Description
These soft and buttery Valentine sugar cookies are the perfect sweet treat for the season of love. Decorated with festive royal icing or sprinkles, they’re as beautiful as they are delicious. Great for gifting or sharing with someone special!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
For Decorating:
- Royal icing or vanilla glaze (optional)
- Valentine sprinkles or colored sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and mix until combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a dough forms. - Chill the Dough:
Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours). - Shape the Cookies:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes, re-rolling the scraps as needed. - Bake:
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake for 9–11 minutes, or until the edges are just set and slightly golden.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. - Decorate:
Once cooled, decorate the cookies with royal icing, glaze, or sprinkles as desired. Allow icing to set before serving or packaging.
Notes
- To keep the cookies soft, do not overbake. They should look slightly underdone when removed from the oven.
- For bright and vibrant colors, use gel food coloring in your icing.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze undecorated cookies for up to 3 months.