Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

By flour_arrangements

A simple and delicious sugar cookie recipe that makes a sturdy cookie dough that freezes well. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter as pictured or a cutter shaped like an X and O for hugs and kisses!

Ingredients

• 2 cups All-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 stick butter, unsalted (8 teaspoons), softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together into a bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Wrap dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Let dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Generously flour a large sheet of parchment paper. Roll out dough on parchment to a scant 1/4-inch thickness, stopping often to run an offset spatula under dough and to dust with flour as necessary. Transfer dough on parchment to freezer, and chill 15 minutes. You can also roll out the cookie dough between 2 pieces of saran wrap if you prefer to not use more flour. The saran wrap will keep the dough from sticking.

Using a 2 to 3-inch X , O or heart shaped cookie cutter or a template and a knife, quickly cut out shapes from dough. (If dough begins to soften, chill it in freezer 3 to 5 minutes.) Re-roll and cut scraps.

Transfer shapes to baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing them 2 inches apart. Chill in freezer 15 minutes.

Sprinkle shapes with sanding sugar. Bake until edges are just golden, 15 to 18 minutes.

Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.