Keto Christmas Tree Cookies
Published December 11, 2022 • Updated February 28, 2026
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I stack three low carb sugar cookies with green buttercream frosting between each layer to make these sugar-free Christmas tree cookies, and they stop people mid-conversation at every holiday party I bring them to.
These are my favorite holiday cookies to make every December. Three keto sugar cookies stacked on top of each other, separated by layers of bright green buttercream frosting, shaped into little Christmas trees. I’ve been making them since I first posted the recipe, and every year I fine-tune something small.
The cookie base is a gluten-free cut-out dough pressed flat in three different sizes. I use the bottom of a glass to flatten them to about 1/4 inch thick, and the key is refrigerating the flattened rounds before they hit the oven. I learned this the hard way: skip the fridge step and you get puddles, not circles. Five to fifteen minutes of chilling makes all the difference.
Each size bakes at a different time, and I’ve dialed in the exact minutes after dozens of batches. Large cookies go 7-8 minutes, medium 6, small 5. Pull them just before the edges start turning golden. They’ll feel soft (almost too soft), but they firm up completely as they cool. This is where patience matters: handle them too soon and they crumble apart.
The buttercream is simple. Softened butter, powdered sugar-free sweetener, a splash of heavy cream if it’s too thick, and green food coloring until the Grinch himself would approve. I pipe it between each layer using a star tip, and the texture holds the cookies in place surprisingly well. The stacking holds up way better than it looks like it will. I loaded mine with sprinkles all over the outside, and not a single tree toppled.
If you love holiday baking projects like I do, my keto Christmas tree cakes are the Little Debbie-style version, and my keto gingerbread house makes a full centerpiece. For a simpler weeknight cookie, my small batch keto sugar cookies use the same base dough without the assembly.
What makes these special isn’t just how they look (though they do turn heads). It’s that the cookie itself tastes like a real sugar cookie. The almond flour and coconut flour combination, with cream of tartar for lift, gives you that tender, slightly crumbly bite I spent years trying to nail down. The ratio is locked in.
How to make Christmas tree cookies
Key ingredients and why they matter
- Almond flour: Use blanched, finely milled. This is the main flour and it needs to be fine or you’ll get a grainy cookie. I use the same flour in my almond flour cookies and it performs consistently. If you have a nut allergy, sunflower seed flour measures cup for cup, but I haven’t tested it in this specific recipe so I can’t guarantee the texture.
- Coconut flour: The second flour here, and I prefer this combination in most of my cookie recipes because it mimics all-purpose flour texture better than either flour alone. If you don’t like coconut, don’t worry. You can’t taste it in the finished cookie.
- Cream of tartar: This does double duty. It provides a slight tangy flavor that offsets the coconut flour, and it helps the cookies rise when paired with baking soda. I’ve made these without it and the texture falls flat.
- Unsalted butter: Do not substitute with margarine. I tested margarine once and the cookies spread into thin discs. Salted butter will make them overly salty. Stick with unsalted.
- Powdered sugar-free sweetener: Granulated sweeteners don’t dissolve well in baking and leave a gritty crumb. Powdered sweetener creates that delicate cookie texture I’m going for. Use one that measures cup for cup with powdered sugar. I also use it in my keto shortbread cookies for the same reason.
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Keto Sugar Cookies Ingredients
1 3/4 cup blanched super fine almond flour -
1/3 cup coconut flour
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon cream of tartar
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 cup unsalted butter, softened
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2/3 cup powdered sugar-free sweetener
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1 egg
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Keto Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
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1 cup unsalted butter, softened
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1 1/2 cups powdered sugar-free sweetener
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1-3 tablespoons nut milk or heavy cream, optional
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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pinch of salt
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10-12 drops green food coloring
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4-6 drops yellow food coloring
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piping bag
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star tip
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sprinkles
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Sift dry ingredients
Sift together almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt into a small bowl. Discard any coarse bits left behind. Set aside.
- 1 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix wet ingredients
In large bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar-free sweetener until fluffy (about 2-3 minutes) using an electric mixer. Beat in vanilla extract, almond extract and egg.
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2/3 cup sugar-free sweetener (powdered)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
Mix in dry ingredients
Using an electric mixer, slowly add in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Roll into balls
Pinch off a piece of dough and roll in between the palms of your hands. Make equal amounts of the sizes of balls. A large ball that is about 1 – 1 1/4 inch in diameter. A medium ball that is 3/4 – 1 inch in diameter and a small ball that is about 1/2 inch in diameter.
Flatten & bake large cookies
Bake the large balls first. Place each large ball on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass or your hand (should be about 1/4 inch thick). Refrigerate flattened cookies for 5-15 minutes in order to keep them from spreading while baking. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-8 minutes or just before the edges turn golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit until COOLED COMPLETELY before transferring to a wire rack.
Flatten & bake medium cookies
Place each medium ball on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass or your hand (should be about 1/4 inch thick). Refrigerate flattened cookies for 5-15 minutes. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 minutes or just before the edges turn golden brown. Let cool before handling.
Flatten & bake small cookies
Place each small ball on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass or your hand (should be about 1/4 inch thick). Refrigerate flattened cookies for 5-15 minutes. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes or just before the edges turn golden brown. Let cool before handling.
Make the buttercream frosting
Add softened butter to a medium bowl. Cream with an electric mixer until fluffy, then slowly add in powdered sugar free sweetener. Mix until combined. Add in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. If buttercream is too thick for piping, add 1-3 tablespoons of nut milk or heavy cream. Stir in green and yellow food coloring until desired coloring is achieved. Place frosting in a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sweetener
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1-3 tablespoons nut milk or heavy cream
- food coloring
Assemble the trees
Lay down a large cookie. Pipe frosting on top. Place a medium cookie on top of the frosting. Pipe more frosting and top with the small cookie. Add a small dollop of more frosting. Sprinkle sprinkles around the cookie tree. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cut out the cookie dough instead of rolling into balls?
I've done both. You can absolutely use round cookie cutters in three sizes instead of rolling balls and flattening with a glass. I actually find cutters give you more uniform shapes, which makes the stacking neater. Just make sure you still refrigerate the cut-outs before baking.
My cookies spread after baking. What can I do?
I've had this happen when I skip the refrigeration step or rush it. Chill the flattened dough for at least 5 minutes (I usually do 10-15 for insurance). If they still spread a little, I immediately reshape the edges with a butter knife while they're hot, gently pressing the dough back into a round shape. Works every time.
My cookies are crumbly. What did I do wrong?
I promise you didn't do anything wrong if this is happening right out of the oven. These are delicate when they're warm. I let mine cool completely on the baking sheet before I even think about touching them. They firm up as they cool and hold together perfectly once they're at room temperature.
Can I freeze the assembled Christmas tree cookies?
I've frozen fully assembled trees and they last about 3 months in a freezer-safe container. When I'm ready to serve, I thaw them at room temperature for 30-45 minutes. The frosting softens back up well. The cookies can get slightly more crumbly after thawing, but the structure still holds. I do this every year when I'm prepping for multiple holiday parties.
Can I use natural food coloring instead of artificial?
I've tested spirulina powder and matcha powder to get the green color without artificial dyes. Both work, but they shift the shade. Spirulina gives a deeper forest green, matcha is more muted and earthy. I use about 1/4 teaspoon of either, mixed into the frosting. The flavor impact is minimal since there's so much sweetener and butter in the buttercream. If color accuracy matters to you, liqua-gel food coloring still gives the brightest result.
What star tip size works best for piping the frosting?
I use a Wilton 1M open star tip for most of my piping. It gives that classic swirl and the ridges hold sprinkles really well. I've also tried a smaller 21 star tip for tighter rosettes between the layers. Both work, but the 1M is faster and more forgiving if you're not confident with a piping bag.
Can I make these dairy-free?
I haven't done a full dairy-free batch of these myself, but I've seen readers use palm shortening in place of butter for both the cookies and the frosting. The texture will be slightly different (less rich, a bit firmer) and you'll want to add an extra splash of nut milk to the frosting to keep it pipeable. If I test a dairy-free version, I'll update this answer.
Chill the dough for at least 20 minutes before rolling. I know it adds time but the difference is real. This type of dough is way more workable cold and the cookies hold their shape instead of spreading. I also used a kitchen scale to portion all three sizes and the stacking came out so clean. That 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract is not optional.
Doubled the almond extract because I had a feeling and now I can't make them any other way, the dough smells like an actual bakery when it bakes. One teaspoon was never going to be enough.
Swapped the almond extract for lemon and honestly liked it better.
Made these on a Sunday when my daughter was helping me in the kitchen, and she went completely quiet when she took the first bite of the layered stack. She's 12 and has strong opinions about everything, so silence is basically a standing ovation. What got me was she said the frosting reminded her of the sugar cookies from the grocery store bakery (which she's been eating her whole life), and she couldn't tell they were different. The almond and coconut flour combo must really nail that texture because I expected her to catch it. We've made two batches since then and she's started doing the assembly herself, pressing the layers together with more care than she's ever given anything in the kitchen. I pull them at 11 minutes flat and let them finish on the pan.
Probably tried a dozen keto sugar cookie recipes before this one. Most you can tell are keto from the texture alone, that grainy almond flour bite that just doesn't go away. The cream of tartar here is what changes it. Soft in the middle, barely crisp on the edges. They actually stack without cracking too, which none of my others managed. Hard to go back after this.
The cream of tartar is the thing. And the stacking was intentional - I tested the size ratios specifically for that. Took more batches than I'd like to admit.
Made these last weekend and they came out great. The middle cookie kept shifting after I assembled them though. I used the green buttercream between each layer like you describe, but not sure if I'm spreading it too thin. Is it actually meant to anchor the layers, or is it more for looks and you just refrigerate right after to help them set? I ended up jamming toothpicks through all three to transport them (felt like cheating, honestly). Also, when you're shaping the three different sizes, do you measure or just eyeball it? Want mine to stack more evenly next time.
Both, but the fridge is what actually locks them. Stack them, give it at least 15 minutes before you move anything, and they hold pretty well. For sizing I mostly eyeball it, but round cookie cutters in three different sizes give you way more even layers than the glass method.
Made these on a Saturday because I had a cookie craving and nothing keto in the house. I was nervous about the stacking part (I'm still pretty new to actual baking) but the three layers came together easier than I expected, and the green buttercream looked so good between each one. My daughter grabbed one before they were even fully cooled and stood there eating it with this look on her face like she was trying to figure something out. Then she asked 'wait, is this one of your diet cookies?' and when I said yes she just said 'oh' and went back for another one without any drama. That's the first time that's happened. She usually can tell and makes a face, but something about the almond extract or the texture being so close to a real sugar cookie got her. Making these again next weekend.
That 'oh' then going back for another one. That's the whole thing. Kids don't fake it.
I kept expecting the stacked layers to fall apart because keto cookie dough has let me down before and I'm not a confident baker. These didn't. The almond and coconut flour together give it this actual density I've never gotten from other keto cookies, and the buttercream between each layer holds everything together. Tried two other keto sugar cookie recipes in the last few months and both crumbled the second I looked at them. Not these.
Took me a few batches to land on that flour ratio. Coconut flour alone crumbles, almond flour alone spreads. Both together is what makes them stackable.
Made these probably four times now. Started leaving out the almond extract a couple batches ago because I just don't love that flavor, and they're actually a little sweeter and more buttery tasting without it. Would be five stars if the layers weren't so tricky to stack without crumbling.
Yeah, almond extract is listed optional for that exact reason. Kind of polarizing. Good call skipping it.
For the crumbling, are you stacking them while they're still warm? That's almost always it. Let them cool on the sheet like 15 minutes before you touch them.
Didn't think almond flour balls would stack this clean, but they came out super uniform. The green buttercream between the layers makes it look way harder than it was.
The glass is the whole trick. People assume I spent all day on them.
Made these for my office party. The stacked tree shape got a ton of compliments.
Office party is such a good test. The stacking actually holds up way better than it looks like it will.