Family Tree Cookies
Submitted by snowland
Family tree cookies are giant chocolate cookies shaped like trees with branches for piping family names. A fun baking project with kids using cocoa dough, chocolate chips, and royal icing.
YIELD
2 cookiesPREP
40 minCOOK
9 minREADY
1 hrsThese oversized chocolate cookies get shaped into trees right on the baking sheet, with a thick trunk and spreading branches made from rolled dough ropes. Once baked and cooled, you pipe family names along the branches with a simple powdered sugar icing and attach spearmint leaf gumdrops or sugar cookie cutouts for leaves.
The cocoa-rich dough is loaded with mini chocolate chips and needs at least an hour in the fridge before shaping. Cold dough holds its rope shape without spreading into a puddle. If it starts getting soft and sticky while you’re working, pop it back in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Each batch makes two large tree cookies that take up a full baking sheet, so this is a project, not a quick bake. Great for family reunions, holiday gatherings, or a rainy Saturday with the kids.
Pro Tips
- Line the sheet with foil, not parchment. You peel the foil off the back of the cooled cookie, which is much easier than trying to lift a fragile tree shape off paper.
- Don’t overbake. These should come out when they’re just set, not crispy. They firm up as they cool and stay chewy inside.
- Use a ziplock bag with a tiny corner snipped off if you don’t have a piping bag. It gives you enough control for writing names.
Variations
- Skip the green icing leaves and use real spearmint gumdrops pressed into the branches while the cookie is still warm.
- Add white chocolate chips alongside the semisweet for a speckled bark look.
- Make individual branch cookies instead of one big tree for easier handling at a party.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃) F . Line cookie sheet with foil.
Combine brown sugar, shortening, water and vanilla in large bowl.
Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.
Beat eggs into creamed mixture.
- Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Mix into creamed mixture at low speed just until blended.
Stir in chocolate chips.
- Refrigerate dough at least one hour. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Roll dough into ropes ½ inch (1 cm) in diameter.
Join 2 or 3 ropes to form tree trunk at bottom of cookie sheet.
Shape remaining dough on foil-lined baking sheets into tree branches.
- Bake at 375℉ (190℃) (180C) for 9 to 11 minutes, or until cookie is set. DO NOT OVERBAKE.
Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.
Remove cookie with foil from baking sheet and cool completely.
Peel foil from back of cookie.
- For icing, combine icing sugar and 3 tablespoons (45 mL)
Mix to blend well.
Add additional water, a little at a time, if icing is too stiff.
Add additional icing sugar if icing is too thin.
Place icing in pastry bag fitted with small round writing tip.
Alternately, place in small resealable plastic bag.
Snip very small hole off one corner of bag.
Pipe names onto branches of trees.
- If using cookie leaves tint remaining icing with green food colouring.
Ice sugar cookie leaves.
Attach to branches with icing.
Attach spearmint leaves to branches with icing (optional).
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