Valentine Butter Cookies and a King Arthur Flour Giveaway

The best kind of valentine gifts are the homemade kind.The generic Hallmark cards are just not that fun. This year we are sending out cookie valentines. A basic butter cookie cut into the shapes of envelopes addressed to the kids in my son's class. Not only is it a yummy valentine, it's a fun project to get the kids involved in. A way to let them be creative and put some thought into their gifts.

For the cookies I used my very favorite hands down most reliable  cut out cookie recipe. King Arthur Flour's Butter Cookies. They are tender, buttery, slightly sweet and hold up great to rolling and cutting. For the decorating I used a basic vanilla buttercream and some of the most adorable heart sprinkles and sugar pearls from King Aurthur Flour.

With a little flour, sugar and butter you can create fun sweet treats for your kids to gift at their Valentine's Day party.

Valentine Butter Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup + 2 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp raspberry extract
2 3/4 cups King Arthur Flour All Purpose Flour
up to 1 tsp water (as needed)


Ingredients for the Buttercream:

1/2 cup of unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups of confectioners sugar
1/2 tbs of heavy cream
1/2 tbs vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
(Food coloring for decorating choices)

Directions:

In the bowl of your electric mixer with your paddle attachment cream sugar, butter,   and egg yolk together until smooth.

Mix in the flour, salt and raspberry extract until the dough starts to come together.  If it does not go ahead and add a bit of water.  Once dough will hold up when squeezed together remove from mixer. 

Divide dough into two disks wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

When you are ready to start your cookies remove dough from refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface roll dough out to be about 1/4 an inch thick. Using rectangle cookie cutters or your choice of shape cut cookies and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes or until slightly golden.

Allow cookies to cool to room temperature before you begin to decorate.

For your buttercream:

In the bowl of your electric mixer using the whip attachment cream butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add in powdered sugar until you get your desired stiffness. If it becomes too thick add in a dab of cream. Mix in salt, raspberry extract and food coloring until everything is combined.

Fill piping bags and decorating cooled cookies.

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED
King Arthur Flour Giveaway:

My good friends at King Arthur Flour were so kind to send me some free flour, adorable cookie cutters, and a heart decorating set. 

They have so graciously offered to send one of you lucky readers the same gifts! For your chances at winning, a voucher for one 5lb bag of King Arthur Flour, Heart and Fluted Cookie Cutters, and a heart deco set follow the directions below.

To enter to win follow the following steps:

Mandatory entry: Comment below telling me the best gift you have received on Valentines Day. 

Optional entries (leave an additional comment below for each additional entry):

1) Follow Bakeaholic Mama on Facebook.
2) Follow King Arthur Flour on Facebook.
3) Follow Bakehaolic Mama on Twitter.
4) Follow King Arthur Flour on Twitter.
5) Follow Bakeaholic Mama on Pinterest.
6) Follow King Arthur Flour on Pinterest.
7) Follow Bakeaholic Mama on Google+.
8) Follow King Arthur Flour on Google+.
9) Follow Bakeaholic Mama on Instagram.
10)Sign up for King Arthur Flour's Newsletter.

Disclaimer: 11 entry options per person. All entries must be within the US. Giveaway ends February 7th at 9pm. Winner will be announced on February 8th. King Arthur Flour will ship the winnings to the lucky winner. This giveaway is sponsored by King Arthur Flour, they also provided me with cookie making materials however I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.