Happy belated V-Day! Any day can be heart day if you want it to, but spare us the PDA and make these cookies instead. (My bad though, I did put up a mushy Instagram post about my boyfriend this year, lol).
Five years ago I tried to make cookies like these, but the glaze was hard and the cookies weren’t much better. Dean said they were great, but that was when we first got together and he was also trying to lock it down by taking me to a concert for Valentine’s Day. I got Demi Lovato tickets and he got hardened corn syrup cookies, but we both won in the end because he got me and I got to see Demi live in concert. Kidding, I love him a ton.
And because I love him and my mom receives a Better Homes and Gardens subscription that she occasionally pawns off on me, I became fixated on making this Molly Yeh recipe for V-Day this year. My friend Remi and I made plans to hang the night before Valentine’s Day to make takoyaki for dinner and cookies for our dudes, so we got to work. We stayed up way too late making these and eating the takoyaki she made fresh from the little takoyaki maker she brought over, but it was so fun seeing her and hanging out. Also, I had forgotten, but the day before Valentine’s Day is Galentine’s Day! So I guess I had Galentine’s Day plans after all haha.
P.S. I was wanting this blend of sprinkles from this really-I-cannot-stress-enough fancy sprinkle company, but it would’ve cost me 20+ bucks to make that dream happen and I’m trying to be a little less extra by spending less extra. So I’m really proud of this sprinkle mix because it’s part pink sugar crystals and part Christmas mix, but I picked out the little Christmas trees and made my own blend! Make your own magic, guys!
SOFT ALMOND COOKIES
RECIPE COURTESY OF MOLLY YEH
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 8-10 minutes
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 large egg
Ingredients for Cookie Glaze:
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
5 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
pinch of salt
food coloring
Directions for the Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, then set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat together softened butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high until pale and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).
Reduce speed to medium, Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and egg; mix to combine. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix until combined. (It will look mixed, but not like a smooth dough).
Original directions say: Transfer dough to work surface. Knead to form a ball. Divide dough in half. If desired, cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to use. But I didn’t. I kneaded parts of dough and skipped to the next step.
Dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. (The original directions here said to use powdered sugar, but I didn’t want mine too sweet and loved how they turned out! You decide!) Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using 1 1/4- to 3-inch heart-shape cutters, cut out shapes. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Reroll scraps and repeat. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned. Let cool completely before glazing. If adding sprinkles, add before they glaze fully hardens in order for it to stick!
Store in an airtight container up to 3 days. Makes about 60 2-3 inch cookies.
Directions for the Cookie Glaze:
Whisk together powdered sugar, corn syrup, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. If needed, add a pinch of salt until smooth. Add food coloring to tint.