Description
Make this Valentine’s Day fun and festive with these heart-shaped sugar cookies. Soft, sweet, buttery, and delicious, these cut-out cookies will fill your home with love!
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk (or water for a lighter glaze)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- Gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to beat the softened butter and sugar together on medium speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ¼ inch thick. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 12 cookies.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add a tiny bit more milk; if it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar. Divide the glaze into smaller bowls if you want multiple colors, and tint with gel food coloring as desired.
- Use a spoon or piping bag to apply the glaze to the cooled cookies, spreading with the back of the spoon or leaving it smooth for a shiny finish. Add decorations like sprinkles or edible glitter before the glaze sets. Let the cookies sit for 30 minutes to allow the glaze to harden before serving or storing.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American