Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
-
3 cups all-purpose flour
-
2 teaspoons baking powder
-
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
-
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
-
1 cup granulated sugar
-
1 large egg
-
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Buttercream Frosting
-
2 sticks butter, room temperature
-
1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
2 tablespoons whole milk or cream
-
Dye-free green food coloring
-
Holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare Dough
- Sift flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar 3 minutes (medium–high speed) until aerated and pale.
- Incorporate egg and vanilla.
- Reduce speed to low; add dry ingredients gradually until dough just forms.
- Divide into two discs, wrap tightly, and chill minimum 30 minutes (up to overnight).
2. Roll & Cut
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Rest dough 10 minutes at room temperature for rollability.
- Roll to 1/4-inch uniform thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut using three graduated round cutters (large, medium, small).
- Transfer to lined baking sheet.
3. Bake
- Bake 8–10 minutes, rotating halfway.
- Remove when edges turn lightly golden.
- Cool completely on rack before assembly.
Buttercream Preparation
-
Beat butter 4–5 minutes until thick and creamy (critical for smooth structure).
-
Gradually add powdered sugar while mixing.
-
Add vanilla, milk/cream, and green coloring. Adjust consistency:
-
Too stiff → add milk (1 tsp at a time)
-
Too loose → add powdered sugar incrementally
-
Buttercream should be pipeable yet stable for stacking.
Assembly (Structural Layering)
-
Pipe a thick spiral layer (star tip recommended) on the largest cookie.
-
Place medium cookie centered; pipe again.
-
Add smallest cookie; finish with spiral and pointed peak.
-
Immediately apply sprinkles for adhesion before crusting occurs.
Notes
-
Graduated diameters are essential: each tier must be slightly smaller to achieve taper.
-
Uniform thickness ensures even baking and stacking alignment.
-
Immediate sprinkle application improves mechanical bonding to frosting surface.
-
Dye-free colorants are optional but reduce artificial additives.
These cookies are structurally stable for display, gifting, or holiday decorating activities. Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.
