Today’s Valentine’s treat is simple and sweet.
It is a yummy sugar cookie, topped with red frosting,
and wrapped in an sweet organza bag.
These look adorable placed on the top plate
of a table setting, or attached to a special Valentine! 
No Fail Sugar Cookies
2 cups Butter
2 cups Sugar
2 Eggs
2 teaspoon Almond Extract
5 cups Flour
3 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
Antonia74 Royal Frosting
3/4 cup Warm Water
5 tablespoons Meringue Powder
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
2.25 pounds Confectioner’s Sugar
Cream your butter and sugar together
until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and almond extract. Mix well.
Mix together flour, baking powder and salt.
Add to butter mixture a little at a time, until
dough comes together.
The dough needs to be chilled. On the Kitchen Gifts web site
they recommend this great idea so you can start cutting out
your cookies sooner than later. Take a spatula full
of dough, and put it in the middle of a piece of
parchment paper. Cover the dough with the same size
parchment paper. Roll out the dough to 1/4″ thickness.
Place the dough on a baking sheet, cover with plastic,
and let it chill in the refrigerator. Repeat the process
until all the dough is used, and all the sheets of
parchment are in the fridge. By the time you are done,
the first sheet you put in should be done. If not, wait about
1/2 hour. They should be done by then.
Take out the first batch, cut out, and start baking at
350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
The best thing is that you are not adding any additional
flour to your cookies.
If covered properly with the plastic, these can stay in
the fridge overnight. Many times I have made the recipe
before I go to bed, and then I cut them out and
bake them in the morning. 
In a mixing bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Whisk together for 30 seconds. Add the Cream of Tartar. Whisk together for 30 seconds more. Place all the icing sugar in the bowl and mix on low for a full 10 minutes. The icing will get thick and creamy. Keep bowl covered with a damp tea towel to prevent crusting. Tint with food colorings and water to obtain desired color and consistency. Outline the heart cookie using a # 3 Wilton tip. 
Fill cookie in. Let cookie dry completely. 
Give to your Valentine!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
