Dress up these Chocolate Christmas Tree Shortbread cookies with a simple sugar glaze and festive sprinkles. They’re a lovely addition to a holiday cookie platter or a thoughtful homemade gift this season.

With the holidays right around the corner, these chocolate shortbread cookies are an easy and delightful addition to your baking list. The dough is tender and slightly flaky, and the cocoa gives the cookies a rich chocolate note that pairs perfectly with a sweet glaze and colorful sprinkles.

What These Cookies Are Like

• Difficulty – Straightforward to make, though if you’re new to rolled and cut cookies pay attention to the notes about chilling and rolling the dough.
• Taste & texture – Light, slightly flaky shortbread with a gentle chocolate flavor. The sugar glaze adds a pleasant sweetness and a glossy finish.
• Yield – The recipe makes about 18 Christmas tree cookies; you can scale the servings in the recipe card below.

Ingredients

• Butter – Unsalted, room temperature for easy creaming.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar for the dough.
• Flour – All-purpose flour gives the right structure for shortbread.
• Cocoa powder – Unsweetened cocoa for chocolate flavor.
• Powdered sugar – For the glaze; also called confectioners’ or icing sugar.
• Milk – A few tablespoons to thin the glaze to spreading consistency.
• Sprinkles – Optional, for decorating while the glaze is wet.

Note: The full ingredient list and measurements appear in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar – In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high until pale and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
2. Add dry ingredients – Add the flour and cocoa powder and mix on low or stir speed just until the dough comes together. Form into a ball, flatten slightly, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for one hour.
3. Preheat – Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Roll and cut – On a lightly floured surface or sheet of parchment, roll the chilled dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into Christmas tree shapes.
5. Bake – Arrange cookies on the prepared sheet and bake 10–12 minutes, until slightly puffed and the edges begin to firm. Let cool on the baking sheet until set.
6. Glaze and decorate – Mix powdered sugar with milk to make a smooth glaze. Spread the glaze over cooled cookies, add sprinkles while the glaze is still wet, and let set completely on a rack.
7. Store – Once set, layer cookies between parchment in an airtight container. Refrigerate for best freshness; they keep 3–4 days in the fridge.

Recipe Tips

• Weigh ingredients if possible – Weighing yields more consistent results than cup measurements.
• Chill the dough – Chilling prevents spreading and helps the cut shapes hold their edges.
• Avoid overbaking – Remove when the edges just begin to firm; cookies continue to set as they cool.
• Let glaze set – Allow cookies to dry fully before stacking or storing to avoid smudging.

Substitutions

• Dough – For authentic shortbread texture and flavor, keep the butter and basic proportions as listed.
• Glaze – Instead of sugar glaze you can drizzle melted white or milk chocolate, or use buttercream or chocolate frosting.
• Toppings – Swap sprinkles for chopped nuts, edible glitter, or small candy decorations as you prefer.

Serving and Storage

Make a cookie platter, share with friends, give as gifts, or enjoy them at home—these cookies are versatile and festive.

Storage tips

• Counter – Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerator – Store airtight for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
• Freezer – Once fully cooled and set, layer with parchment in a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

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Chocolate Christmas Tree Shortbread

Dress up these Chocolate Christmas Tree Shortbread cookies with a basic sugar glaze and fun sprinkles. They make a great cookie to add to a platter or to give as a gift this holiday season.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time12 minutes mins

Decorating time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 2 minutes mins

Ingredients

For the cookies

• 3/4 Cup butter room temperature
• 1/2 Cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

For the glaze

• 1 Cup powdered sugar
• 3- 4 Tablespoons milk
• Sprinkles optional for decorating

Instructions

• In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high until pale and fluffy, about 3 – 5 minutes.
• Add the flour and cocoa powder. Using an electric mixer on stir speed, mix until it just comes together. Form it into a ball and lightly flatten the cookie dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
• Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Gently roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch in thickness. Cut into Christmas tree shapes.
• Place the cookies on the baking tray and bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until they are slightly puffed and going slightly crisp at the edges. Remove from oven and leave to cool completely on the baking tray. Repeat for all cookies.
• Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar and milk. Stir to combine. Using a knife, spread the glaze over the cookies. It may drip down the sides slightly, so scrape it off with a knife. Add sprinkles before the glaze dries. Place all the decorated cookies on a rack to completely dry.
• When the cookies have set, store in and airtight container between sheets of parchment paper. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Will keep for 3 – 4 days.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Christmas Tree Shortbread

Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)

Calories 132
Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 21mg7%

Sodium 63mg3%

Potassium 31mg1%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 0.5g2%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 246IU5%

Calcium 12mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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