Earlier I posted about how to turn a tree shaped cookie cutter into one that is interlocking and standing (shown above). I wrote about the way to interlock three cookies but I wanted to say that I started this project by using the same 8 inch tall cookie cutter and much thinner dough to make trees that used six layers that slotted together. I made them in the same year I showed the gingerbread houses that perch on the edge of a mug. Here are some photos that I took waaaay back in 2009:
I made small ones that used three cookies, and large ones that used six cookies:
Trouble was that the larger trees curled, the layers of dough wouldn’t cool flat no matter how careful I was, leading to them looking like this:
It had a nice geometric look but just lacked a certain amount of charm and, dare I say it?, looked like beef jerky. Also, it required rolling dough out to a point where it was unreasonably thin. Still, at that point in time I was a bit caught up with interlocking as many cookies as I could.
The smaller trees were flat and looked fine but I’m happier with my current version using thicker dough that allows you to decorate the edges. My lesson? More isn’t always better. Um, less is more? That sounds better. Ok, Happy Holidays everybody I’ll see you in the near year!
![[Trick or Treat cookies]](/images/sidebar/2010oct/trickortreatcookies_sidebar.jpg)
![[ALTEXT]](/images/sidebar/2010oct/zombieheadcheese_sidebar.jpg)
![[creepy hand made of meatloaf]](/images/sidebar/2010oct/meathand.jpg)
![[human skull shaped cake]](/images/sidebar/2010oct/skullcake.jpg)
![[crawly spider cakes]](/images/sidebar/2010oct/crawly.jpg)
![[knitted wig for Halloween]](/images/sidebar/2010oct/hallowig.jpg)
![[orange pancakes decorated with dark syrup]](/images/sidebar/2010oct/pancakes.jpg)
![[pot pies with extra dough tentacles]](/images/sidebar/2010oct/tentaclepotpie.jpg)
8 responses so far ↓
1 Yvette Adams // Dec 22, 2011 at 3:44 am
I love these and love the outtakes. Reminded me a bit of how I did the heart cutout in my chocolate house LOL. You can see here http://yvetteadams.blogspot.com/2011/12/more-christmas-cooking.html
2 Helen // Dec 22, 2011 at 4:34 am
It’s great to see how you developed the idea into the finished product. I really wish it wasn’t so humid here at Christmas time so I could make this :(
3 Seanna Lea // Dec 22, 2011 at 2:09 pm
I love your large ones, but I would never have thought to compare them to beef jerky. To me from above they look like a dress swirling. Much more attractive (though less food related).
4 Tricia // Dec 26, 2011 at 2:38 pm
These are so wonderful. And the pictures really show them off.
5 GLC Arts and Crafts Mall // Dec 27, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Maybe not Martha but just as much talant
6 Marja // Dec 27, 2011 at 3:22 pm
Ha! Beef jerky! I just coated my computer monitor with coffee from the spit spray laugh. Love it. :)
7 Alice // Jan 3, 2012 at 10:21 am
I’ll have to save this in my to-do & give list!!
8 Kathy // Jan 15, 2012 at 10:32 pm
Hey – super cool trees! To keep those big cookies flat, bake them sandwiched between two sheets of parchment between two sheet pans then let them cool in the pans. The weight of that top sheet pan will keep those suckers flat. Learned this the hard way making many many gingerbread houses.
Leave a Comment