Description
Valentine’s Day Cookies are soft, buttery sugar cookies perfect for celebrating love and friendship. Cut into festive shapes and decorated with icing, sprinkles, or edible glitter, they make for a fun and delicious homemade gift.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (for icing)
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or water (for icing)
- Food coloring (pink, red, etc.)
- Sprinkles or decorations (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using), and mix until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually mix dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Divide dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Cut into heart or festive shapes and place on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden. Cool for 2 minutes on sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.
- For icing, mix powdered sugar with milk/water until smooth. Add food coloring and stir to combine.
- Decorate cooled cookies with icing and sprinkles. Let set completely before storing.
Notes
Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and makes cutting shapes easier.Use gel food coloring for vibrant icing colors without thinning.Cookies can be made ahead and frozen undecorated for up to 2 months.Don’t overbake—cookies should be just golden at the edges.Allow icing to fully dry (1–2 hours) before stacking or packaging.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
