Valentines Sugar Cookies 💖 💖 💖

Hey Ya'll! It's really close to Valentines Day! Time for all those parties! This is just a simple sugar cookie recipe with a simple royal icing. But what better day to do it than Valentines Day!!

Ingredients (for cookies):

1 1/2 Cups Butter, Softened
1 1/2 Cups White Sugar
3 Tbsp. Cream Cheese
1 Egg
2 Egg Yolks
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
1 tsp. Salt
3 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
Frosting:
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp. Water
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
1/4 Cup of Egg Whites (about 2 large eggs)
Gel Food coloring (optional)
Extras:
Fun Valentines sprinkles!

Directions:

1. Cream Butter, Sugar, and Cream Cheese together in a large bowl with an electric mixer for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, egg yolks, extracts, and salt. Mix with rubber spatula until well incorporated. Add Flour, Baking Powder, and Cream of Tartar. Start by mixing with a wooden spoon, and finish with electric mixer. Be careful not to over mix.

2. Wrap dough in Cling film and refrigerate for about two hours.

3. Once dough is done chilling. prepare your rolling space. Measure out about a cup of flour or powdered sugar. Spread on to your workspace, and place half the dough on counter. Place the other half back in the fridge. Sprinkle some of your flour on top of the dough you have laid out. Start rolling dough with rolling pin until about a quarter inch thick. Use Desired cookie cutter(s) (If this is for Valentines Day, I suggest a heart shape) to cut dough and lay cookies on a lined with parchment cookie sheet. These don't spread, so you can put them as close together as possible, without them touching.

4. Bake at 350˚ for 10-12 minutes.

5. Now, for the frosting. Whisk Powdered Sugar and Salt together. Add Almond extract and put aside.
Whisk the egg whites in a small bowl with a fork or electric mixer until frothy. Pour Egg whites in to one side of the powdered sugar bowl. Slowly whisk powdered sugar into egg whites to get the right consistency. If you want a thinner Icing, that is when you can add the water. Dye frosting with a couple drops of coloring if using. If you went without the water, you can use a piping bag and just cut off the tip and frost cookies as desired. If you used water, I suggest using a spoon to slowly spread frosting onto cookies. Before frosting, make sure cookies are completely cooled. If using sprinkles, add them before frosting has hardened. Enjoy!!