Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies
With Valentine’s Day on Friday, I thought I would surprise Kevin with some heart-shaped sugar cookies. However, it’s hard to surprise someone with baking when they live in the same house as you!
These sugar cookies are super easy to make, and depending on the cookie cutter they can be used for multiple occasions.
Here’s a tip on cookie cutters, I always find they are so expensive, and if you are only going to use them once a year I can’t justify spending a lot of money on them. What I do is after the holiday is over like Christmas or Valentine’s Day, the cookie cutter will be on sale, and that is when I scoop them up for the following year! Spending $5 for a heart or a snowflake cookie cutter is a bit much, but when you can get them for 40-50% off after the holiday it makes it worth buying.
I iced these cookies but Kevin couldn’t wait for the icing to harden so the icing slid off the cookie, which is why they look a little rough. They do taste delicious with or without perfect icing!
I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine’s Day filled with love and lots of sweets!
INGREDIENTS
2 and 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, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure 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 prevents sticking.) Place the 2nd rolled-out dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Once 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 confectioners’ 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 coloring the icing, don’t go too dark (black 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.
