Valentine Sugar Cookie Recipe

Making deliciously decorated Valentine's Day cookies doesn't have to be hard! With just a simple heart & circle cookie cutter (and my signature sugar cookie recipe!), you can make any of these 3 Valentine cookie designs.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cookies

Keyword cut out sugar cookies, decorated valentine cookies, heart cookies, valentine decorating ideas

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings -24 cookies (depending on size)

Calories 234kcal

Author Melissa Rose

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Dough

¾ cup unsalted butter softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract (nut allergy? you can substitute this with extra vanilla!)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar
Gel food coloring

Tools/Toppings:

Jumbo Heart Sprinkles for the envelope cookies

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉.
In a large bowl, cream together unsalted butter (¾ cup, i.e. 1 ½ sticks) and granulated sugar (¾ cup) on medium speed for 20-30 seconds. Mix in egg (1 large), vanilla extract (2 teaspoons) and almond extract (1 teaspoon). Add in baking powder (1 teaspoon), salt (½ teaspoon), and all-purpose flour (2 cups) and mix until combined. Transfer to a flour-covered surface and use a rolling pin to roll dough ⅜" to ½" thick (for more tips & a full tutorial see my Ultimate Guide to Cut Out Sugar Cookies) . Use cookie cutters or glass cup to cut out dough.
Bake at 350℉ for 8-10 minutes. Depending on size of your cookie cutter and thickness of dough, you may need to bake for a few extra minutes. Allow to cool before decorating.
To make frosting: In a large mixing bowl, add softened unsalted butter (1 cup, i.e. 2 sticks), vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), almond extract (1 ½ teaspoons), and salt (¼ teaspoon). Cream together on medium speed for 30 seconds, or until blended together. Mix in powdered sugar ½ cup at a time (3 cups total) until all is incorporated. Turn mixer to high speed, and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
To decorate: Reference the photos in the post above to decorate your valentine sugar cookies. See notes below for more sugar cookie frosting recipes.
Store in airtight container for 2-3 days or freeze for later.

Notes

Yield: Depending on size/thickness of cookies, you can typically get 12-24 cookies.

More Sugar Cookie Frosting Recipes:

Easy Sugar Cookie Icing = Great for simple piping and one-color designs.
Easy Sugar Cookie Glaze = A runny icing great for quickly dipping one-color designs.
Cream Cheese Frosting for Cookies = While this one doesn't fully "harden", it is a tasty cream cheese alternative!
Royal Icing = Great for intricate designs, where you want the icing to fully harden.

Storing: store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Freezing: you can freeze these Valentine sugar cookies for up to 1 month in an airtight container. I suggest freezing them in one layer before stacking. After they’re frozen, you can place parchment paper in between each later to prevent them from sticking together.

Make Ahead: freeze the unfrosted cookies and then let them thaw to room temperature before decorating. This is a great option if you want to make them ahead for a cookie decorating party!

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