These Valentine sugar cookies are the perfect sweet treat for Valentine’s Day! Soft, heart sugar cookies have a light almond flavor and are topped with fluffy pink frosting.
Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies
These Valentine sugar cookies are love at first bite! They are based off my favorite soft sugar cookie recipe and topped with a fluffy buttercream frosting tinted pink to match the holiday.
My kids loved helping decorate the frosted heart-shaped sugar cookies with sprinkles, jimmies and conversation hearts. These cut-out cookies are soft, chewy and make a large batch so you can gift some to friends, family and teachers or use for class parties!
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: I used unsalted butter softened to room temperature. If you are using salted butter decreased the added salt.
- Granulated sugar: This adds sweetness to the sugar cookies for Valentine’s Day.
- Large eggs: You will need four large eggs at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract adds flavor to the Valentine cookie.
- Almond extract: Adds a light almond flavor. Use more vanilla if you are not a fan.
- All-purpose flour: Ensure you are measuring flour correctly using the spoon and leveled method.
- Baking powder: A leavening agent for lift and rise.
- Salt: If using salted butter decrease to 1/4 teaspoon.
- Sugar cookie frosting: Butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt. I used red food coloring to achieve a light pink color, omit for white frosting.
How to Make Valentine Sugar Cookies
In a large bowl using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream softened butter and sugar. Add in eggs, vanilla and almond extract then mix together until combined.
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and slowly add to the wet ingredients mixing only until combined.
Split dough into two pieces and wrap in saran wrap. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Once dough is chilled, remove from refrigerator and roll out to 1/2 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes as desired and bake on parchment paper lined baked sheets at 375°F for 6-8 minutes.
Combine frosting ingredients in a mixing bowl until creamy. Add more milk as desired to thin frosting to desired consistency.
Cool Valentine’s Day sugar cookies completely before piping or spreading with frosting. Decorate with Valentine themed sprinkles or candies before icing sets.
Valentine’s Sugar Cookies Tips and Variations
- Cookie shape: Instead of a heart shaped cookie cutter, you can cut out Valentine sugar cookies using a glass or thin mason jar lid.
- Almond extract: I love to use almond extract in my Christmas sugar cookies and Halloween sugar cookies, too. Substitute with more vanilla extract if you like.
- Chilling the dough. Valentine sugar cookie dough must be chilled as it makes it easier to cut out the cookies and then maintain their shape while baking.
- Icing: You can use my glossy sugar cookie icing or make royal icing Valentine’s Day cookies!
Storing
- Store: Store frosted Valentine sugar cookie recipe in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. I store mine in an single layer so I don’t smudge the frosting.
- Freeze: I prefer to store baked cookies without frosting. Cool completely then place in freezer safe bag using parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Keep frozen up to 3 months. Thaw then frost and decorate.
- Freeze cookie dough: After wrapping cookie dough in plastic wrap, store the disc in a freezer safe bag up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then roll out, cut into shapes and bake as directed.
More Valentine’s Day desserts to try include Valentine empire biscuits, sugar cookie bars and easy Valentine’s Day cookies.
More Valentine’s Day Desserts
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Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 ½ cups (345 g) butter , 3 sticks at room temperature
- 2 cups (390 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 5 cups (650 g) all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Frosting
- ½ cup salted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
- food coloring , optional
Instructions
Cookies
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups butter and 2 cups sugar. Beat until creamy. Add in 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and mix together until combined.
- Combine dough. In a separate bowl, mix 5 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Chill. Split dough in two and place in saran wrap. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Do not skip this step.
- Roll out dough. Once dough has chilled, preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out the dough about 1/2 inch thick on a baker's mat or a clean counter top.
- Cut with cookie cutters and then place onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the center is barely set. Do not let the edges or bottoms brown, or they wont be soft. Watch carefully the last minute of baking. Allow to cool on the pan for a few minutes and then remove to a cooling rack.
- Cool and frost. Allow to cool and then frost as desired.
Frosting
- Beat butter: In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter for 1 minute, until light and fluffy.
- Add all other ingredients: Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 3/4 teaspoon almond extract. Mix until well blended. Add 2 more cups of the powdered sugar, optional food coloring, and 3 Tablespoons milk. Mix again. If you re piping the frosting onto the cookies, 3 Tablespoons is perfect. If you are spreading the frosting, add a teaspoon or 2 more of milk until it's a thinner consistency.
- Decorate: Spread on cookies to decorate.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Cookies, Desserts, Frosted Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Kid-Friendly, Reader Favorites, Valentine's Day
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
