If there is one thing you can count on during the holiday season, it is an abundance of sweets. Cookie making, decorating, serving and giving are among the most popular of activities, especially during the month of December. One of my favorite events of the year is an annual cookie decorating party a dear friend hosts in her home. We are serious about it, but we also enjoy each other’s company and the chance to catch up, while perfecting our skills in the decorating arena.
Sometimes, however, it’s not a bad idea to call in the experts. Taking one thing off that list for entertaining can be so liberating … especially when the cookies are so beautiful you think they are too perfect to eat. I want to be clear, though: This is not the case for these beautiful non-traditional Christmas trees created by baker Camden Cleveland of “Mixed Sugar” (on Instagram @mixed.sugar). They are just as delicious as they look, and are the perfect way to take out the stress of what to serve for dessert, or as a present or as a party favor. What could be a better farewell treat than handing out cookies encased in a cellophane bag tied with twine at the end of the evening? Visions of sugar cookies dancing in heads seems to be a guarantee after that.