Valentine's Sugar Cookies

First off, I just want to say Happy Birthday to my awesome husband, Derek! I love him so much and am so happy we have each other forever! Speaking of love... these heart shaped cookies are not only super cute but so good!  Seriously the best sugar cookies ever! I've had a lot of sugar cookies in my life and these are the best.  They are soft and chewy, just as a good sugar cookie should be! I've had too many hard sugar cookies in my life so I am thankful I now have a go to amazing sugar cookie recipe!  These sugar cookies + buttercream = heaven!  

I love February mostly because of Valentine's Day. I love all the hearts and cute pink/red things.  And it's my favorite time of year to make sugar cookies. The heart shape is so adorable, romantic and fun!

I made a whole batch of these heart shaped sugar cookies and buttercream frosting and had our neighbors over for a fun Valentine's Day activity decorating them. It was great to get to know each other better and enjoy these yummy cookies!  

Sugar Cookies 

Very slightly adapted from Alton Brown (Food Network)

Ingredients

-         3 cups all-purpose flour

-         3/4 teaspoon baking powder

-         1/4 teaspoon salt

-         1 cup unsalted butter, softened

-         1 cup sugar

-         1 egg, beaten

-         1 tablespoon milk

-         1 teaspoon vanilla

 Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg, milk and vanilla and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, press down to slightly flatten and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with flour. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with flour, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. Cut into heart shapes, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7-9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack.  Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

food coloring (optional)

Mix the powdered sugar, butter and milk together until smooth.  Add the extract and food coloring, if using until blended well.

*If you want to use chocolate frosting here is the link: Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. I recommend only making 1/4-1/2 the recipe because it makes a lot.