Valentine’s Sugar Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

 Directions:
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color (2-3 minutes). Add egg, milk and vanilla and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl.  Roll to 1/4 inch thickness between two sheets of parchment or wax paper. After rolling, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Once the dough is well chilled and hard to the touch, cut out shapes and place them on a silicone mat or parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake at 375 degrees F for 6-8 minutes, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Do not over bake. The cookies will look a little underdone but that is ok. It will set up as it cools and result in a soft and chewy cookie. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack.  Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

*Tip: Place cookie sheet with the cookie dough shapes in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking to help the cookies not to spread too much.

Adapted from Alton Brown (Food Network)

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
food coloring (optional)

Mix the powdered sugar, butter and milk together until smooth.  Add the extract and food coloring, if using until blended well.

*If you want to use chocolate frosting here is the link: Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. I recommend only making 1/4-1/2 the recipe because it makes a lot.