How to create painted christmas tree cookies

In a bowl, add 3/4 cup of room temperature butter.

Next add 1 cup granulated sugar

Next beat butter and sugar until fluffy on medium-to-low speed.

Pause, and use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom, then beat again to ensure your mixture is well mixed.

Crack one egg into the butter/sugar mixture.

Next add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Beat until well combined. Scrape down sides with spatula and re-beat as necessary.

Next, add 2.5 cups of all purpose-flour

Add 1/2 tsp of baking powder.

And a pinch of salt!

Whisk the mixture, it will start to appear a crumbly.

Knead the dough until the surfaces are smooth.

Divide the cooke dough into two, and knead into discs (this isn't the final version, doesn't have to be perfectly smooth). If you find it too crumbly, add a little bit of butter (1 tsp) and re-knead.

Wrap the discs in saran wrap.

Place your dough in the fridge

And refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).

Allow to thaw until it is soft enough to roll (about 15 minutes). If you find the dough to be too crumbly, mix in a little bit more room temperature butter.

Add flour (or use wax paper) on your working surface and spread. Then roll out your dough to be about 5 mm thick with a rolling pin.

Push your Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter down int he dough - wiggle ever so slightly and then lift surrounding dough!

Add your shortbread cookie cutouts to the cookie tray lined with parchment paper. The next step we will be painting the trees!

Next we will separate the egg yolk - do this over a sink! Crack the egg in two, and transfer the egg yolk from one shell to the next repeatedly, allow egg white to drip through, Transfer yolk to bowl.

Dip a toothpick (or chopstick) into food colouring gel paste, and then subsequently dip into the egg yolk, mix well and dip your paint brush in.

Paint your tree stumps and branches!

At this point, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fareinheit (~190 degrees Celsius).

Once you've coloured your other egg yolk bowls with green, paint the leaves/pine needles on the tree. Get creative!

If you have christmas themed sprinkles, feel free to add ornaments to your trees!

Bake for 11 minutes, or until outer edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow completely to rest. You are done!

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