Recipe: Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

I'm kind of a sugar cookie snob to be quite honest. When I try other people's versions, I'm a pretty harsh judge (no, no--not out loud) and they never meet my standard. I blame this on my amazing cook of a mother. I use so many of her recipes today (including these two) from when I was a girl and just look at me now. I'm forever a hater of other people's food. Do you have recipes like that? I have many-chili, sloppy joes, spaghetti, cheesy potatoes, chocolate chip cookies, lasagna, the list goes on. Maybe it's the nostalgia involved, I don't know.

Anyway, can you believe I actually used these very same cookie cutters to make Valentine's day cookies for my 6th grade class with my mom? Seems like just yesterday!

I remember I was bawling because I knocked over all the sprinkles onto the kitchen floor. We had to make a late night run to the store and stay up way past my 6th grade bedtime to make them. Sweet memory--I sure hope I'm that kind of mom to my kids someday. I probably would have said, "Tough luck kid, no sprinkles for you or your friends."

Enough reminiscing. This is my favorite sugar cookie and frosting recipe which I used to make some Valentine's day treats for a girl's Bible study that I host each week. Enjoy!

Best Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 T butter
1/3 c butter flavor Crisco
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 T milk
1 tsp almond extract secret ingredient ;)

Directions:
Combine flour, baking powder, salt. Beat butter and Crisco until smooth. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg, milk, almond extract. Add flour mixture and beat until well mixed. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Roll out dough and cut with your favorite cookie cutters.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes. Frost and sprinkle your heart out (no pun intended). I used the small cutter as an outline and filled it with sprinkles.

Homemade Frosting:

Ingredients:
2 c confectioners sugar
1 T milk
1T Crisco
1 tsp almond extract

Directions:
Mix it up and tweak until you get the perfect blend!