It’s that time of year again where it is all about love. It doesn’t need to be someone you’re in a relationship with, it can be your best friend, co-worker, or yourself.
Every year at this time I make these sugar cookies for Kevin. They are unbelievably easy to make and they are so delicious that most times I don’t even get the icing on them before he starts eating them.
This year I took an order to make a bunch of these cookies for the team at work, which is why this post is a couple of days late. I was making heart-shaped sugar cookies and royal icing all day on Sunday. I started at 8 AM and finished at 4 PM, it was a lot of fun but I’m over heart-shaped cookies now.
If you are looking for some heart-shaped cookie cutters there were some at Dollarama which were only a couple of dollars. I bought mine a couple of years ago after Valentine’s Day when they were on sale.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup room temperature butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. The dough will be relatively soft. If the dough seems too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 Tablespoon more flour.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Place each portion onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness.
Lightly dust one of the rolled-out doughs with flour. Place a piece of parchment on top. (This will prevent sticking.) Place the 2nd rolled-out dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Carefully remove the top dough piece from the refrigerator. If it’s sticking to the bottom, run your hand under it to help remove it. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with 2nd piece of dough.
Arrange cookies on baking sheets 3 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown on the edges.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
ROYAL ICING
INGREDIENTS
4 egg whites
4 cups powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS
Beat egg whites in a large bowl with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar and beat at high speed until thickened.
When dry Royal Icing is hard, which is great if you are taking the items to a friend’s house to share.
If you are still waiting for the cookies to cool before decorating keep the mixer going on low so the icing doesn’t stiffen.
Also, side note, if you are colouring the icing, don’t go too dark (black navy blue or red) or it will stain your teeth a little when eating it.
Valentin’s Day Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Royal Icing
- 4 egg whites
- 4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla, beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. The dough will be relatively soft. If the dough seems too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 Tablespoon more flour.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Place each portion onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness.
- Lightly dust one of the rolled-out dough with flour. Place a piece of parchment on top. (This will prevent sticking.) Place the 2nd rolled-out dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Carefully remove the top dough piece from the refrigerator. If it’s sticking to the bottom, run your hand under it to help remove it. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with 2nd piece of dough.
- Arrange cookies on baking sheets 3inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown on the edges.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
ROYAL ICING
- Beat egg whites in a large bowl with mixer at high speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar and beat at high speed until thickened.
- When dry Royal Icing is hard, which is great if you are taking the items to a friend's house to share.
- If you are still waiting for the cookies to cool before decorating keep the mixer going on low so the icing doesn’t stiffen.
- Also, side note, if you are coloring the icing, don’t go too dark (black navy blue or red) or it will stain your teeth a little when eating it.