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This easy recipe for Valentine cookies makes the cutest heart-shaped sugar cookies decorated with royal icing for a sweet Valentine’s Day treat or simple dessert. Perfect for sharing!
Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies
This easy Valentine’s Day sugar cookie recipe makes the cutest Valentine cookies ever! We made basic heart shapes and a few hugs and kisses, so decorating is super easy. Because nothing says “be my Valentine” like a decorated sugar cookie!
This is the same basic dough we use for Christmas, Easter and Halloween with great results and rave reviews every time.
Why you’ll love these Valentine Cookies
The cookie dough recipe is simply the best. It is very easy to work with, and the dough does not spread in the oven.
The cookies are soft and chewy with the most delicious flavor that comes from using both vanilla and almond extracts.
What You Need
Here’s a quick list of the basic ingredients. You’ll find full amounts and directions in the printable recipe card below.
- Butter — I prefer to use salted butter, but you can use unsalted
- White sugar — for sweetness
- Almond and vanilla extract — for classic flavor
- Egg — large
- All purpose flour
- Salt — sea salt or kosher salt
- Baking soda — a leavening agent
How to Make Valentine Cookies
First, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add the wet ingredients, then gradually add the flour and the dry ingredients. Mix until a soft dough forms. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out over a sheet of plastic wrap, then wrap and chill for a few hours or overnight.
When the dough has chilled, you can remove the plastic wrap and use heart cookie cutters or X’s and O’s or your favorite Valentine Day shapes. Place the cut dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Then, bake, and decorate!
Decorating the Cookies
We use meringue powder to make a very easy royal icing, and I highly recommend this method because it’s super easy. Just follow the directions on the package to mix the icing. We flavor the icing with almond and vanilla extracts and add a little corn syrup for shine.
You can use your favorite icing or frosting recipe or make a simple glaze. You can even use icing from the store if you like and add seasonal sprinkles.
If you want to get fancy, I recommend using tipless piping bags and a cookie scribe to spread the icing. Or, use a plastic bag with the corner cut and toothpicks.
Quick Tips
When making the dough, Make sure you fully beat the sugar and butter together to prevent spreading.
Always, always chill the dough. This makes cutting the shapes easy, and it helps stop the dough from spreading in the oven.
Bake cookies until they no longer look wet and the edges are just slightly brown. Be careful not to over bake them.
Storing the Cookies
Let the icing dry completely before placing the cookies into an airtight container. Store them at room temperature for up to a week. You can freeze them for up to 3 months for longer storage. You can also freeze the cookie dough and bake later.
Variations
If you don’t like almond flavor, just use vanilla.
For an easier variation, try this sugar cookie dip or these easy cookie bars.
The Cutest Valentine Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth
- Add in the granulated sugar and mix together until fully combined, light and fluffy. This step takes at least 5 minutes
- Mix in the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract
- Add the salt, baking powder and half of the flour. Mix well
- Add in the remaining flour and mix until fully combined. To avoid overworking the dough, I recommend finish mixing with a rubber spatula
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts
- Place each portion onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to approximately ⅜ inch thick
- Cover rolled out dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight, if possible
- After the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350℉
- Unwrap the chilled dough and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes
- Place cut out shapes 2 inches apart onto a prepared baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Bake for 10-14 minutes or until cookies are no longer oily looking and have lightly browned edges
- Let cookies cool completely before decorating
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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