Kristas Random Thoughts: Christmas Tree Cookies

I had a conversation with my husband today about how my 'christmas cookie' making tradition in mutually beneficial. I get to make them, and he gets to eat them! It's a lot of work, but i love gifting cookies to the neighbours, having them for family & friends, and our oldest son who is almost 4 is just CRAZY about cookies! Tonight he was crying in bed, and when my husband went up to find out why he said he "needed sugar cookies!" He actually tried to convince daddy to bring them up so he could sleep with them! (I think he was afraid we were eating them all :)

I like to make a list every year, and then slowly check them off... and add more if i feel like it! Here's this years list:

Christmas Cookies 2014

- sugar cookies✓ (this recipe is super easy, and toddler-helper friendly!)

- buckeyes✓ (oh so yum.)

- christmas trees✓ (so maybe they're more of a confectionary than cookie, but regardless they're cute and bring back memories of my childhood. enjoy!)

- chocolate mice cookies (a new one for our family this year... we'll see how it goes!)

- candy cane chocolate chip cookies (heavenly.)

- pierniki (aka. polish gingerbread. yum.) (we can't live without them.)

- reindeer poop (the name i gave this no-bake cookie a few years ago, super easy & yummy)

- butter tarts (this is hubby & my guilty indulgence)

As i was making my list this year i had a throwback thursday moment and remembered these super fun Christmas tree cookies my mom used to make. She still had the recipe and I made them today!

Christmas Trees

Ingredients:

450ml sweetened condensed milk (3 tubes)

3 packages green Jello (reserve 1 pkg)

450g coconut

Green food colouring (mine didn't have this)

Directions:

Combine the sweetened condensed milk, 2 packages of Jello, green food colouring (oops i forgot this!) and coconut in a large bowl

Mix well and shape into Christmas trees & roll in reserved Jello powder

For tree lights make red icing:

1 cup icing sugar

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp cream

Red food colouring

Pipe through icing tube let dry and harden at room temperature.

Lemons can be made using lemon jelllo & yellow food colouring

Strawberries can be made using strawberry jellow & red food colouring (green icing)

If you let the combined mixture set for a while in the fridge (up to a couple of hours) it's not quite so messy to work with when forming shapes. (I made them right away)

It's best to use finely shredded coconut. I used 2 packs of 'gooseberry' jello, and 1 pack of 'kiwi' jello because it's what i could find in Poland. In Canada we use 'lime' jello. I thought mine weren't as green because of the Polish jello... after making them i realized my mom said to add green food colouring. Oops. Next year.