Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (227g) Unsalted Butter, slightly cold but pliable
  • 1 cup (200g) Granulated White Sugar
  • 1 Large Egg, room temperature
  • 1.5 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 0.5 tsp Almond Extract
  • 3 cups (375g) All Purpose Flour, sifted
  • 0.5 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 0.5 cup (113g) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 2 cups (240g) Powdered Sugar, sifted
  • 1.5 tbsp Heavy Cream
  • 1 drop Pink Gel Food Coloring
  • 1 tbsp Red heart shaped sprinkles

Instructions:

  1. Cream the butter. Place 1 cup of slightly cold butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar in your mixer. Beat for 2 minutes until pale and creamy. Note: Using cold ish butter prevents the cookies from spreading later.
  2. Add the wet ingredients. Incorporate the room temperature egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until just combined and smooth.
  3. Sift the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 3 cups of flour and sea salt.
  4. Combine the mixtures. Gradually add the flour to the wet ingredients on low speed. Stop mixing the moment the last streak of flour disappears. Note: Over mixing activates gluten and makes the cookie tough.
  5. Roll the dough. Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll to an even 1/4 inch thickness.
  6. Chill briefly. Slide the rolled dough (still on the parchment) into the fridge for 10 minutes. Note: This makes cutting the heart shapes much cleaner.
  7. Cut the hearts. Use your heart shaped cutters to stamp out the cookies. Lift them carefully with an offset spatula.
  8. Prepare for heat. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your sheets with parchment.
  9. Bake the cookies. Space them 1 inch apart and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove when the edges are matte and set. Note: They will not look browned; if they are brown, they are overdone!
  10. Cool completely. Let them rest on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack. Wait until they are stone cold before frosting.
  11. Whip the butter. Beat 0.5 cup of softened butter until it looks white and airy.
  12. Add sugar and cream. Slowly add 2 cups of powdered sugar and 1.5 tbsp of heavy cream. Whisk on high for 3 minutes until velvety.
  13. Color and decorate. Add 1 drop of pink gel coloring. Spread onto cooled cookies and top with sprinkles immediately.