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Simple and quick Valentine’s Day sugar cookies that can be made with classic or gluten-free flour blend, featuring pink or red dough and dusted with powdered sugar for easy decoration.

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened or at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
  • 3 cups flour or gluten free flour blend
  • 1 1/4 tsp xanthan gum (optional; use only if gluten free blend lacks it)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Beat the butter and both sugars together in a large mixing bowl for about two minutes until creamy and mixed well.
  2. Add the eggs one at a time, blending after each addition until fully combined.
  3. Mix in the vanilla extract, and almond extract if using, until everything is well incorporated.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour (or gluten-free blend), xanthan gum if needed, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, one cup at a time, stirring after each addition until the dough just starts to come together.
  6. Add 1 to 3 drops of food coloring, depending on how bright you want your dough, and mix until the color is evenly spread throughout.
  7. Once the dough forms and the color is blended in, take it out of the bowl and divide it into two equal balls.
  8. Knead each dough ball by hand a few times to make sure it’s smooth and the color is fully mixed.
  9. Roll out each dough ball on a sheet of parchment paper, a silicone baking mat, or a lightly floured surface.
  10. Roll the dough out about 1/4 inch to 1/3 inch thick, then use a greased cookie cutter to cut out your desired shapes.
  11. Lift the shapes carefully and place them on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before baking.
  12. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 6-9 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your cookies.
  13. Keep a close watch and take cookies out as soon as they feel firm in the middle and the edges just start to brown.
  14. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 3-5 minutes to allow them to finish baking and firm up.
  15. If you like, move the cookies onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  16. When cooled, dust the cookies with powdered sugar using a fine mesh strainer for an easy, beautiful finish.

Notes

Mixing both granulated sugar and powdered sugar into the dough makes these cookies softer and more tender than traditional sugar cookies that use only granulated sugar.

  • Author: Laura
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Cookies
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 157 kcal
  • Fat: 8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 19 g
  • Protein: 2 g