Valentine's Sugar Cookie

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
Coarse sugar (for sprinkling, whether sanding or pearl or raw)

Prep Time15mins
Cook Time15mins
Servings60

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugars until light and irresistibly fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Using a spatula, gently fold in the salt and flour just until combined.

Roll the dough between a couple of pieces of parchment paper until it's about 1/2 inch thick.

Remove the top piece of parchment and, using a 1 1/2-inch flower cookie cutter (or whatever shape you prefer), cut out cookies and place them on the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. (If you find the dough too soft to cut with a cookie cutter, transfer the dough, still sandwiched between the parchment paper, to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Then try again.) Sprinkle the cookies with coarse sugar.

Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until the edges of the cookies just begin to brown. Let the cookies cool completely on wire racks before showering them upon your sweetie.