Valentines Heart Sugar Cookies

Growing up, my mom would make shortbread heart sugar cookies each Valentines for us. It was one of the many reasons I looked forward to the loving holiday each year ... and of course getting roses from my Dad, amongst other things. I love that I can carry this tradition with my girls, decorating (and eating) all of the sugar cookies is a favorite of mine, no matter the holiday/occasion.

Its an entire different scenario baking with little ones, cue the hot mess express spread across the kitchen to the living room and family room. I decided to tackle the dough with my little one while my oldest was in school. That way it could rest in the refrigerator and would be ready for the fun part with both girls, cutting out all the different cookie cutters, baking and then the favorite part ... decorating!!!!!!!!!! It warms my heart when they pull over their tiny chairs, pull on my shirt and say "Mommy, I want to help you."

This is one of the best recipes sugar cookie recipes. It is so dang yummy, I can taste them through this computer screen. and they keep their shape after baking, are soft/chewy and the dough makes at least two dozen assorted sized cookies.

The secret ingredient is adding in the three types of extract: lemon, vanilla and almond.

Dashes of Love:

-3/4 cup unsalted softened butter (1 1/2 sticks)

-4 oz softened cream cheese (half a square)

-1 cup sugar

-1 egg

-1/2 tsp. salt

-1 tsp. baking powder

-1 tsp. vanilla extract

-1/2 tsp. almond extract

-1/2 tsp. lemon extract

-3 cups all purpose flour

Love Language:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a Cuisinart Electric Mixer, cream the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and egg together. Once creamed together, add the salt, baking powder, and extracts.

3. Add flour, mix completely (roughly a few minutes).

4. Roll dough out on parchment paper (dough should be about 1/4 inch thick, or to your liking).
5. Refrigerate dough for 45 minutes.

6. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters (if dough gets soft you can refrigerate for 10 minutes).

7. Bake on nonstick cookie sheets for 7 to 10 minutes. I bake mine for exactly 7 minutes so that they're still soft and chewy! Note: cookies should not brown, they will remain white in color.

8. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cookies cool completely.

9. Decorate with your favorite frosting and sprinkles!