Easy Christmas Tree Cookies

Work is winding down for the year. Most contractors slow their projects in December — nobody wants construction noise during the holidays, and the shorter days mean less daylight for exterior work. I finished the Korean BBQ restaurant this week — final inspection passed, certificate of occupancy issued, and Mr. Kim shook my hand and said, "You did good work, Tommy." I said, "Thank you, sir." He said, "Come back for the opening. I'll cook for you." I said, "I'll be there." A man who offers to cook for you after you've wired his restaurant is a man who understands the economy of gratitude. That's a language that crosses cultures.

With work light, I've been doing projects around the house. Replaced the garbage disposal (the old one sounded like it was processing gravel and grief). Fixed the bathroom faucet that's been dripping since September. Installed a dimmer switch in the dining room that Danielle has been asking for since we moved in seven years ago, which means I am exactly seven years behind schedule on home improvements, which is, I'm told, the industry average for electricians who work on everyone's house except their own.

The kids are in that pre-Christmas fever. Colette has written her Christmas list — handwritten, organized by category (Toys, Books, Art Supplies, Practical Items), prioritized — and presented it to us in a folder with a cover page. She is eight. She has a cover page. Luc's list was texted to Danielle and consists entirely of video game titles and one pair of shoes. Rémy's list was dictated to me and includes: a fishing rod, a crawfish costume "for every day" (the Halloween one is wearing out), and a baby brother. I told him the fishing rod was doable. The other two require board-level approval.

Made a pot of corn and crawfish soup this week — a thick, creamy chowder-type situation that uses frozen crawfish tails and canned corn and cream and the trinity and a little roux to pull it all together. It's a cheater soup. I'll admit it. It takes thirty minutes and uses ingredients from the pantry and the freezer, and Joey would probably raise an eyebrow at the canned corn. But it tastes good, and it's warm, and when you walk in the door at 5:30 PM in December and the house smells like corn and crawfish and butter, nobody asks where the corn came from. They ask for seconds.

Mama sent figs. Three jars of fig preserves from Joey's tree — the tree that started producing again this year, after two years of silence. The preserves are dark, sweet, thick, with a fragrance that smells like every August morning of my childhood. I spread some on toast Tuesday morning and stood at the counter and closed my eyes and was ten years old, at the cottage, eating fig preserves that Mama made from figs that Joey picked, and the kitchen smelled like sugar and bay leaf, and everything was whole. I keep the jars in the front of the pantry where I can see them. Some things are more than food. Some things are evidence that the past still exists, preserved in glass, waiting to be opened.

Colette’s Christmas list had a cover page. Rémy wants a crawfish costume for every day. Luc texted his. With the short days and the jobs slowing down, I had an afternoon free and three kids climbing the walls, so we made Christmas tree cookies — the kind where the decorating is the point and nobody cares if the frosting goes on straight. The soup had already warmed the house; might as well keep it going.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
For the frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3–4 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Green food coloring
Sprinkles, mini M&Ms, or colored sugar for decorating

Instructions

Make the dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, vanilla, and milk; beat until combined. Gradually mix in the flour mixture until a soft dough forms.
Chill. Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (or up to 2 days).
Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll and cut. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out Christmas tree shapes with a cookie cutter and transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
Bake. Bake 8–10 minutes, until edges are just barely golden. Do not overbake — they firm up as they cool. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting. Whisk together powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add the remaining tablespoon of milk if needed to reach a spreadable consistency. Divide into bowls and tint with green food coloring to your desired shade.
Decorate. Spread or pipe green frosting onto cooled cookies. Decorate with sprinkles, colored sugar, or candy “ornaments.” Let frosting set for about 20 minutes before stacking or storing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Easy Christmas Tree Cookies — The Kids Helped, Which Explains the Frosting Situation