Valentine Sugar Cookies

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Sugar cookies are some of my favorite sweet treats, but I don’t make them all that often….they take a lot of work!

I usually wait until there is a special Holiday, like Christmas, or Valentine’s Day to whip up a batch, and even if I have to spend an entire afternoon in the kitchen, I’m never disappointed when they’re finished. They just look SO good, and taste pretty fabulous!

Today, I’m sharing my secret {oh-my-goodness-so-amazing} sugar cookie recipe with you, and after trying it, you won’t need to search anywhere else for cookie quite like this one. Soft on the inside, slight crunch on the outside, and practically heaven inside your mouth.

You know you want to make these….and I think your Valentine might too.

How to Make Valentine Sugar Cookies

Step 1: In a mixer, cream together the sour cream, butter, sugar, and salt. Scrape down the bowl, if needed, then add in vanilla and egg. Mix thoroughly until dough is fairly smooth.

Step 2: Add in flour and baking soda {the recipe says to sift them first, but I never do}, and mix until just combined.

Step 3: Wrap dough in wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes so dough can chill.

Step 4: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and flour your surface. The dough will still be a little sticky, so use the flour liberally. By the time I was done, I’d say I had incorporated about an extra cup of flour.

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin and using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can manage. Keep flouring, rolling, and cutting until all the dough is used up, then make sure to eat those last little scraps!

Step 5: Place cookies on a cookie sheet at least 1 inch apart. Bake for 14 minutes, but keep an eye on the oven if your cookies are a little bit thinner so they don’t burn.

When cookies are done, immediately place cookies on a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before frosting and storing.

You can really use any kind of icing you’d like, but for detailed sugar cookies, I like to use royal icing. I know it tends to be really finicky, so detailed instructions on how to properly make royal icing can be found here.

Step 6: Outline and flood the cookies with royal icing, based on the colors you’d like to use.

Step 7: Once all cookies are dry from the royal icing, {about 1-2 hours}, decorate the tops with conversation heart-like sayings.

I think the easiest way to do this is by using Wilton tip #3, as well as decorating bags, and couplers. A Ziploc bag might work in a pinch, but you definitely want to use that tip! Practice the words until you feel comfortable enough to write on the cookies.

And feel free to get creative!

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

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• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 24-36 cookies, depending on size 1x

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Ingredients

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• 6 tbsp. sour cream
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda

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Instructions

1. In an electric mixer, cream together the sour cream, butter, sugar, and salt.
2. With mixer on high speed, add the vanilla and the egg. Combine thoroughly.
3. Turn mixer to low speed and gradually add flour and baking soda until just combined.
4. Wrap dough in wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Flour surface and roll out dough until about 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes, and place at least 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.
6. Bake for 14 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.
7. Immediately place cookies on a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before frosting and storing.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 14 minutes

Total Cost: $4.49/batch  or $.18/cookie {with icing}

These would make great alternatives to paper Valentines. Just pack the cookies in separate treat bags and add a free printable bag topper. Let your kids join in on the fun, and they will have Valentines their classmates won’t soon forget!

What’s your favorite treat on Valentine’s Day?

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