As the holiday season draws near, the scent of freshly baked cookies becomes an irresistible call to the kitchen. This year, elevate your festive baking with these delightful Christmas tree cookies – a chocolate lover’s dream rolled in sparkling cane sugar and adorned with charming, hand-piped Christmas trees. These aren’t just any holiday cookies; they are rich, chewy chocolate treats that promise to be the star of any holiday gathering, cookie exchange, or simply a cozy evening at home with loved ones. Forget the traditional, often bland, sugar cookies; these chocolate wonders offer a depth of flavor that will truly surprise and delight.
This comprehensive guide and recipe for festive chocolate Christmas tree cookies is proudly sponsored by Wholesome. All culinary insights, opinions, and festive spirit expressed here are genuinely my own. Your support for brands like Wholesome makes it possible for Stephanie’s Sweet Treats to continue bringing you delicious recipes and baking inspiration. I have received compensation from Wholesome Sweeteners, Inc., for my participation in this campaign, ensuring a sweet collaboration!
Prepare to ditch your old Christmas tree cookie cutter this holiday season because these incredibly tasty chocolate Christmas tree cookies are about to become your new favorite tradition. While classic sugar cookies have their place, the rich, deep flavor of these chocolate cookies, enhanced by a delicate cane sugar crust, offers a sophisticated twist that’s simply irresistible. They are not only bursting with flavor but also incredibly fun to make and decorate, transforming a simple baking session into a joyous holiday activity. Providing your family and friends with something both festive and incredibly delicious has never been easier or more rewarding than with this chocolate Christmas cookie recipe.
At the heart of these exceptional cookies is Wholesome’s Regenerative Organic Certified® Cane Sugar. Wholesome is renowned for its commitment to high-quality ingredients that truly matter, not just for their taste but for their impact on the planet and its people. This isn’t just any granulated sugar; it’s a premium ingredient sourced from farms dedicated to practices that actively build soil health, sequester carbon, and guarantee fair treatment for farm workers. By choosing Wholesome’s Regenerative Organic Certified® Cane Sugar, you’re not only ensuring superior flavor and texture in your baking but also contributing to a more sustainable and equitable food system. It’s a sugar you can genuinely feel good about using in all your recipes. Discover more about their impactful mission and products on their website.
If your love for chocolate extends beyond cookies, explore some of my other decadent chocolate-based recipes. You might enjoy these luscious Chocolate Cheesecake Bars, the irresistible Chocolate Glazed Donuts, or the comforting Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls. Each recipe offers a unique chocolate experience perfect for any occasion.
Why This Chocolate Christmas Tree Cookie Recipe is a Holiday Must-Try
This chocolate Christmas tree cookie recipe isn’t just another addition to your holiday baking repertoire; it’s designed for success, deliciousness, and festive fun. Here’s why these cookies will become a cherished part of your holiday traditions:
- Uniquely Delicious Chocolate Flavor: Move over, classic sugar cookies! This recipe features a rich, deep chocolate cookie base that offers a more complex and satisfying flavor profile. The slight crunch from the cane sugar coating perfectly complements the chewy chocolate interior, making these Christmas tree cookies truly irresistible. They are a delightful deviation from the ordinary, promising to become your new favorite holiday treat that stands out on any cookie platter.
- Effortlessly Festive and Fun to Decorate: You don’t need to be a professional baker or food stylist to create stunning holiday cookies with this recipe. The simple, yet effective, method for piping Christmas trees on top makes decorating a breeze, even for beginners. This hands-on process is incredibly enjoyable, making it a fantastic activity for families and friends during the holidays. Plus, without the need for intricate cookie cutters, the focus remains on the joy of decorating and the delicious outcome.
- Bright, Cheerful, and Visually Appealing: With vibrant green, yellow, and brown icing, these cookies boast a truly festive and eye-catching appearance. Their cheerful colors make them stand out beautifully on any dessert table, instantly adding a touch of holiday magic to your celebration. Perfect for a Christmas party, a thoughtful homemade gift, or a delightful centerpiece, these cookies are as pleasant to look at as they are to eat, embodying the bright spirit of the holiday season.
Essential Ingredient Notes for Perfect Christmas Tree Cookies
Achieving the best possible results for your chocolate Christmas tree cookies starts with understanding your ingredients. Here are some detailed notes to guide you. For a complete list of quantities, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Unsalted Butter: Opt for unsalted butter to control the overall saltiness of your cookies. It’s crucial to melt the butter completely and then allow it ample time to cool to room temperature before incorporating it into the mixture. Using butter that is too warm can negatively affect the dough’s texture and cause excessive spreading during baking, leading to flat cookies.
- Cane Sugar: This recipe shines with Wholesome’s Regenerative Organic Certified® Cane Sugar. This high-quality sugar not only provides the perfect level of sweetness but also contributes to the delightful crispy edges and chewy centers of the cookies. Its fine granules create a beautiful shimmer when rolled, adding to the festive appeal.
- Brown Sugar: I personally prefer using Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Light Brown Sugar for its subtle molasses notes and moist texture, which enhances the chewiness of these chocolate cookies. However, if you only have dark brown sugar on hand, it will also work wonderfully, lending a slightly deeper, richer flavor profile to your bake.
- Confectioners’ Sugar (Powdered Sugar): For the vanilla icing, Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Powdered Confectioners Sugar is ideal. The key here is to sift it meticulously before use. Sifting removes any lumps, ensuring your icing is silky smooth and flows beautifully through the piping bag for clean, precise Christmas tree decorations.
- Egg Yolk: This recipe specifically calls for an egg yolk, which adds richness and helps bind the dough without making the cookies too cake-like. Remember to take the egg out of the refrigerator at least two hours before you plan to start baking. This allows it to reach room temperature, ensuring it emulsifies properly with the other ingredients, leading to a perfectly consistent dough.
Thoughtful Ingredient Substitutions for Your Holiday Baking
Baking should be an enjoyable experience, and sometimes that means adapting recipes to suit dietary needs or ingredient availability. Here are some thoughtful substitutions for your Christmas tree cookies:
- Dairy-Free Alternatives: For those avoiding dairy, these cookies can be easily made dairy-free. Simply substitute the unsalted butter with your favorite plant-based butter (like a good quality vegan butter stick) and use a dairy-free milk alternative (such as almond milk or oat milk) for the icing. Ensure your chosen substitutes are unsalted where applicable to maintain flavor balance.
- Gluten-Free Exploration: While this specific recipe hasn’t been rigorously tested with gluten-free flour, many readers have success adapting cookie recipes. If you’re adventurous, try substituting the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Be aware that baking times and dough consistency might vary slightly. If you do experiment with a gluten-free version, I’d love to hear about your results and any tips you discover!
- Sugar Alternatives: While Wholesome’s Regenerative Organic Certified® Cane Sugar is highly recommended, if you need other options for the coating or a different type of sugar, ensure it’s a fine-granulated sugar to achieve a similar texture and appearance.
- Vanilla Extract Variations: While pure vanilla extract is classic, feel free to experiment with other extracts for a different flavor profile. Peppermint extract can add a delightful holiday touch, or almond extract could offer a subtle nutty undertone. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Perfect Chocolate Christmas Cookies
Making these chocolate Christmas tree cookies is a simple and rewarding process. Follow these detailed instructions to create a batch of festive perfection.
Preparing the Chocolate Cookie Base
The foundation of our delicious Christmas tree cookies is a rich, chewy chocolate cookie. Here’s how to master the dough:
STEP 1: Prepare the Dry Ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, meticulously sift together the all-purpose flour and unsweetened cocoa powder. Sifting is a crucial step as it removes any lumps and ensures a light, airy texture in your cookies. Once sifted, add the baking soda, cornstarch, and salt to the mixture, whisking them thoroughly until evenly combined. This uniform distribution of leavening agents and flavor enhancers is key to consistent cookies.
STEP 2: Cream Butter and Sugars. In a separate, larger bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cooled melted butter, Wholesome Regenerative Organic Certified® Cane Sugar, and Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Light Brown Sugar. Beat on high speed for a full 2 minutes until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and significantly paler in color. This creaming process incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ texture.
STEP 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients. Reduce the mixer speed to medium. Add the pure vanilla extract and the room temperature egg yolk to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing until just combined and smooth. Then, gradually add the prepared dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on the lowest speed possible, just until the flour streaks disappear and a cohesive dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten too much, resulting in tough cookies.
STEP 4: Prepare for Baking. Preheat your oven to a precise 350°F (175°C). While the oven heats up, line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper; this prevents sticking and ensures even baking. Allow your prepared cookie dough to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. This brief rest helps the flour hydrate and can lead to a better cookie texture.
STEP 5: Scoop and Sugar Coat. Using a small cookie scoop, typically a 1 tablespoon or 1-ounce size, portion out the dough. Roll each individual dough ball gently in a bowl filled with Wholesome Regenerative Organic Certified® Cane Sugar until evenly coated. This sugar coating adds a delightful sparkle and a touch of crispness. Arrange 12 of these sugar-coated cookie dough balls onto each prepared cookie sheet, ensuring adequate space between them for spreading.
STEP 6: Bake to Perfection. Bake one cookie sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. The cookies are perfectly done when their edges are visibly set, but the centers still appear slightly soft and chewy. Avoid overbaking, as this can lead to dry, crumbly cookies.
STEP 7: Cool Completely. Once baked, remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool directly on the hot pan for 5 minutes. This residual heat continues to cook the cookies gently and helps them set. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool down completely. It is absolutely essential that the cookies are fully cooled before you begin the decorating process. If any cookies have puffed up excessively during baking, gently flatten them with the palm of your hand while they are still warm to create a more ideal, even surface for icing.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Vibrant Vanilla Icing for Decoration
Once your delicious chocolate cookies are cooled, it’s time to bring them to life with vibrant vanilla icing, transforming them into festive Christmas tree cookies. Here’s how to prepare the perfect icing for decorating:
STEP 1: Prepare the Icing Base. In a medium bowl, sift the Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Powdered Confectioners Sugar. This critical step ensures a smooth, lump-free icing. Add the pure vanilla extract and initially 1 tablespoon of milk. Use a whisk to vigorously mix all ingredients together until well combined. The goal is to achieve a thick, pipeable icing consistency. If the icing appears too stiff, gradually add a tiny bit more milk, a quarter teaspoon at a time, until you reach a consistency that holds its shape well, allowing for crisp, defined lines when piping.
STEP 2: Color the Icing. Divide the prepared vanilla icing evenly into three separate small bowls. Using food coloring, tint one bowl green for the tree itself, another brown for the tree trunk, and the final bowl yellow for the star on top. Mix each color thoroughly to achieve a consistent, vibrant hue.
STEP 3: Load Piping Bags. Carefully transfer each colored icing into separate piping bags. For the yellow and brown icing, cut a very small tip off the end of the piping bag – just enough to allow a fine line of icing to pass through. This precision is key for drawing delicate stars and trunks. For the green icing, cut a slightly larger hole at the tip; this will facilitate the broader back-and-forth motion used to fill in the tree shape.
STEP 4: Pipe Your Christmas Trees. Take up the green piping bag and begin to pipe the main body of the Christmas tree onto each cooled chocolate cookie. A simple back-and-forth zigzag motion, gradually widening as you move down the cookie, works beautifully to create a classic tree shape. Next, use the brown frosting to carefully draw a small trunk at the base of each green tree. Finally, switch to the yellow frosting and pipe a bright, cheerful star at the very top of each Christmas tree. For an extra touch of sparkle and festive charm, consider adding white nonpareil sprinkles to mimic twinkling Christmas lights on your trees!
Expert Baking Tips for Flawless Chocolate Christmas Tree Cookies
Achieving bakery-quality chocolate Christmas tree cookies is easy with these expert tips:
- Precision in Flour Measurement: The accuracy of your flour measurement is paramount for cookie success. Always spoon your flour into the measuring cup and then level it off with the back of a knife. Never scoop directly into the flour bag with your measuring cup, as this compacts the flour, leading to an excess amount. Too much flour can result in dry, crumbly dough and cookies that don’t spread properly during baking, making them dense rather than chewy.
- Managing Cookie Spread: If your cookies are spreading more than desired, first confirm you are using parchment paper on your ungreased cookie sheets. Parchment paper provides a non-stick surface that helps maintain shape. Excessive spread can often be attributed to butter that was too warm when incorporated into the dough. If you continue to experience significant spreading, try chilling the formed cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before baking. This helps solidify the butter, which in turn reduces spread.
- High Altitude Baking Adjustments: For bakers residing at high altitudes, atmospheric pressure can affect how baked goods rise and spread. To counteract this, add an extra 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the dough. This slight increase in flour content helps to provide more structure, preventing excessive spreading and ensuring your cookies maintain a desirable shape and texture.
- The Art of Underbaking for Chewiness: One of the secrets to achieving a perfectly chewy cookie center is to slightly underbake them. When you remove the cookies from the oven, their edges should be set and lightly golden, but the centers should still look a little soft. They will continue to cook and set on the hot baking sheet as they cool, resulting in a delightfully chewy interior while the edges become crisp. This technique guarantees that coveted soft-baked texture.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Always ensure dairy ingredients like butter and eggs are at room temperature unless otherwise specified. Room temperature ingredients emulsify better, creating a smoother, more uniform batter or dough. This leads to a more consistent texture in your final baked product.
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Tree Cookies
Here are answers to some common questions about making and enjoying these delightful chocolate Christmas tree cookies, ensuring your baking experience is as smooth as possible.
Absolutely! You can easily scale this recipe to make larger, bakery-style cookies. When doing so, you will need to increase the baking time. Start by adding 2-4 minutes to the suggested baking time and keep a close eye on them until the edges are set and the centers appear slightly underbaked for that perfect chewy texture. Remember to space them out more on the cookie sheet to account for increased spreading.
Yes, they can! Freezing cookie dough is a fantastic way to prepare ahead for holiday baking. After rolling the cookie dough balls in cane sugar, arrange them on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about 30 minutes until firm. Then, transfer the frozen dough balls to an airtight container or a freezer-safe zip-top bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 30 days. When you’re ready to bake, let the cookie dough balls thaw at room temperature for about an hour before baking as directed.
You can certainly chill the cookie dough overnight, and it can even enhance the flavor! For best results, I recommend shaping the dough into individual cookie balls and rolling them in cane sugar *before* chilling. Place the prepared dough balls on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Store them in the refrigerator overnight. Before baking, it’s important to let the cookie dough balls come to room temperature (about 30-60 minutes) to ensure even spreading and baking.
Once decorated, these cookies will stay fresh and delicious at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For optimal freshness and to prevent the icing from smudging, ensure the icing is fully set before stacking or storing. Layering them with parchment paper can also help.
Absolutely! While white nonpareils are suggested to mimic Christmas lights, feel free to get creative with your sprinkles. Red and green sprinkles, edible glitter, or even small edible sugar pearls can add a unique touch to your Christmas tree cookies. Let your imagination guide your festive decorations!
Creative Recipe Variations for Festive Holiday Cookies
While the classic chocolate Christmas tree cookies are wonderful, don’t hesitate to explore these fun variations to customize your holiday baking experience:
- Delightful Snowman Cookies: Instead of Christmas trees, get creative and transform your cookies into charming snowmen! Prepare white icing for the main body, black icing for the eyes and mouth, and a tiny bit of orange icing for the carrot nose. This variation adds another adorable character to your holiday cookie platter, perfect for a winter wonderland theme.
- No Sugar Coating Option: The cane sugar coating on these cookies adds a beautiful sparkle and a delightful textural contrast. However, if you prefer a less sweet or different exterior, you can certainly omit this step. The cookies will still be wonderfully rich and chewy, offering a more subdued finish that highlights the deep chocolate flavor.
- Peppermint Chocolate Cookies: For a refreshing holiday twist, add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the chocolate cookie dough along with the vanilla. You can also add a few drops of peppermint extract to the vanilla icing for an extra burst of minty flavor.
- Assorted Sprinkles and Edible Decor: Beyond the suggested nonpareils, feel free to use a variety of festive sprinkles, edible glitter, or even small candy ornaments to decorate your trees. Mini M&Ms can look like colorful bulbs, or silver dragees can add an elegant touch.
- Different Icing Colors: While traditional green, brown, and yellow are used for Christmas trees, you could experiment with blue icing for a snowy night scene, or incorporate red icing for ornaments. The possibilities are endless for creating a diverse collection of festive cookies.
Essential Tools for Baking and Decorating Your Christmas Cookies
Having the right tools can make all the difference in your baking process, transforming it from a chore into a joy. These special tools are highly recommended for achieving perfect chocolate Christmas tree cookies:
- Parchment Paper: Investing in pre-cut sheets of parchment paper is a game-changer. Unlike rolls, these flat sheets lay perfectly on your baking trays, eliminating curling and making cleanup incredibly easy. They prevent cookies from sticking and promote even baking.
- Piping Bags: For precise and beautiful icing decorations, quality piping bags are essential. I find these 18-inch piping bags particularly useful as they hold a generous amount of icing, reducing the need for frequent refills during decoration. This allows for a smoother, more efficient creative flow.
- Small Cookie Scoop: A small cookie scoop, like this Wilton model, is indispensable for creating uniform cookie dough balls. Consistent sizing ensures that all your cookies bake evenly and have a similar appearance, which is especially important for decorative treats.
- Electric Mixer: Whether a hand mixer or a stand mixer, an electric mixer is crucial for properly creaming butter and sugar and combining ingredients efficiently, ensuring a smooth and well-aerated dough.
- Wire Cooling Rack: Allowing cookies to cool completely on a wire rack is important for preventing soggy bottoms and ensuring crisp edges. Proper airflow is key for the final setting of the cookies.
Storing and Freezing Your Festive Christmas Tree Cookies
To ensure your delicious chocolate Christmas tree cookies stay fresh and delightful for as long as possible, proper storage is key. Here’s how to store both baked and unbaked cookies:
Storing Baked Cookies: Once your Christmas tree cookies are fully decorated and the icing has completely set (which might take a few hours at room temperature, depending on humidity), store them in an airtight container at room temperature. A zip-top bag or a cookie tin works perfectly. Layering the cookies with parchment paper can help prevent any delicate icing from sticking or smudging. Stored this way, the cookies will remain fresh and delicious for up to 5 days, making them ideal for holiday entertaining or gifting.
Freezing Baked Cookies: For longer preservation, you can freeze the baked and decorated cookies. Ensure the icing is completely dry and set. Place the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about 30 minutes until solid. Then, transfer the frozen cookies to an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag, layering them with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to 30 days. To enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving. This method is perfect for getting a head start on your holiday baking!
Discover More Delectable Cookie Recipes To Try
If you’re looking to expand your cookie repertoire, here are some other fantastic cookie recipes that are sure to delight:
- [Link to another cookie recipe 1]
- [Link to another cookie recipe 2]
- [Link to another cookie recipe 3]
Complete Your Holiday Spread with These Festive Recipes!
Beyond cookies, the holidays call for an array of comforting and impressive desserts. Consider adding these delightful recipes to your festive menu:
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Apple Pie Cheesecake
- Cherry Pie Bars
- Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Did you fall in love with these chocolate Christmas tree cookies? Please make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW below to share your experience! And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats with your festive creations. For even more delicious ideas and baking inspiration, be sure to follow me on Pinterest! Happy baking!
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Christmas Tree Cookies
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Ingredients
Chocolate Cookies
- 1 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 TBSP Cornstarch
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup Regenerative Organic Certified® Cane Sugar from Wholesome
- 2 TBSP Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1 Egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Regenerative Organic Certified® Cane Sugar from Wholesome
Vanilla Icing
- 1 cup Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Powdered Confectioners Sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 TBSP Milk
- Green, brown, and yellow food dye
Instructions
Chocolate Cookies
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together. Add in the baking soda, cornstarch, and salt, mixing well.1 1/4 cups All-purpose flour, 1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1 TBSP Cornstarch
- Using an electric mixer, beat the melted and cooled butter, cane sugar, and brown sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.1/2 cup Unsalted butter, 3/4 cup Regenerative Organic Certified® Cane Sugar from Wholesome, 2 TBSP Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Light Brown Sugar
- Add in the vanilla extract and room temperature egg yolk. Mix on medium speed until just combined. Then, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until the flour streaks disappear.1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 1 Egg yolk
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Let the cookie dough rest for 10 minutes before scooping.
- Use a small cookie scoop to portion the dough. Roll each cookie dough ball thoroughly in the cane sugar. Place 12 cookie dough balls evenly spaced per cookie sheet.1/2 cup Regenerative Organic Certified® Cane Sugar from Wholesome
- Bake one sheet at a time for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are set but the centers still look slightly soft.
- Let the baked cookies cool on the hot pan for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. If any cookies puff up too much, gently flatten them with your hand while still warm to create an even decorating surface.
Vanilla Icing
- In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Add in the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of milk. Whisk thoroughly until you achieve a thick, smooth icing that holds its shape for piping. Add more milk sparingly if needed for desired consistency.1 cup Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Powdered Confectioners Sugar, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 1-2 TBSP Milk
- Divide the icing into three separate bowls. Tint each bowl green, brown, and yellow with food dye. Transfer each colored icing into its own piping bag. Cut a very small tip off the yellow and brown piping bags for fine lines, and a slightly larger hole for the green piping bag.Green, brown, and yellow food dye
- Use the green icing to pipe the Christmas tree shapes onto the cooled cookies, using a back-and-forth motion to fill the shape. Then, use the brown icing to create the tree trunk and the yellow icing to pipe a star on top of each tree. Optionally, decorate with white nonpareil sprinkles for a festive touch.
Notes
High Altitude Baking: For those baking at higher altitudes, consider adding an extra 1-2 tablespoons of flour to the dough to help prevent excessive spreading.
Room Temperature Ingredients: For optimal mixing and dough consistency, ensure all dairy ingredients, especially butter and egg yolk, are at room temperature. Take them out of the refrigerator at least 2 hours before you start baking.
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