Valentines Sugar Cookes

Let me tell you a little story about my favorite Valentines Day.
I was 24 years old and had been living in Tennessee for about 6 months. I didn’t have a ton of new friends and definitely hadn’t found a southern gentleman yet so Valentines Day could have been rather depressing and lonely. But for me, it was my best one ever!! I somehow stumbled upon a shoe store that was going out of business on February 14th. I eagerly went inside and walked out with 7 pairs of shoes!!! Yes, 7 new pairs of shoes, it was the best Valentines Day Ever.

End of story!!

My Valentines Days look a little differently now. In years past we’ve did the fondue at home thing with our kids, we’ve tried the fancy dinner in the formal dining room thing, we’ve bought silly, sappy cards, and ate chocolate covered strawberries till we were sick.

I’ve baked countless heart shaped sugar cookies. I’ve stood for hours dipping cake pops in melted chocolate. And I’ve delivered more love in the form of little pink bakery boxes than I ever could count!

This year, I’m hoping for tacos and margaritas. Maybe a ride through the mountains with my loves and if I’m lucky maybe, just maybe I’ll get a new pair of shoes 👠👠

My daughter and I broke out the heart shaped cookie cutters this past weekend. We needed a fun day in the kitchen. We laughed, talked, made a pretty good mess and ended up with some adorable little cookies to share with our friends!

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste

2 tsp. baking powder

3 cups flour

Instructions

With electric or stand mixer with the paddle attachment combine butter and sugar.
Add egg and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy.
Add baking powder and flour, and mix until incorporated.
Scrape dough our onto a floured surface and roll to 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Using a heart shaped cookie cutter cut out cookies.
Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Allow cookies to cool on pan a few minutes before removing to cooling rack or counter.
Frost cookies with royal icing once they are cool.

Royal Icing

3 egg whites

1/4 tsp. Cream of tarter

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

water to thin as needed

food coloring of choice

Instructions

Using an electric or stand mixer with the wire whisk, beat egg whites and cream of tarter on medium high until soft peaks form.

Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and food coloring. Mix well adding water as needed to thin to desired consistency.

Use thicker icing to pipe the edges of the cookie and thin icing to “flood” the center.
Allow cookies to set and icing will dry/ harden.