Cream the softened butter and sugar till pale and creamy.

Add vanilla extract and egg and beat well.

Add sifted flour and salt and beat well to combine.

Divide the dough into two halves. Add the green food gel to one half and mix well.

This is an optional step. Pinch off a little from the plain dough and mix a little cocoa powder to it to form a small ball of chocolate dough.

Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes.

Divide the green and plain dough into small balls. Roll them out into strips. Place them next to each other alternatively on a sheet of grease proof paper. Place another sheet of greaseproof paper on top and roll out to desired thickness.

Using a Christmas tree shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place them on a lined baking tray. Place the cookies in the freezer for 15 minutes. This helps them to hold their shape while baking.

Bake in a 180C preheated oven for 7-10 minutes.