The BEST Sugar Cookies!!!

Yesterday I decided it would be fun to make Valentine Sugar Cookies with the kids, so I came across this recipe and it is awesome!  I've never really LOVED any of my sugar cookie recipes, so every time I make them, I search for a new recipe.  I've made a lot of cookies that have turned out either crunchy, flavorless, flat, too poofy, or the dough is too hard to work with.  This recipe is perfect and the cookies turn out soft, flavorful, and yummy!  You don't have to refrigerate the dough either! 

This recipe will now be my ONLY Sugar Cookie recipe, so I thought I would share.  You can use it for YOUR Valentine cookies this year!  Yum!

This isn't my picture, but it's about what they looked like

Yummy Sugar Cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll into a golf ball size and place onto ungreased cookie sheets. Pat down slightly to 1/4"-1/2" thick.  (I'm sure you could roll them out and cut them into shapes too.  Just roll them to 1/4"-1/2" thick)
3. Bake 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks  
**I like my cookies soft, so I err on the thicker side and less cooking time.

Here's a yummy frosting recipe too.  (I love almond extract, but if you don't love almond extract, you can use vanilla instead.)
Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
In a medium saucepan bring butter and milk to a boil. Remove from heat. Add powdered sugar and almond extract. Beat until smooth. (The recipe said that it will seem runny at first, but it sets up after a while.  I added about a cup more powdered sugar and it turned out great.)