Recipes and Cooking Diamond Gingerbread Tree Cookies Be the first to rate & review! By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on November 12, 2014 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 35 mins Chill Time: 3 hrs Bake Time: 5 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 36 Yield: 36 to 48 cookies Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients ½ cup shortening ½ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves 1 egg ½ cup molasses 1 tablespoon vinegar 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 recipe Royal Icing green food coloring chocolate-caramel logs chewy fruit-flavored squares Royal Icing 1 16 ounce package powdered sugar (4-1/4 cups) 3 tablespoon meringue powder ½ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup warm water 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, molasses, and vinegar until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill about 3 hours or until dough is easy to handle. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a cookie sheet; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough portion at a time to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using a 4-inch elongated diamond-shape cookie cutter, cut out dough. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Outline and flood one half of each cookie with glaze-consistency green-tinted Royal Icing for a tree; let stand until almost dry. Using a decorating bag fitted with a small round tip, pipe a zigzag of thicker glaze-consistency Royal Icing tinted light green on each tree. Cut chocolate-caramel logs in half; attach a piece as a trunk for each tree using a small amount of icing. For presents, use frosting to attach pieces of chewy fruit-flavor squares to unfrosted portions of cookies. Using a decorating bag fitted with a small round tip, pipe ribbons on presents with frosting-consistency white Royal Icing. Royal Icing In a large mixing bowl stir together the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and cream of tartar. Add the water and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined; beat on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes or until icing is very stiff. If not using right away, cover bowl with a damp paper towel and cover paper towel with plastic wrap; chill for up to 48 hours. **Tip: Meringue powder is a mixture of pasteurized dried egg whites, sugar, and edible gums. Look for it in the baking aisle of your supermarket or at a specialty food store. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 82 Calories 3g Fat 13g Carbs 1g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 36 Calories 82 % Daily Value * Total Fat 3g 4% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Cholesterol 6mg 2% Sodium 28mg 1% Total Carbohydrate 13g 5% Total Sugars 5g Protein 1g Calcium 10.1mg 1% Iron 0.7mg 4% Potassium 77mg 2% Folate, total 16.1mcg Vitamin B-6 0mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.