How to Make a Pine Wreath Cookie Platter

The holiday season is a time for fun party gatherings where usually the food responsibilities are divvied-up amongst the expected guests. If you're like myself, I'm the first to volunteer to bring dessert (obviously). When dessert dish responsibilities fall in your hands this holiday I have just the platter idea for you! Here's how you can make a pine wreath cookie platter that is pretty quick to pull together.

Preparing the Dough

The main feature of this pine wreath cookie platter is the pine branch cookies that make up the "wreath". They were made using the feather cookie cutters you can find in my shop.

For the dough, I used Sweetopia's gingerbread cookie recipe because, you know, 'tis the season. Also as a bonus, I loved the brown color that it gives to the cookie. It compliments the rustic, woodsy vibe I was going for with this wreath. However, feel free to use any sugar cookie recipe you would like.

Decorating Process

What I love most about this wreath platter is there is no flooding of the cookies involved, which means all the details set and dry pretty quickly. The cookie pieces should be dry and ready to assemble in an hour or two after decorating.

To decorate these cookies you will need:

• Dark green flood icing (Forest green with a touch of black)
• Medium green piping icing (Leaf green with a touch of warm brown)
• Light green piping icing (Electric green, leaf green, and a touch of warm brown)
• Warm brown medium icing

Step 1

Begin by applying a thin layer of forest green icing to the surface of the cookie with a food-only paintbrush. This will give the pine branches the appearance they are full of needles. Leave these cookies to dry (about 20 minutes).

Step 2

Next, add a curved stem to the middle of the cookie with warm brown icing. Just follow the curvature of the feather cutter shape. Let these stems set (about 20 minutes).

Step 3

After the stems had time to dry, add curved needle lines on one side of the stem (as shown below) with medium green icing and a #2 tip. Then on the other side of the stem, add the same lines, however stagger their locations in comparison to the previous lines. This will make the pine branches more visually interesting.

Step 4

Next, carefully add light green needle lines in between the existing green lines with a number #2 tip as well.

The finished branches should look like the ones below.

To add a little more color and variation to the pine wreath cookie platter, I also made pine cones and berry bundles. The pine cones were made using a small egg cookie cutter and decorated with the same "painted background" technique as the pine branches. The berries were made from a mini butterfly cutter that I trimmed. If I owned a mini heart cutter that would have been perfect for those berries as well.

Assembling the Pine Wreath Cookie Platter

Now it's time to put the platter together. If you're taking this platter to someone else's home these disposable, clear, party trays  from Dollar Tree are the perfect size.

With the larger branch pieces, assemble them around the edge of the platter. The number of pieces would depend on your platter size, but I ended up needing 12 pieces for this set.

Next, add a layer of the smaller branches on top of the larger branches. I was able to fit in 10 pieces for this layer.

Lastly, add the pine cones and berry bundles around the wreath. To fill the middle, you could add a tasty cookie dip or occupy the space with a plaque cookie with a festive message.

I hope you enjoyed this Christmas tutorial. It might be my last before the holiday break. However, I'll be gearing up for more decorating and unique ideas to share in the new year.

One last reminder: The shop will be closed (Sat. Dec 19 thru Fri. Jan. 1) for the holiday break. If you would like to make a shop purchase, please do so by this Friday, Dec. 18, to ensure it will be processed in time. Thank you! Happy Holidays!