Valentine’s Day Sour Cream Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing

Yield:

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2½ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using an electric or standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until blended, scraping the bowl down with a spatula halfway through. Add the egg, sour cream, and vanilla, and beat to combine. Add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined, scraping down the bowl halfway through. Add a bit more flour as needed until the dough begins to adhere around the paddle and form a large clump. Divide the dough into two balls; wrap each in plastic, then press to form a disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least one hour and up to two days.

Preheat oven to 350° and set baking racks to the upper and lower middle positions. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Take the first batch of dough out of the refrigerator. Dust a counter with flour, then roll out the dough to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out heart shapes, gathering and rerolling the scraps as needed.Transfer cookies to the baking sheets. If you’re decorating with sprinkles (and not frosting them), shake the sprinkles over the cookies and lightly press into the surface. Bake until the edges are just turning golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Meanwhile, make the icing, if using. Using an electric or standing mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, 2 teaspoons milk and salt on medium-high speed until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and stir again. If the icing appears too thick to spread easily add up to 2 more teaspoons of milk. 

To make a swirled pink frosting, squeeze 4 or 5 drops of pink food in different spots on top of the frosting. Use a skewer or straw to very lightly swirl the dye through the frosting. You want large, dark streaks of pink at this stage and the mixture should look a bit like the veins in a slab of marble.

When the cookies are cool, use a small offset spatula or the back of a teaspoon to frost each one. The dye will continue to blend into the frosting as you go, but should still look a bit marbled.

Return the cookies to the wire racks to allow the icing to set completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container between layers of wax paper for up to five days in the refrigerator.