When I was in elementary school, Valentine's Day was always really fun. I remember making heart-shaped mailboxes out of red paper with my classmates and taping them to our desks. Everyone would bring in those little valentines to give to the whole class. In middle school, it got a little awkward. People could send candy grams or fake roses to classmates but could pick and choose who to send them to. My friends and I always sent them to each other, that way we never had to worry about whether any boys had taken notice of us. I even randomly sent valentines to my friends a few years back. I don't think there's anything wrong with doing something sweet to brighten someone's day. That's part of why I think upgrading from paper valentines or silk roses to heart-shaped sugar cookies is the perfect way to spread the love this year.
Whether you love or hate Valentine's Day, I'll bet you can't deny a love for cookies, especially ones as cute as these. Sugar cookies aren't my favorite -- I'd rather have something chewy, gooey, and chocolatey -- but they are the best cookies for decorating.
I used a recipe for Simple Sugar Cookies from The Craft of Baking and made regular and chocolate dough.
Then I went with a number of different decorating ideas. I sifted through all my containers of sprinkles and colored sugars to find the ones that would be suitable for Valentine's Day, and I made royal icing and a simple glaze. My counter did not look so pretty! (Does your counter ever get like this?)
I decorated others by brushing them with a simple glaze (1 cup confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract). I coated a few cookies with the plain white glaze and used sprinkles to add a splash of color.
I then added a few drops of pink food coloring and brushed the colored glaze on some other cookies.
I made royal icing by beating 1 egg white with 1 cup of confectioners' sugar and adding a few drops of pink food coloring.
Using a small paper cone that I crafted from parchment paper, I piped lines, dots, and letters on some cookies, outlined others, and completely frosted others.
I had so much fun playing with the different combinations, seeing what colors worked well together, and working on my piping skills. And even though I say I'm not a huge fan of sugar cookies, I enjoyed these cookies much more than most other cutout sugar cookies I've had.
Are you planning to make any heart cookies for Valentine's Day? What's your favorite way to decorate sugar cookies?
14 comments:
Wow! You had a cookie-decorating factory going on there!
I agree with you, though - sugar cookies aren't my favorite either, but they are easier to decorate than a brownie!
My excitement over Valentine's Day was always about paper mailboxes and sending carnations to friends in middle school. So much fun.
I just tried my hand at royal icing for the first time this year. I've always been more fond of homemade buttercream myself, but icing is more crafty. Yours look awesome!
Looks like you'll have a fun Vday. :)
The cookies are adorable!
too cute! These are perfect for all my valentines!
Your cookies look wonderful! I am baking sugar cookies this weekend. Our Parish nurse brings them to the homebound. I was never a huge sugar cookie fan until I did my first Drop In & Decorate and used Lydia's sugar cookie recipe. It has become my total go to recipe. I love decorating with royal icing. You can get so creative!
I just loved the view of your kitchen! Cookies, bowls, frosting everywhere! Decorating sugar cookies is such a labor of love that all recipients need to know just how much time and effort goes into the "I love you" process.
Great looking cookie girl!
YUM !!!
They look so cute and tasty too.
These are so cute. They came out great!!
Aww so cute! Love them! I used to absolutely love Valentine's day too in elementary school - middle, not as fun. I have a good friend that used to give everyone valentine's day cards throughout college - we loved it :)
valentine's day is a day like any other for me except that candy bowls and chocolate seem to be more widely available. that said, i don't mind the 'holiday' one bit. :)
i automatically love anything heart-shaped and i think your decorating skills are impressive. lovely cookies, megan!
How precious do these look! I'm not a huge fan of sugar cookies but if I had these in front of me I wouldn't be able to resist.
I like to use a glaze on cut-out type cookies too, but sometimes use almond extract rather than vanilla.....Cute ideas!
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