Conversation Heart Sugar Cookies

In honor of Valentine's Day, I decided to make some conversation heart cookies using Ashlee's Most Fabulous Sugar Cookie Recipe, found many times on Good Things Catered. I used a combination of royal icing to coat the cookies and buttercream for the writing. Yes, I know I didn't color the writing icing bright pink, but my mom, sister and I concurred that they would be just fine with white writing. The picture above is just a sampling of the cookies. I think we had the most fun coming up with sayings for the cookies. One of my favorites is "Yer Hot" at the top of the plate in the photo.

Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tbsp. lemon zest - I used lime zest and it was a refreshing treat!
5 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter and sugars in a mixer for 5 minutes. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly. Add in vanilla, almond, and lemon zest. Beat for 10 seconds. Add in baking powder and salt, beat again.

Add in flour 1 c. at a time, mix for 15 seconds between each addition. Do not over mix. This process should take about one minute.

Chill dough for up to a week in the fridge, or roll out and cut right away.

Royal Icing (from Joy of Baking)
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

Buttercream Frosting (from allrecipes.com)
This is for 3 servings, modified from the original recipe which is for 12 servings
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk

In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Add milk until frosting reaches desired consistency.

For piping/writing, place the frosting in a plastic bag. Cut a VERY SMALL hole in one of the corners, remove the air bubbles and begin piping.