, and yellow mini M&M candies
How to Make Little Frosted Tree Cookies
Bake the sugar cookies according to the package directions. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely. If the cookies are even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and won’t hold its shape.
In a medium bowl, mix together the vanilla buttercream frosting and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. The powdered sugar thickens the frosting so it can be piped tall like a tree. Add green food coloring a little at a time until you reach your desired shade.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with the tip cut off, or use a zip-top bag with one corner snipped.
Pipe a circle of frosting about ½ inch from the edge of each cookie. Continue piping smaller circles on top of each other, working inward and upward until you form a peak.
Place a yellow mini M&M at the top like a star, then decorate the frosting with red and green mini M&Ms for ornaments.
Let the cookies set for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Tips for Frosting That Stands Up
- Use regular canned buttercream, not whipped
- Don’t skip the powdered sugar—it adds structure
- Make sure cookies are fully cooled before decorating
- If frosting feels too soft, chill it briefly before piping
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips for Little Frosted Tree Cookies
- Bake cookies up to 2 days ahead and store unfrosted
- Decorate the day of serving for best appearance
- Store finished cookies in a single layer in an airtight container
- Keep at room temperature for up to 2 days
Perfect for Holiday Cookie Trays
Little Frosted Tree Cookies add height, color, and whimsy to any Christmas cookie platter. Pair them with chocolate-dipped pretzels, fudge, or classic cutout cookies for a festive mix that looks impressive but stays easy.
They’re also a fun hands-on decorating activity for kids—just set out bowls of candy and let everyone design their own little tree.
Little Frosted Tree Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 16-oz / 24-count package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
- 1 16-oz can vanilla buttercream frosting (not whipped)
- 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
- Green food coloring
- Red green, and yellow mini M&M candies
Instructions
- Bake the sugar cookies according to the package directions. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely. If the cookies are even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and won’t hold its shape.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the vanilla buttercream frosting and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. The powdered sugar thickens the frosting so it can be piped tall like a tree. Add green food coloring a little at a time until you reach your desired shade.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with the tip cut off, or use a zip-top bag with one corner snipped.
- Pipe a circle of frosting about ½ inch from the edge of each cookie. Continue piping smaller circles on top of each other, working inward and upward until you form a peak.
- Place a yellow mini M&M at the top like a star, then decorate the frosting with red and green mini M&Ms for ornaments.
- Let the cookies set for 10–15 minutes before serving.
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