You can save some time making the wreath by kneading green food coloring into the dough instead of putting green icing on the cookies after they are baked.
Make a vein down the center of each leaf by pressing the side of the spoon along the middle of each leaf. It is a curved edge, so it will make a curved line. Do not cut all the way through the dough--just make an impression.
Another way to make the middle vein on each leaf is to press a straight line with a knife or toothpick (instead of a curved line).
If you are in a hurry, you can transfer the cookies to a baking sheet with a spatula and bake the cookies at this point. You can also save some clean up time by lining the pans with tinfoil or baking paper.
If you prefer them to look like holly leaves, press the end of a small spoon into the side of each leaf to cut out a “bite.” Start at one end, then scoop 2 more “bites” down the side of each leaf. Then repeat on the other side of each leaf.
You can use a plastic drinking straw or bamboo skewer to smooth out any curved cuts that are rough or not the shape you want. Use a spatula to pick up the leaves to keep the shape of the leaf. While you are holding the cookie, you can also use your fingers to pinch the points into a sharper point. It doesn’t seem to work when they are still on a surface. to transfer to a cookie sheet
Gather the scraps of dough , knead them into a ball, roll and cut out more leaves. Bake in a 350 Fahrenheit oven (160 Celsius.) Begin checking after 5 minutes--the size of the leaves as well as the thickness will determine how quickly they bake--smaller leaves will bake more quickly than large leaves. Bake until the leaves are just slightly brown around the edges.
Arrange the cookies on a plate to look like a wreath. Put a small dab of icing on the back of each leaf before putting it on the plate to keep it in place. Otherwise the cookies will slide around every time you move the plate, and it will be impossible to keep the wreath shape. Begin by putting 2 cookies next to each other. Then overlap the tips of 2 or 3 more cookies over the ends of the first 2 cookies. Keep layering the cookies until the ring is complete.
Make holly berries with icing or use red candy such as m and m’s. Color some icing with red food coloring and put into a plastic bag. Cut a tiny hole in one corner, and twist the rest of the bag above the icing to keep it from squeezing out the open end. Squeeze some red berries onto the leaves.
Alternative: leave the red icing uncovered for a few minutes until it begins to crust over. Scoop up a small amount with a spoon, and roll it into a ball with your hands. Arrange several “berries” on the wreath.
Roll out dough about 1/4 inch thick (1/2 cm) Cut the leaves by rolling a tablespoon along one side, then on the other side. Each leaf will turn out a little different--some will be big, others will end up small or narrow. That is fine since that is the way real leaves grow!
Impress everyone with a holly wreath you can eat! You don’t have to have a holly leaf cookie cutter to make these leaves--just use spoons to cut the leaves, and shape the scalloped edges.
