Valentine Sugar Cookies Strawberry (Print)

Buttery sugar cookies shaped with sweet strawberry icing, ideal for festive sharing.

# Components:

→ Sugar Cookies

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 0.75 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Strawberry Icing

08 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 2 to 3 tablespoons strawberry purée
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
11 - Pinch of salt
12 - Pink or red gel food coloring, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
05 - Divide dough in half and flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 0.25 inch thickness. Cut into heart or desired shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until edges are just golden. Cool completely on wire racks.
09 - Blend fresh strawberries into a smooth purée. In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons strawberry purée, lemon juice, and salt until smooth. Adjust consistency with additional purée or sugar as needed. Tint with food coloring if desired.
10 - Decorate cooled cookies with strawberry icing using a piping bag or offset spatula. Allow icing to set completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving enough that even imperfect shapes taste like a professional baker made them.
  • Strawberry icing feels special but comes together in minutes without any fussy techniques.
  • You can make these ahead, store them for days, and they taste just as good on day four as day one.
02 -
  • Room temperature butter is non-negotiable—if it's too cold it won't cream, and if it's too warm the dough becomes greasy and cookies spread flat during baking.
  • Fresh strawberries make a dramatic difference in color and flavor; the icing from frozen ones tastes muted and greyish no matter how much you try to fix it with food coloring.
03 -
  • Add half a teaspoon of almond extract to the dough for a subtle flavor complexity that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • Use a piping bag fitted with a small round tip for icing if you want Instagram-worthy cookies, or embrace the rustic charm of a spatula-spread version.
Back