Go Back

Valentine Cookies

Print Recipe
Enjoy this best tasting Valentine cookies with your family and friends
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword valentine cookies
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Servings 30 cookies

Ingredients

For Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted COLD butter (2 sticks) sliced into tablespoon portions
  • 2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp cold half and half
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or almond extract
  • 3 cold large eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

For Icing

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup half and half
  • Valentine’s-themed sprinkles, for decorating

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cold butter and sugar together on medium speed until the mixture is creamy and slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. The cold butter will make the cookies more tender and help them hold their shape.
  • Add the cold eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  • Mix in the almond or vanilla extract and cold half and half until just combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a dough forms. The dough may seem slightly stiff, but this helps keep the cookies from spreading.
  • Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a flat disc, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (this helps firm up the butter and make rolling easier).
  • Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness.
  • Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes, then transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between cookies.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and just barely golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • For the icing: In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and half and half until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more half and half 1 teaspoon at a time if needed.
  • Transfer the icing to a piping bag (or use a ziplock bag with a small corner snipped off).
  • Decorate the cooled cookies with the icing, using swirls, outlines, or full coverage.While the icing is still wet, sprinkle on Valentine’s-themed sprinkles for extra cuteness. Let the cookies sit for about 2-3 hours for the icing to fully set before stacking or storing.