There’s tons of fancy stuff on the web, like Sweetopia, that’ll learn you to make pretty things from cookies and royal icing. Who needs a dummy like me?

Maybe you do. Because I’m a dummy.

I can totally tell you how a dummy like me would make a Christmas tree made out of cookies – the super simple way. So you can take it easy. The holidays should be FUN!

Sweetopia is like a carnival! And it’s so pretty there. Marian Sweetopia is no dummy, I’ll tell you that. And she has long hair. I think that’s important. The people who teach you your fancy cookie-decorating lessons should indeed have fancy hair. I have nostalgic-for-the-70s feathered hair.

I started with two sets of rounds cut with each cutter in a set of fluted cookie cutters like these. Feel free to make just one set of cookies for a shorter tree. I’m tall (yes, really), so I needed a tall tree or it might be embarrassing.

I used the graham cracker recipe on page 214 of my Cookbook, but you could also use the Gingerbread People Cookie recipe I blogged about the other day.

I made tiny flower holes in the center of each cookie. It served no purpose. I don’t wanna talk about it. Do we have to?

Then I made royal icing. I used the recipe on Sweetopia (click thru & scroll down). I followed it to the letter. You mix it and mix it, and it looks like frosting.

And then you thin it with water, and it dribbles like this. Sweetopia has a whole 10-second rule. She’ll tell you.

At first, my icing was too thin and my lines were goofy. See how it runs. See how it runs.

I added some more confectioner’s sugar and mixed again. Just right.

And I used this little Decorating Pen Thingy. I wanted to try it out, instead of a piping bag. I kinda liked it.  It was groovy. Less mess. It’s like a plunger, except that sounds gross but it’s good. And you can fit most other pastry tips on there.

I just made a zigzag pattern on the perimeter of each cookie with a plain #1 tip, dotted the fluted edges, and then stacked ‘em up. But do whatever pattern you like — just do it along the perimeter of the cookie so you can see the design peeking out when you stack the cookies.

So I dusted the whole thing with more powdered sugar.

It’s snowing on my tree. But you probably knew that. You’re no dummy.

Love,
Me

P.S. If you haven’t yet, please pick up a copy of My Cookbooks! With your help, the blog will keep going and going!!