A Matcha Christmas Carol: Matcha Cookie Trees

[Amount varies based on cutter sizes]

[Ingredients]

Aiya Cooking Grade Matcha....... 1 tbsp 

Flour (Cake or All Purpose)............ 2 cups

Baking Powder....................................... 1 tsp

Unsalted Butter............................ 4 1/2 tbsp

Sugar........................................................ 2/3 cup

Egg........................................................... 1 egg

Vanilla Extract....................................... a dash

Powdered Sugar...................................  1/4 cup

Egg Whites............................................. 2 tsp

Decorations (any you prefer).......... as needed

[Directions]

1. Sift the matcha, flour, and baking powder together in a bowl.
2. Place the butter in a bowl and allow it to come to room temperature.  Once soft, mix it until it is smooth.  Add the sugar in parts (1/3 to 1/2 at a time) until it is fully mixed into the butter and the entire mixture is white and smooth.
3. Beat the egg and mix into the butter/sugar little by little along with the vanilla extract.  Once they are both incorporated, fold the sifted ingredients into it in parts (1/3 to 1/2 at a time).  When fully mixed in, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
4. Pre-heat your oven to 360F.  Lightly flour a working surface and roll out the dough until it is about 1/10" thick.  Using small, medium, and large star-shaped cookie cutters, cut stars out of the dough.  Place the cut out shapes on a cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes.  Allow to cool.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the powdered sugar and egg whites to make a simple icing.
6. Stack the different size star cookies on top of each other, using the icing as a glue to hold them together.  
7. Decorate with any decorations you like.