Heart Chain Sugar Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• Microwave the white and red icings until liquid and pourable, about 30 seconds for the white icing and 15 seconds for the red. Use the white icing to pipe a line around the edge of each cookie. Fill in the centers, evenly distributing the icing with a toothpick.
• Add dots of red icing in circles or lines on the wet white icing and drag a toothpick through the dots, creating heart chains. Let stand until set, about 1 hour.

Steps:

• Cookies: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Remove 1 disk of dough; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out 1/8 inch thick between two sheets of floured parchment, dusting with flour as needed. Cut shapes with 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutters. Using a spatula, transfer to prepared baking sheets (if dough gets too soft, refrigerate 10 minutes). Reroll scraps and cut more shapes. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.
• Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. (If bubbles form, tap baking sheet firmly against oven rack a few times during baking.) Let cool completely on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 1 week.
• Royal Icing: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine confectioners' sugar and egg white on low speed. Add a scant 1/4 cup water, then increase speed to medium-high and mix until icing holds a ribbon-like trail on surface for 3 seconds when you raise paddle, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low and mix 1 minute more to eliminate air bubbles. Divide icing and add food color, a drop at a time, until desired color is reached to one half. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days. Stir well before using.
• Decorating: Pour white icing into a bowl, hold a cookie face down, and gently dip it in, letting excess drip off and tapping gently to remove bubbles. Arrange iced cookies end to end. Let dry completely, then brush across each cookie diagonally with pink "paint." For gold specks, dot on edible luster dust mixed with a bit of lemon or other clear extract.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until fluffy. Add 1 egg, allowing it to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next with the vanilla extract.
• Dissolve cream of tartar in milk; beat into the butter mixture. Add 4 cups flour and pinch of salt; beat until doughy.
• Spread 1 cup flour onto a flat work surface. Roll the dough out on the prepared surface; cut out in desired shapes until all dough is used.
• Bake on non-stick baking sheets in preheated oven until cookies are set in the middle, about 12 minutes.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
• Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs.
• Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in vanilla or lemon juice and zest. Wrap dough in plastic; chill for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets; refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, and decorate with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake until edges just start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.