Christmas Tree Cookie Stack

Ingredients

• cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extra ct
• 1/2 cup sall-purpose flour
• teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• cup sconfectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon smeringue powder
• tablespoon swater
• tablespoon assorted holiday decorations, such as silver balls, sprinkles, etc.
• ounce yellow fondant
• tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl. Cream using an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the butter mixture and mix to combine. Shape dough into a ball, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour to overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
3. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out different sized stars with cookie cutters; the height of the Christmas tree will depend on the number of cookies you stack, but you need at least 7 or 8 stars. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer cookies carefully onto wire racks and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
5. Combine confectioners' sugar, meringue powder, and water in a bowl and beat at low speed using an electric blender until peaks form, 7 to 10 minutes. Pour icing into a piping bag with a star shaped tip.
6. Place the largest star onto a plate and pipe a little bit of royal icing into the middle.
7. Add the second largest star on top, turning the star slightly so the points are offset from the previous star cookie.
8. Repeat adding smaller sized star cookies and attaching them with royal icing.
9. Decorate the cookie Christmas tree with royal icing, silver balls, and other holiday decor.
10. Roll out yellow fondant and cut out a small star to place on top of the cookie tree and secure with royal icing.
11. Decorate remaining cookies to your liking.
12. Dust the finished tree with confectioners' sugar.