Heart Sugar Cookies

Instructions

1. COOKIES - Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fixed with a whisk attachment; add sugar and mix to combine. And egg and vanilla; mix well.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Change out the whisk attachment for the hook attachment and add flour mixture to the butter mixture one cup at a time. Mix until dough reaches accurate texture and mixed well.

3. Place dough on the counter and roll into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350° F; lightly dust the countertop with flour. Remove dough from the fridge, unwrap it, and place on the floured counter. Roll it out till about ¼ inch thick, or to desired thickness.

5. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a heart cookie cutter, cut out each cookie and careful set on the cookie sheet. Once cookies are placed, put the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 2 minutes so dough can become cold and cookies can hold their shape better during baking.

6. Place in the oven and bake 7-8 minutes, or until centers no longer look doughy (they will look darker if they’re not done). Allow cookies to stay on the cookie sheet to cool long enough that they’re easy to remove without breaking. Cool completely before frosting and decorating.

7. FROSTING - Use an electric mixer to beat the butter until smooth in a medium sized mixing bowl. Then add 2 T milk, food coloring, and almond extract; mix together. Add powdered sugar a ½ c at a time to avoid making a mess. Add more milk to reach desired consistency you want for the frosting (I usually add about ½ T more.)

8. Frost cooled cookies and immediately decorate with sprinkles. Enjoy!