Description
Bethany’s Favorite Valentine Cut Out Sugar Cookies are classic, tender sugar cookies perfect for Valentine’s Day celebrations. These cookies are soft, buttery, and lightly flavored with vanilla and a hint of almond extract, making them ideal for decorating and sharing with loved ones.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the correct temperature for baking your cookies evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This creates a light texture in the cookies.
- Add Egg and Extracts: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and optional almond extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix well until fully combined and smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and baking powder. Gradually add this to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Roll and Cut Dough: Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to shape the dough into your desired Valentine-themed shapes.
- Bake Cookies: Place the cutouts on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden, indicating they are baked through but still soft inside.
- Cool Before Decorating: Remove cookies from the oven and cool them on wire racks completely before decorating to prevent frosting from melting.
Notes
- For best results, make sure butter is softened but not melted before creaming with sugar.
- Do not overmix the dough once the flour is added to keep cookies tender.
- If you don’t have almond extract, it can be omitted without affecting the overall flavor too much.
- Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats for easier cleanup and to prevent sticking, although the recipe calls for ungreased sheets.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to one week.
- Decorate cookies with royal icing, sprinkles, or colored sugar once cooled.
