Valentine Sugar Cookies

It’s cookie time again! There’s always a good reason to bake cookies even if there is no apparent reason.

Although last year’s holiday biscotti were absolutely delicious and fun to make I missed the rolling, cutting out and decorating of some of my old time favourites. Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to get my rolling pin and cookie cutters out and get creative.

It’s important that cut out cookies don’t spread while baking but instead retain their shape for best looking results. Although my favourite cut out cookie dough remains the Pinwheel Cookie recipe, a good sugar cookie recipe also works well in keeping cookie shapes intact. Minimal amounts of baking soda or powder gives just the right amount of lift without the cookies spreading out of shape.

Favourite cookie dough, rolling pin and cookie cutters …the possibilities are endless!

Sugar Cookies
1 cup butter room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

1. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
2. Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth.
   Add the egg and beat until fluffy.  Add vanilla.
3. Add dry ingredients just until well mixed.
4. Refrigerate wrapped for at least 30 minutes or cut dough in half, place in  clean food storage bags and roll to about 1/4 inch thickness.
5. Roll dough on a floured surface to ¼ inch thickness or if dough has been rolled in food bags cut bag open along the sides, flip onto floured surface and cut into shapes.
6. Place cut outs on parchment lined baking sheets and bake 10 to 12 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F. oven until edges are lightly golden.
7. Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring cookies onto cooling racks.

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Dough can be made the night before refrigerated and baked the next day.
• For cookie cutters with imprints test the thickness of dough to make sure it’s thick enough for imprint to transfer correctly.
• Dough is great for regular cookie cutters as well.
• Glad brand large storage bags ( 10×14 inches) are perfect to roll dough in,   divide dough in half place each piece in a storage bag and fold down the end by 2 inches then roll out, this keeps dough uniform in thickness.

More Valentine goodies…

Coconut Ice Candy Hearts…http://someoneinthekitchen.blogspot.ca/2014/02/coconut-ice-candy-hearts.html

For a different Sugar Cookie recipe try…http://someoneinthekitchen.blogspot.ca/2012/02/valentine-tradition-saved.html

Velvety Beet Chocolate Cupcakes…http://someoneinthekitchen.blogspot.ca/2012/02/be-my-valentine.html

These sure don’t look like Pinwheel Cookies but…

…and don’t forget baby’s Valentine…!

http://someoneinthekitchen.blogspot.ca/2014/05/arrowroot-cookies.html