This week, Sabrina DiMare Taylor, Owner and Pastry Chef of DiMare Pastry Shop, shows Tina Redwine how to make Christmas tree cookies.

Christmas Tree cookies 

- 3/4 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature

- 1 c. sugar

- 1 egg

- 1 tsp. vanilla extract

- 1 tsp. almond extract

- 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

- 1 tsp. baking soda

- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

- 1 c. butter

- 4 c. powdered sugar

- 1 tsp. vanilla extract

- 3 tbsp. water or milk

- Green gel icing color

- 3 tbsp. red and white pearl sprinkles

- 18 yellow star sprinkles

- Preheat oven to 350º and line two cookie sheets with parchment.

- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla and almond extracts. In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Dough will be thick.

- Make three sizes of cookie dough balls: 1 teaspoon, 2 teaspoons, and 3 teaspoons. (You should have an even number of each.) Place medium and large cookies on a cookie sheet and press down slightly on each. Bake until center looks mostly cooked, 7 to 8 minutes. Place smallest balls of dough on another cookie sheet and press down slightly. Bake until center looks mostly cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. When cookies are done, remove from oven and let cool 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a cookie rack to finish cooling.

- Make frosting: Beat butter until smooth. Add half the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons water and mix until smooth. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add green gel icing color to frosting and mix until your desired shade of green.

- Assemble cookies: Get one size of each cookie. Fit a piping bag with a medium sized star piping tip (I used Wilton 32) and fill bag with green frosting.

Pipe a swirl of frosting onto the largest cookie, then add the second medium sized cookie on top. Pipe a swirl of frosting onto the second cookie, then top with the smallest cookie. Pipe a swirl on top of the final cookie and decorate with a star and round ornament sprinkles. Continue building cookie trees, then refrigerate until ready to serve.