Bake of the Week: Vanilla cookie Christmas tree

THIS week’s bake looks complicated but it’s actually quite simple.

These star-shaped cookies are flavoured with vanilla and topped with icing. One won’t be enough!

This tree uses different-sized star cutters but if you don’t have them, you can use any cookie cutters, or cut out festive shapes by hand – a great way of keeping kids occupied the day before Santa comes! Thanks to Lakeland for our festive bake.

You’ll need

300g unsalted butter

300g caster sugar

2 small eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

600g plain flour, sifted

500g icing sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160C fan/gas mark 4/ 350°F. Grease and line a couple of baking trays.

Soften butter, then beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy.

Add the beaten eggs, vanilla and a pinch of salt and mix well. Gradually add the flour and mix until incorporated. Bring together into a dough, then divide into two balls. Wrap and chill for an hour.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 3-4mm.

Bake the cookies on the middle shelf for about 12 minutes or until firm and golden.

Leave to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Make up the icing by adding a little water to the icing sugar, then spread on each biscuit. Alternatively, use ready-to-roll icing and spread each biscuit with a little jam before applying.

Stack your tree starting with the largest cookies at the bottom and smallest at the top.

Decorate with Christmas stars or other decorations.