VALENTINE'S SUGAR COOKIE AND BAKERY ICING RECIPE 2023

Updated photos for 2023. Enjoy this delicious recipe AND the magnificent BAKERY-STYLE ICING RECIPE that follows.

Sugar Cookie Recipe (great for cutout cookies)

3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt onto wax paper or bowl.

Cream butter with sugar in bowl until fluffy; beat in eggs, vanilla, and almond extract until well-blended.  Stir in flour mixture a little at a time until well-blended.  Dough will be stiff.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in fridge to chill overnight until firm enough to roll (though it seems to work well enough if in fridge for 2 to 3 hours).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out about 1/4 of dough at a time on floured board or counter.  Cut into desired shapes and place on lightly greased cookie sheets.  Bake for 8 minutes or until slightly firm and lightly golden.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

**If you desire sprinkles, add those prior to baking.

These cookies are quite tasty as is or you can add this delicious bakery-style icing!  See below.

Bakery-style Sugar Cookie Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons milk

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

With a stand mixer or hand mixer, mix all ingredients until well-blended (well, you can do it by hand if you insist).  Add food coloring as desired.  

This icing has a glossy shine to it but it firms up nicely.  Remember the local bakery sugar cookies when you were a kid?  This icing is that icing--icing is always the best part!  I usually make a few batches, remove each one to a separate bowl and then add food coloring to each.

For these heart cookies, after I iced them with the bakery icing, I melted some Wilton candy melts (white) and then just drizzled it over the cookies/icing for a different sort of look.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!