Valentine’s Day Cookies

Love is in the air. Can’t you just smell it? Baking these sugar cookies brought me so much joy because I love Valentine’s Day. Although I will add, you can make heart-shaped cookies any time of the year. Besides, the most important person in your life is YOU, right? So, whether you are single, married, in a relationship, or even a “situationship”, just go with the flow. Valentine’s Day is just 24 hours, but these cookies will still be around for your enjoyment.

Valentine’s Day Cookies

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Madison Amara Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

24

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup 3/4 granulated sugar

• 1 cup 1 unsalted butter, softened

• 1 teaspoon 1 pure vanilla extract

• pinch of salt

• 1 large 1 egg

• 2 cups 2 all-purpose flour, sifted

Directions

• To Prepare:
• In a large bowl, cream together sugar and softened butter.
• Add vanilla extract, salt and egg.
• Gradually stir in flour until it forms into dough.
• Form the dough into a disk and wrap in parchment paper.
• Place in the freezer for 20 to 25 minutes to harden.
• Remove from the freezer and roll out with a rolling pin.
• Use cookie cutters to cut shapes.
• To Bake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
• Bake cookies 1-inch apart on a cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before decorating with frosting or sprinkles.
• If decorating with sprinkles:
  
• Make an egg wash by mixing 1 egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Use a clean toothbrush to brush the egg wash on cooled cookies. Then, pour on sprinkles.

Notes

• A 2-inch cookie cutter yields 24 cookies

I like to make homemade cookies because my mom always did when I was young. She would also make batches for my teachers and friends. She would let me help with the sprinkles and that was one of my favorite parts. Of course, childhood memories can make us nostalgic, and I still have her cookie cutters that we used when I was little. I just love the metal Valentine heart-shaped cookie cutter she used to press into the dough. She even taught me a tip that I will share with you. 

If you want to make homemade cookies in a pinch, then mix all of your ingredients: the sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and of course, the flour, until there is a thick consistency to be able to roll the dough with a rolling pin. Then on a plate, place a piece of wax paper on top and get a clump of the dough and roll it out with your rolling pin about two inches thick.  

To speed up the process, to let the dough chill, the tip is to place the plated dough in the freezer for about 15 minutes until it is firm enough to press the cookie cutter through. You can always let the dough set in the refrigerator too, but it will take longer. Once the cookies are all cut in their heart shapes, they are ready to go into the oven for about 12 minutes. Keep your eye on these, because they bake rather quickly.  As soon as you see the edges turn a light brown, remove them from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet.

Then it’s time to add the sprinkles. Another tip for you: I take a small brush and brush the top of the cookie with egg white. Then, add my sprinkles because the sprinkles stay on that way. Next tip? LOVE eating these heart-shaped Sugar Cookies, Crumbs, and All! Happy Valentine’s Day!