Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies

Ingredients

• Butter

  Unsalted

  3 tbsp or 43g

• Brown sugar

  ¾ cup packed or 165g

• Applesauce

  Canned, unsweetened, with added ascorbic acid

  ½ cup or 122g

• Egg

  Whole, fresh eggs

  1 extra large or 56g

• Molasses

  ⅓ cup or 112g

• Wheat flour

  White, all-purpose, unenriched

  3 cup or 375g

• Baking soda

  Leavening agents

  1 tsp or 5g

• Ginger

  Spices, ground

  2 tsp or 4g

• Cinnamon

  Spices, ground

  1 tsp or 3g

• Allspice

  Spices, ground

  ½ tsp or 1g

• Cloves

  Spices, ground

  ¼ tsp or 0.5g

• Egg white

  Raw, fresh eggs

  1 ½ tbsp or 23g

• Lemon juice

  Raw

  ¼ tsp or 1g

• Powdered sugars

  1 cup sifted or 100g

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and applesauce until smooth.
2. Add the egg and molasses and mix well.
3. In another large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing well with the mixer.
5. Use your hands to form a large ball of dough; the dough will be a little sticky.
6. Wash and dry your hands. Place flour on your hands so the dough doesn't stick, then divide the dough into two flat balls. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously dust your work surface with flour.
8. Work with one ball of dough at a time, keep the other refrigerated.
9. Roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. Sprinkle a little flour on top if it's sticky.
10. Trim the uneven edges to square the dough, then using a knife cut the dough into 3 1/2 inch strips.
11. Cut the strips into triangles.
12. Place the cookies 1-2 inches apart on a silpat-lined or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
13. To make the icing: In a bowl, mix the egg whites with lemon juice.
14. Combine the egg white mixture with powdered sugar, mixing well. Add a few drops of green food coloring until you get the desired color.
15. If the icing is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar; if it's too thick add a drop of lemon juice or water.
16. Transfer the icing to a piping bag.
17. Once the cookies are completely cool, decorate by piping the icing onto each cookie and adding sprinkles before the icing hardens.