Matcha-Dragon Fruit Slice-and-Bake Trees

1. In a large bowl beat butter with a mixer on medium 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl as needed. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in flour. Divide dough in half. Knead dragon fruit powder into one portion of the dough; knead matcha into remaining portion. If necessary, cover and chill dough until easy to handle.

2. Shape green portion of dough into a 10-inch log. Shape into a triangular log by pinching lengthwise along one side to form a peak. Turn and repeat pinching lengthwise. Turn and repeat.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll red portion of dough to a 10×6-inch rectangle. Place matcha log lengthwise in center of rectangle. Bring sides of rectangle up over matcha log; seal edge. Wrap log with plastic wrap and freeze 1 hour or until firm.

4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut log into 1/4-inch slices, rotating as needed to keep the triangular shape. Place slices 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Press an almond under each center bottom edge to resemble a trunk. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool on wire rack. Makes 42 cookies.

Tips

Look for red dragon fruit powder or freeze-dried raspberries online. Process raspberries in a blender or food processor; remove seeds through a fine-mesh sieve.

To Store:

Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container. Store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

All Matcha Trees

To create a simply green matcha flavored cookie, prepare the dough as directed except do not split the dough into two portions. Omit the Dragon Fruit powder. Instead add 3 tbsp. of matcha powder to the dough and shape into the triangular log. Slice and bake according to recipe directions. If you like, after baking dip cookie edges in melted vanilla candy coating to create snow topped trees.