Valentine Sugar Cookies (Royal Icing!)
These Professional Valentine Sugar Cookies are crisp-edged, tender-centered cut-out cookies designed specifically for flawless royal icing decoration. Made with carefully measured flour, softened butter, and a touch of almond extract, they hold sharp edges while baking and provide a smooth, sturdy base for detailed piping, flooding, and painted gold accents—perfect for bakery-style Valentine’s cookies.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
**Sugar Cookie Dough**
3 cups all-purpose flour (1 lb if weighing)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (8 oz)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
½ teaspoon almond extract
**Royal Icing**
16 oz powdered sugar
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon meringue powder
⅓ cup water (plus more as needed)
**Decorating Supplies**
Gel food coloring (Americolor recommended)
Edible gold luster dust (optional)
Vodka or lemon extract (for paint)
Piping bags and tips (#16, #352)
Toothpicks
Instructions
**Prepare Dry Ingredients**
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
**Cream Butter and Sugar**
Beat butter alone for 1 minute. Add sugar gradually, then beat 3 minutes until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract; mix until smooth.
**Add Flour**
Mix flour into dough on low speed until dough pulls from sides.
**Knead and Chill**
Knead dough briefly by hand. Divide in half, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
**Roll and Cut**
Roll dough between parchment to ⅛–¼ inch thick. Cut hearts and remove excess dough only. Transfer parchment directly to baking sheet.
**Bake**
Bake 10–13 minutes until edges barely golden. Cool completely.
**Make Royal Icing**
Beat powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water for 6 minutes. Add water to reach medium consistency.
**Flood Icing**
Thin half of icing with water until it flows like glue.
**Decorate**
Flood cookies, add wet-on-wet designs, pipe details, attach dried rosettes, and paint with gold once fully dry.
Notes
• Weighing flour ensures consistent results and prevents dry dough.
• Medium icing should resemble toothpaste; flood icing should self-level.
• Always keep royal icing covered when not using.
• Do not move cut cookies before baking to preserve shape.
• Allow each icing layer to dry fully before adding details.