Ingredients

2¼cupsall-purpose flour,spoon and leveled

½tspbaking powder

¼tspsalt

¾cupbutter,unsalted, softened to room temperature

¾cupgranulated sugar

1large egg,at room temperature

2tsppure vanilla extract

¼-½tspalmond extract,optional, for added flavor

4cupsconfectioners’ sugar,sifted

3tbspmeringue powder

10tbspwater,at room temperature

Americolor Soft Gel Paste Color Kit for coloring

Preparation

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for about 1 minute until smooth.

Add the granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until creamed.

Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high speed for about 1 minute until combined.

Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined.

If the dough seems too soft, add 1 tablespoon more flour so it’s a better consistency for rolling.

Divide the dough into 2 equal parts.

Roll each portion out onto a piece of parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat (or a nonstick silicone mat) to about ¼-inch thickness.

The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly ¼-inch thick.

Stack the pieces, with parchment paper between the 2, onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Once chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Remove one of the dough pieces from the refrigerator and using a heart cookie cutter, cut into heart shapes.

Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with 2nd dough piece.

Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.

Make sure to rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time.

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat all of the icing ingredients together on high speed for 5 minutes.

When lifting the whisk up off the icing, the icing should drizzle down and smooth out within 10 to 12 seconds.

If it’s too thick, add a little more water. (around 12 to 14 tablespoons of water in total.)

If it’s too thin, add a little more sifted confectioners’ sugar.

Separate the icing into 6 different bowls.

Stir in 1 tiny drop of the following colors into each bowl, 1 color per bowl: pink, violet, green, yellow, and orange.

The 6th bowl is for the writing. Use 2 to 3 drops of red.

Add the icing to a piping bag fitted with round icing tip #5.

Decorate the cookies with colored icing.

Use a round icing tip #1 for writing.

Do not cover cookies as icing sets. Icing will set within 2 to 3 hours.