This recipe for Christmas Wreath Cookies is an easy bake that kids and adults will love making! A truly festive treat for everyone.
Serve alongside my Easy Christmas Dessert Tarts, Chocolate Christmas Cake and Xmas Snowflake Cookies for a holiday feast to remember.
Baking at Christmas time is extra special, you get to indulge yourself in decorating and experimenting. I wanted to make a delicious festive iced cookie that didn’t compromise in flavor. Let me tell you – I succeeded!
These cookies are super fun to make, so why not involve the whole family with your Christmas baking this year? They make a great gift too!
Why This Recipe Works
- Using a molded pan gives you the perfect wreath cookie shape.
- Cream of tartar helps to keep the cookies from puffing out of the pan.
- Real butter instead of shortening gives the cookies a tender, buttery richness.
How to Make Christmas Wreath Cookies
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla, mix until combined.
- Press mixture into the pan, filling to the top.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Prepare icing with food coloring
- Dip cookies into the icing and leave to set.
- Decorate them with Christmas sprinkles.
Step by Step Instructions
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Turn the mixer to low and mix in the flour until combined.
Place approximately 4 tablespoons of the mixture into the cavities of the pan.
A #16 cookie scoop is the perfect size for measuring the mixture. Alternatively, you can use a 1/4 cup measuring cup.
Press the dough evenly into the pan (I used this pan which you can buy on Amazon), filling each cavity to the top. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Prepare the icing.
Add the food colouring, dip your cookies and add sprinkles.
Your icing should be smooth and thick but fluid enough to dip the cookie into. You may have to experiment with the amount of confectioners sugar and water you need to obtain the desired texture.
To get a Christmas green, add a quarter teaspoon of green color, a touch of blue, and a tiny bit of red. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
When dipping the cookies, if the icing clogs the hole, a straw is the perfect tool to break through the blockage.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Beating the butter and sugar together really well is an important step as it ensures the cookie is light, crisp, and holds together.
- Make sure you pack the dough and fill the cavity to the top to ensure a flat bottomed cookie. If you need to, use a knife to flatten them off before icing.
- Use a straw to push any excess icing through the middle of the cookie. Leaving it evenly covered and ready to decorate.
- For a spiced variation, add ground ginger, nutmeg, or cinnamon to your dough. Experiment with flavors.
If you love these easy to decorate cookies, I have an Easy Christmas Tree Cake that is just as simple and so impressive too!
FAQs
The dough can be made well in advance. It keeps in the fridge stored in an airtight container for about a week and a month in the freezer.
Yes, they freeze well in an airtight container for up to three months. I would suggest you freeze them without frosting. Defrost and decorate when ready to eat.
Store in an airtight container or cookie jar for up to a week
Other Great Christmas Recipes
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Let’s Make Christmas Wreath Cookies
Ingredients
For The Cookies
- 8 oz Butter 2 sticks/1 cup/16 Tablespoons
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 Egg
- 2 ½ cups Flour
- ½ teaspoon Cream of tarter
- ½ teaspoon Salt
For The icing
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Warm water
- 2 teaspoons Golden syrup or dark corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla
- Green gel food coloring
- Blue gel food coloring
- Red gel food coloring
- Christmas sprinkles for decoration
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/160°C.
- Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed, for about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until just combined.
- Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan filling each section to the top.
- Bake for 10 -12 minutes (depending on the method you use) until the cookies are lightly golden.
- Cool 5 minutes before carfully lifting the cookies out of the pan and transfering to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For The Icing
- Place all of the ingredients (except the food coloring) in a bowl and whisk until combined and smooth. You want it to be smooth and thick but fluid enough to dip the cookie into. At this point, test it on a cookie to make sure it covers well into a smooth finish. Add more water or sugar as needed before adding the color.
- To get a Christmas green, add a quarter teaspoon of green color, a touch of blue, and a tiny bit of red. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
- Decorate with the sprinkles to make it resemble a wreath. Allow to set before serving; this can take anywhere from 30 minutes to hours, depending on the amount of liquid you used and the temperature of the room.
Tips + Notes
- Beating the butter and sugar together really well is an important step as it ensures the cookie is light, crisp, and holds together.
- Use a straw to push any excess icing through the middle of the cookie. Leaving it evenly covered and ready to decorate.
Linda Glaesen says
This recipe tastes just like the cookies my grandmother made. We called them pierniki. Thanks for the memories!
Erren Hart says
So happy to hear it! Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Gina G says
Made these for a baby shower with white icing. Just perfect!
Erren Hart says
Thanks for stopping by and letting me know! 🙂
Riley says
I have a similar pan. Made these with the kids today! Just wonderful!
Erren's Kitchen says
That’s fantastic Riley, I wonder if you have any left? 😉