Easy Valentine's Day Cookies (Sugar Cookies)
These Valentine’s Day sugar cookies are a simple yet heartfelt way to spread love. With their buttery flavour, soft texture, and pretty frosting, they’ll become a February favourite for years to come.
Ingredients
- 135 g unsalted butter (softened)
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract (optional - almond extract)
- 280 g all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- Pinch salt
- Royal Icing Mix (for decorating)
Instructions
Baking Sugar Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 170°C fan (350°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Add in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (optional), mixing until combined.
- Add the flour and baking powder to the butter mixture. Mix until a soft dough forms. You can wrap your cookies in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes1 or move to the next step.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut out your cookies.
- Place the cookies on the baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden, then remove.
- Let your cookies cool completely before decorating.
Decorating Sugar Cookies
- Follow the instructions on the Royal icing package or bake a simple buttercream frosting.
- Divide into bowls and add your Valentine’s colours— pink, red, or leave it white.
- Pour your icing into a piping bag and cut a small piece off the end. Try to keep it small enough to pipe fine lines onto your cookies.
- Squeeze gently around the edge of your sugar cookie to create a border, then squeeze a bit more firmly to fill the centre.
- Add decorations like hearts, glitter, sprinkles and words written in icing.
- Let the icing dry before storing in an airtight container or sharing.
Notes
- Refrigerating your cookies before baking makes the dough less sticky when rolling. It also helps keep your cookies soft when baking.