My Favorite Tree

 

On my walk to work everyday I pass an enormous chestnut tree that towers over the houses and trees around it.

 

 

. I can see it peeking over the top of the houses as I get closer to it...

 

 

..making all the houses and cars around it look like miniature toys (aww tiny minivans!).

 

I wanted to make tree cookies of my favorite tree, but I didn't have tree cookie cutters and I also wasn't sure how to show the huge-ness of it without making monster sized cookies.

 

 

My solution: I drew a template where each part of the tree was a different cookie, along with some teeny tiny house cookies for scale.

 

Next I cut out the template pieces, I didn't use it like a stencil, I threw away the outline and kept the coloured pieces. Using a kitchen knife I cut the sugar cookie dough around the template pieces and then put the tray in the freezer for 20 minutes before baking. Freezing the cookies beforehand helps then keep their shape while they are baking.

 

 

Ta-dah! Cookies shaped like my favorite tree! I kept having to look at a picture I took of the template as a whole in order to put the tree shape together.

 

 

Next I used royal icing  to outline the cookies.

 

 

And after the outline had time to harden I flooded them with royal icing that had been thinned out with a couple of drops of water. They looked pretty cute just like this, but I wanted to add details.

 

 

The chestnut tree is covered in cone-shaped flowers right now so I used little white sprinkles to minic that. It's easier to dip a toothpick in a glass of water and use it to pick up and press the sprinkles in the icing then it is to try and use your hands.

 

 

There! Flowering chestnut..

 

And tiny houses.

 

   

Plus a cookie label so that it's clear that this isn't just any tree, its obviously my favorite tree.

 

 

Done!!

 

The template cookies were really easy to make, which means that next time I have a shape in mind I don't have to go looking for a cookie cutter and spend money. I can just cut out some thick paper into any shape I want. Try it!

 

 

 

Comments

[Amy]

Aww, this is really cute!!

[Morrgan]

Oh my, that is quite a tree. Looks like it was a fun project!

[Alex]

Too cute. I like the colors.

[Cat]

What a lovely way to honor your fav. tree! The cookies look delicious!
Regards
Cat

[rp]

love this! the teeny houses are so adorable!

[Lori]

This is beautiful and so inspiring! I'll bet it's pretty delicious as well. :) What a wonderful talent.

[Alesha]

Oh Stephanie - that is so awesome I just want to eat it! hahaha.
You are very talented :)

[Marilyn]

How adorable! I want to pop those houses in my mouth like popcorn. :)

[Deanna]

What a great idea! It turned out fantastic! I would not want to eat it though, too pretty.

[Natasha]

This is so cute Stephanie! Good work!!

[Hope]

This is the sweetest idea...my mind is now spinning with the things I want to turn into cookies!

[cabin + cub]

very cute and sweet! love it! ;)

[Kristina]

Wow, that is one enormous tree! Love your 'cookie art', it turned out fantastic!

[My Life Under the Bus]

This is sooo cute ! ...and who knew about the flooding icing ! I've always wondered why it stayed in one place .

[Kristen]

I love those cookies! Amazing!! And what a gorgeous walk to work : )

[Lindsay {Shrimp}]

Oh my gosh - how much do I love your blog?! You're so talented, and I'm definitely adding this to my 'foodie' blogroll!

Thank you for your sweet comment about my Nikki.

- Lindsay

[Christynh@mac.com]

BEYOND cute. I thought it was a stock photo at first. LOVE IT!

[Blake]

this makes me happy, so happy! I love your tree!