Marbled Valentine Sugar Cookies
Delightful, colorful cookies perfect for celebrating love, featuring a buttery flavor and soft texture.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour Sifted
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- Gel food coloring (pink, red, or desired colors)
- 0.5 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract (plus almond extract if using), mixing until combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough into halves or thirds and tint each part with desired gel food colors. Knead until color is evenly incorporated.
Baking
- Roll each colored dough into small logs, twist them together, and flatten into a rectangle.
- Fold the dough once or twice and roll out to about 1/4 inch thick.
- Use a floured heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart.
- If the dough is too sticky, chill it for 10 minutes.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges turn golden and centers look set.
- Cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For a festive touch, sprinkle powdered sugar on top before serving. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or freeze with parchment paper for up to three months.