How To Make An Easy Gingerbread Tree

Instructions

• Stir 2 cups flour with ginger, cinnamon, allspice, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Make a well in centre.

• Beat butter with brown sugar in a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, for 2 min. Beat in egg and molasses. Pour molasses mixture into flour mixture. Stir until all flour is incorporated. Stir in remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough is no longer sticky but still soft. Divide dough into 4 portions. Form into discs. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 min or up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.

  Gingerbread Tree

• Make a double batch of gingerbread dough. Using a set of 10 graduated star cutters (like these ones), cut out 2 of each size. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment, or spray with cooking spray.

• Let chilled dough sit for 5 min before rolling out—it will be easier to roll.Roll out 1 disc of dough on a floured surface until 1/8-in. thick. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters. Transfer to prepared baking sheets.

• Bake in centre of oven until deep brown around edges and firm to the touch, about 7 min. Larger cut-outs may require more baking time. Repeat with remaining dough. Transfer cookies to racks to cool. Cool sheets slightly before the next batch.

• When cookies are cool, pipe a thin line of royal icing around the border of each one and press a silver dragée into each star point while icing is still wet. For topper, pipe and flood 2 small stars and sprinkle with coarse pink sugar. When icing is dry, stack cookies into tree shape on a cake stand. Attach top to cookies using royal icing. Sprinkle tree with more coarse sugar.