Gingerbread Christmas Tree (Showpiece Centerpiece)
By Emily Carter ·
Published
Quick answer
Make a firm gingerbread dough, chill it 2 hours, then roll and cut stars in graduated sizes from large to small. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes until firm, cool fully, then stack the stars largest to smallest with royal icing between layers, dust with powdered sugar and top with a star.
Gingerbread Christmas Tree is the centerpiece that gets photographed before it gets eaten: graduated gingerbread stars stacked with royal icing into a tree, dusted with powdered sugar snow. It feeds a crowd, and every layer is a cookie.
Why you’ll love it
- A showpiece centerpiece built from cookies, not fondant.
- Graduated stars that stack straight with royal icing glue.
- Bakes ahead: stars keep three days, stack on the day.
- Kid friendly decorating with sprinkles and powdered sugar snow.
- Breaks apart to serve, so every guest gets a star.
Ingredient notes
Gingerbread dough: the structure. A firm dough with ginger, cinnamon, cloves and molasses bakes into stars that hold their points and stack without bending. It must be chilled firm before rolling.
Star cutters: the shape. Graduated sizes from large to small make the tree, with two stars of each size for a full, sturdy stack. Round cutters work too, for a snowcapped stack.
Royal icing: the glue. Powdered sugar whisked with egg white sets hard and holds the tree straight, while buttercream stays soft and lets it lean.
Powdered sugar snow: the finish. A dusting over the finished tree looks like fresh snow and hides any small gaps between layers.
Sprinkles: the decoration. A few sprinkles on the wet icing are all the tree needs to look festive.
The chill rule that makes or breaks it
One rule decides whether the stars hold their points or spread into blobs, and it is the chill. Dough chilled for a full 2 hours rolls cleanly and cuts sharply, while dough chilled for 30 minutes spreads in the oven and rounds every point. Chill the cut stars for 15 minutes more while the oven heats, and they hold even better. The second rule is the glue. Royal icing sets hard like cement, which is exactly what a stacked tree needs. Buttercream feels easier to spread, but it stays soft at room temperature and the tree leans within the hour. Stack largest to smallest, rotate each layer so the points zigzag, and let the icing set before moving the tree.
Variations
- Snowcapped rounds: use graduated round cutters instead of stars for a stack of snowy rounds.
- Chocolate tree: add cocoa to the dough for a chocolate gingerbread tree with white icing snow.
- Mini trees: cut smaller stars and build individual trees on plates for each guest.
- Candy ornaments: press small candies onto the wet icing for ornaments that kids can pick off.
What we learned testing it
- A 2 hour chill beat a 30 minute chill clearly in the side by side test. The long chill batch held sharp star points, while the short chill batch spread and rounded.
- Two stars per layer beat one star per layer. The single star tree looked thin and wobbled, while the doubled tree stood straight and looked full.
- Royal icing beat buttercream as the glue. Buttercream softened at room temperature and the tree leaned, while royal icing set hard and held it straight.
Read how we test recipes.
Gingerbread Christmas Tree (Showpiece Centerpiece)
Makes 1 gingerbread tree, about 12 servings · 2 hr 55 min total · Medium
Ingredients
Equipment
Mixing bowls · Rolling pin · Star cookie cutters in graduated sizes · Baking sheets · Parchment paper · Piping bag
Instructions
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Make the dough and chill it firm
Cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in the molasses and egg. Add the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt and mix into a firm dough. Flatten into a disc, wrap well and chill for at least 2 hours, until firm enough to roll cleanly.
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Cut stars in graduated sizes
Roll the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut two stars of each size, from the largest cutter down to the smallest, so the tree has 10 to 12 layers. Chill the cut stars for 15 minutes before baking so they hold their points.
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Bake the stars until firm
Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the stars are firm at the edges and just set in the center. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack until fully cool. Warm stars bend, so wait until they are fully cool before stacking.
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Stack with icing and decorate
Whisk the powdered sugar with the egg white into a thick royal icing. Stack the stars largest to smallest, rotating each layer so the points zigzag, with a spoonful of icing between layers as glue. Dust with powdered sugar like snow, add sprinkles and top with the smallest star.
Notes
- Chill the dough for a full 2 hours. Soft dough spreads and the stars lose their points in the oven.
- Cut two stars of each size. Doubling each layer makes the tree taller and sturdier than a single star per layer.
- Wait until the stars are fully cool before stacking. Warm stars bend under the weight and the tree leans.
- Rotate each layer as you stack. Zigzag points make the tree look full from every side.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition information is being calculated.
Substitutions
- Molasses
- Use honey or golden syrup instead. The tree will be lighter in color and a little less spiced, but it stacks the same way.
- Royal icing with egg white
- Use powdered sugar mixed with a little milk into a thick paste instead. It sets softer than royal icing, so stack carefully and let it dry longer.
- Star cutters
- Use round cutters in graduated sizes instead. The tree becomes a snowcapped stack of rounds, which looks just as festive.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep the finished tree in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days, loosely covered. Do not refrigerate it, since the fridge softens the gingerbread. Break it apart to serve, and eat the stars like cookies.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make a gingerbread Christmas tree?
Cut gingerbread stars in graduated sizes, bake them firm, then stack them largest to smallest with royal icing between layers, rotating each layer so the points zigzag. Dust with powdered sugar and top with the smallest star.
How far ahead can I make a gingerbread tree?
Bake the stars up to 3 days ahead and store airtight. Stack the tree the day you serve it, since a stacked tree softens faster than separate cookies.
Why did my gingerbread stars spread in the oven?
The dough was too warm. Chill it for a full 2 hours, chill the cut stars for 15 minutes, and bake on a cool sheet so the points hold.
What holds a gingerbread tree together?
Royal icing, made from powdered sugar and egg white. It sets hard like glue, while buttercream stays soft and lets the tree lean.
Can kids help build a gingerbread Christmas tree?
Yes. Let kids cut the stars and decorate the finished tree with sprinkles. An adult should handle the stacking, since the icing sets fast and the tree needs a steady hand.
