Candy Land Christmas Trees
420kcal
Ingredients
Trees
- 12 sugar cones pointed waffle-style cones
- 12 round sugar cookies store-bought, for the bases
Green buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226 g, softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 420 g
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- green gel food coloring a few drops
Candy decorations
- 1 cup small gumdrops
- 1/2 cup mini M&Ms
- 1/4 cup rainbow or pink-and-white sprinkles
- 12 mini candy canes or lollipops optional
- 12 yellow star candies or star sprinkles for the tops
Equipment
- Stand or hand mixer
- Piping bag
- Small open star piping tip (Wilton 16 or 21)
- Baking sheet or tray
Method
- Beat the butter for 2 minutes until creamy. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, then the cream and vanilla, and beat until smooth and stiff.
- Tint the frosting bright green with a few drops of gel coloring. Spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a small star tip.
- Pipe a small dot of frosting on each cookie and press a cone upside down onto it, so the cookie becomes the base. Set them on a tray.
- Starting at the bottom, pipe little stars or zig-zags all the way up each cone until it is covered.
- Press on gumdrops and mini M&Ms like ornaments, add sprinkles and tuck in a mini candy cane if you like.
- Finish each tree with a star on top. Let them set for 15 minutes before moving them.
Nutrition
Serving1treeCalories420kcalCarbohydrates62gProtein2gFat19gSaturated Fat11gSodium95mgFiber1gSugar50g
Notes
Tip: Stiff buttercream is the key. If the frosting slides down the cone, beat in more powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time.
Tip: Gel coloring gives a brighter green than liquid coloring and won't thin the frosting.
Tip: Set out the candies in small bowls so kids can decorate their own tree, assembly-line style.
Tip: Stand each cone on its cookie before you decorate, so you have something to hold.
Dairy-free: use plant-based butter sticks and oat milk instead of cream.
Storage: keep covered at cool room temperature up to 2 days. Don't refrigerate, the cones go soft.
Nutrition is an estimate per tree.