Pretty-in-Pink Valentine Cookies

Today is the final day of Valentine-themed cookies...for now (I mean, Valentine's Day is still more than two weeks away), and while the other cookies were unusual, cute, or a little bit spicy, today's are the cookie equivalent of the girl-next-door. Fresh, pretty and straightforwardly simple.

These cookies also use my favorite sugar cookie recipe, and we're back to using the mock-whipped-cream, recession-proof, Pioneer-Woman's-favorite, whatever-you-wanna-call-it, amazing frosting. As with the other versions, I added a bit of powdered sugar to help it stiffen up and 'set' on the cookies. However, you could also easily use my Better Than Royal Icing for a smoother, firmer finish. You'll have to decorate as you go, dipping each cookie in sprinkles when the icing is still wet so that they'll stick and give you a nice, even surface.

I absolutely love the colors of these sprinkles for a Valentine or spring-themed treat. Unfortunately, they came from England so I can't tell you where to find a similar version in the States. For the purposes of these cookies, though, you could use any assortment of sprinkles. Just pick one of your sprinkle colors to be the accent color for the un-sprinkled cookies - in this case, I chose the bright, fuchsia pink for a festive pop of color. I saved these cookies for last because I think they're the prettiest - a nice, fresh alternative to the usual reds, hot- and bubblegum-pinks of Valentine's Day.

Best Ever Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

3 cups granulated sugar 

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

5 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs and add vanilla. stir until well blended. Gradually add in the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir until incorporated. Cover dough and chill for at least one hour (or overnight - dough may appear very dry, but it will come together during rolling). Roll out to 1/4 - 1/2-inch thickness, on a well-floured surface. Cut into shapes and place, 1 inch apart, on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 6-8 minutes until edges just begin to turn golden (watch them closely because the edges burn easily, especially when rolled thin). Cool completely before icing.

Pretty-In-Pink 'Whipped Cream' Frosting

Prepare frosting as directed here.
Red food coloring
Powdered sugar, as needed for thickening
Red food coloring

Add powdered sugar to frosting until the desired consistency is reached (to test, frost one cookie and wait for an hour to see if frosting sets). Spoon half of the prepared frosting into a small mixing bowl and add red food coloring as desired (top tip: try to match the color to your sprinkles for a pulled-together look). Frost half of your cookies with the colored frosting and set on a baking sheet or wire rack to dry. Frost the remaining cookies with white icing and dip in a plateful of sprinkles for smooth, even coverage. Allow to dry. Serve with a tall glass of milk or a delicate cup of tea!

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