Basic Sugar Cookies
3 sticks (1-1/2 cups) softened unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
- Beat the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat until fully combined. Add in the flour and salt a little at a time, beating well between each addition.
- Divide the dough into two to three portions. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate until each portion is thoroughly chilled.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to roughly 1/8-inch thick. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters.
- Transfer the cut-out cookies to ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until light golden brown around the edges.
- Transfer the cookies to racks, and allow to cool completely before decorating.
Stained Glass Valentines Day Cookies
Prepare the sugar cookie recipe above through step 4. Use Linzer cookie cutters with a heart insert or the tip of a sharp knife to cut out a small heart in the center of each cookie. Fill the hole with crushed hard candies, such as LifeSavers, lollipops or Jolly Ranchers.
Bake the cookies until they are golden brown around the edges and the candy center has melted. Allow them to cool slightly before removing them to cooling racks to give the candy time to harden a bit.
For a unique twist on these cookies, trace the outline of your hand onto a piece of paper and cut it out to use as a stencil. Place the stencil over the cookie dough and cut out the hand shape with a sharp knife. Cut out a small heart in the palm of the hand and fill it with the crushed candy before baking. This way you can truly hand your heart to that special someone!
Valentines Day Conversation Heart Cookies
Remember those little pastel-colored candy hearts with the words printed on them that always seemed to show up on Valentines Day? You can replicate those memories with this sweet and nostalgic Valentines Day cookie.
Make basic sugar or shortbread cookies in heart shapes and allow them to cool completely. Cover each cookie with sugar cookie decorator icing in different pastel colors, and let the frosting dry and harden.
Use confectioner’s sugar to thicken up some of the icing in a contrasting color. Use a piping bag with a small tip to write simple words and phrases on each cookie.
Sugar Cookie Decorator Icing
1-1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. almond extract or other flavoring
Food coloring
Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Add more sugar or milk as needed to make a spreadable consistency.
Separate the icing into several smaller bowls and color each as desired with food coloring.
