Spooky Halloween Trees
Make frosting and decorating these cookies a family event.
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Ingredients
Cookie
1 1
2 cups all-purpose flour1
4 cup unsweetened cocoa1
2 teaspoon baking powder1
2 teaspoon baking soda1
4 teaspoon salt1 Land O Lakes® Butter, softened
2 cup3
4 cup sugar1 teaspoon vanilla
Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Land O Lakes® Butter, softened
4 cup1 teaspoon vanilla
1
4 teaspoon ground cinnamon3 to 4 tablespoons Land O Lakes® Half & Half
Decorations
Black licorice twists
Halloween sprinkles and/or decorator sugars, if desired
How to make
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STEP 1
Combine all frosting ingredients in bowl, adding enough half & half for desired spreading consistency. Beat at low speed until well mixed.
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STEP 2
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl; set aside.
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STEP 3
Combine 1/2 cup butter and sugar in bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed until well mixed.
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STEP 4
Divide dough in half. Shape each half into ball; flatten slightly. Wrap each in plastic food wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm.
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STEP 5
Heat oven to 325°F.
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STEP 6
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-half at a time, (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 12x7-inch rectangle. (Trim edges if necessary.) Cut rectangle in half lengthwise with pizza cutter or sharp knife. Make 5 crosswise cuts in each half, 2 inches apart, creating 12 (3 1/2x2-inch) rectangles. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
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STEP 7
Bake 6-8 minutes or just until set. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.
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STEP 8
Cut licorice twists into 3-inch lengths. Cut slits on 1 end of licorice using sharp knife or kitchen shears to within 1 inch of other end to form tree with 3 or 4 branches. Carefully bend or peel apart branches.
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STEP 9
Working with 2 or 3 cookies at a time so frosting doesn’t harden, frost cookies. Place licorice tree onto frosting; sprinkle with Halloween sprinkles or decorator sugars, if desired.
Tip #1
- Halloween sprinkles come in a variety of shapes, such as bats, pumpkins or fall leaves, and are available at craft stores and in the baking aisle of the supermarket during the fall season.
Tip #2
- If branches are accidentally cut off tree, just attach cut branch to frosting so it looks like part of the tree.
Tip #3
- For variety, make different shape cookies using large round or diamond-shaped cookie cutter.
And don't forget to tag us @landolakesktchn.