Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

2 ¼ cups of all purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

¾ cup of Butter

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract.

 

Additional Supplies

2 large baking sheets

Baking paper

A selection of different size heart cut outs, from small to large.

A large pastry board or flat surface

A rolling pin

Some extra flower for rolling out the dough

 

Royal Icing

9oz sieved confectioners icing sugar

2 egg whites

½ tsp. glycerin

Food colors in pink, peach and turquoise

Directions:

  1. 1. Pre heat your oven to 350 F and prepare your baking tray.  Place your parchment paper over each tray, so it is ready for your cut out hearts.
  2. Now mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl together well. Set-aside for now.
  3. You now can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer. I used my Kitchen Aid stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
  4. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl and mix together start on a medium speed to get the ingredient blended together then turn it up to high and mix until it becomes light and fluffy. You probably need about 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Add your eggs and vanilla extract and mix on a high speed for about 1 minute. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl at this point and mix a little again to make sure all the ingredients are will mixed together.
  6. Now add your flour and baking powder and mix on a low speed until all the ingredients are combined and you have dough like consistency.
  7. If you dough seems to soft or sticky just add a little more flour.
  8. Remove dough from bowl and place on your pastry board or flat surface, cut in half and role out one section at a time. Till its about a ¼ inch thick or slightly thinner.
  9. Now using your heart cut outs using different sixes gently cut out your hearts and place on the parchment paper on your baking tray. Allowing a little space in-between each cookie so they do not stick together. Do the same process for the other cookie dough ½.
  10. Now place each sheet in your pre-heated oven for about 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned around the edges
  11. Once they are removed from the oven, leave to cool for about 15 minuets.
  12. While they are cooling now is the time to make your Royal icing
  13. Place your egg whites in a bowl and add your sifted confectioners sugar, mix well together using an electric mixer on medium speed. Once this is lightly mixed together place on high speed until it is nice a creamy and there are soft peaks forming..
  14. Now add your Glycerin and mix for another minute. This is the time to add your food coloring. If you are doing different colors separate your Icing into separate bowls, one for each color you want to use. Mix each color in each bowl. Add only a little coloring as you will be surprised at the depth of color you will create.
  15. For decorating your cookies you will need a good piping bag and a piping tip with a round end for creating the outline around each cookie. Do one cookie at a time once you have got your outline you can now fill in the middle either using a larger piping tip or using a small spatula to place it in the center and spread it out. You will need a little bowl of water to wet you spatula so the icing does not stick. One you have got the surface nice and smooth. You can decorate with some sprinkles. Its best to do this while the icing is still soft so they will stick easily to the surface. Do this process with each cookie until you have all your desired designs and colors.
  16. You can place your cookies in a covered, sealed container and place in your fridge or you can serve them straight away.