prep 20 min.

ready 40 min.

serves 6

Valentine’s Day is also my wife’s birthday! I love her! So I get the double whammy. I made her heart-shaped valentine sugar cookies again this year. I can’t believe how fast time has flown. What a crazy year! is The cookies will put in a decorative Valentine’s Day box and give to her on the 14th. The cookies were not that hard to make, but I will admit the frosting is for pros. It is the thought that counts, and I think she will like them regardless. I did test one, and they are very good! HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• Icing (store-bought)

Directions

1. In a large bowl (I used a Kitchen Aid metal bowl) cream together the butter and sugar using a Kitchen Aid mixer until light and fluffy. I softened the butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds before mixing. Beat in egg and vanilla.

2. Turn the mixer to low and add the baking powder and salt. Slowly add the flour and mix until combined.

3. Remove from the bowl with a spatula and form dough into a ball shape. Wrap and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate until firm. I froze my dough, but you could leave it in a refrigerator for an hour or overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

5. Remove the dough from the fridge, and let it stand for 10-15 minutes to soften. If you do it too quickly it is very hard to work the dough.

6. Roll out dough to about 1/4 in. and with your heart-shaped cookie cutter stamp the dough. Put the cookies onto a parchment-lined baking pan or spray with cooking spray. Repeat the steps with the extra dough. I found, with the cookie-cutter size I used, I was able to produce 16 cookies (12 per baking sheet).