Red & white decorated Valentine cookies

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Creating homemade red and white decorated Valentine cookies can be a fun and creative project. Here’s a simple recipe for sugar cookies along with instructions for decorating them with red and white icing for a festive Valentine’s Day touch:

Each cookie begins with a tender sugar cookie, baked to perfection until golden around the edges and irresistibly soft in the center. The dough is infused with rich vanilla flavor, providing a comforting backdrop for the festive decorations to come.

After cooling, these cookies are transformed into works of edible art with the addition of red and white icing. The white icing serves as a smooth canvas, offering the perfect foundation for intricate designs or simple elegance. Meanwhile, the red icing adds a bold pop of color, symbolizing passion and romance.

Sugar Cookie Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Red and White Icing Ingredients:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons milk or water
• Red food coloring (gel or liquid)
• Optional: White food coloring (gel or liquid)

Instructions:

Sugar Cookies:

1. Preheat the Oven:
   • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients:
   • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar:
   • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add Wet Ingredients:
   • Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
   • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms.
6. Chill the Dough:
   • Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap each disc in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.
7. Roll and Cut:
   • On a floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.
8. Bake:
   • Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Red and White Icing:

1. Prepare Icing:
   • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk or water until smooth. The icing should be thick but spreadable.
2. Divide and Color:
   • Divide the icing into two separate bowls. Leave one bowl white and add red food coloring to the other bowl to achieve your desired shade of red.
3. Decorate:
   • Once the cookies have cooled completely, use a small offset spatula or a piping bag to spread or pipe the white icing onto the cookies as a base layer.
   • Allow the white icing to set for a few minutes before adding details or piping red icing on top to decorate the cookies with hearts, swirls, or other Valentine-themed designs.
4. Optional:
   • If desired, you can add white icing details on top of the red icing using a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
5. Let Set:
   • Allow the icing to set completely before serving or storing the cookies in an airtight container.

These homemade red and white decorated Valentine cookies are sure to impress your loved ones and add a festive touch to your Valentine’s Day celebrations! Enjoy decorating and sharing them with friends and family.