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Tic Tac Toe Valentines Butter Cookie Recipe

Valentine's Day Cookies Recipe: Tic Tac Toe Board with Hearts and O's 

How to make Tic Tac Toe Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies with our easiest rolled dough recipe with royal icing.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Equipment

  • Mixer
  • Parchment Paper 
  • Knife
  • 1" Heart and Circle Cookie Cutter
  • Ruler
  • 3 Small Bowls
  • Small Spatula
  • Red and Pink Food Coloring (or colors of your choosing)
  • Decorating Squeeze Bottle or Piping bag or Sprinkles

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup flour (more can be added if the dough is too soft)

For Royal Icing:

  • 1 egg white
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • red food coloring
  • Optional: lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough
    Cream the butter and sugar together using your mixer then add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, and beat again until everything is mixed together.
    Slowly mix the flour in until a nice dough is formed that is soft, pliable, and not sticky. Use less flour or add a little more flour to get the consistency right.
  • Step 2: Roll Dough and Cut out Cookies
    Sandwich the dough between two pieces of parchment paper (one piece on top and one piece on the bottom), and roll out the dough to 1/4" thick.
    Optional: For easier cutting and handling, put the dough in the fridge to chill for 30min-1hr.
    Cut out your game board with a knife. It will need to be 3.5 inches x 3.5 inches.
    Use your heart and circle-shaped cookie cutters to cut out 5 hearts and 5 O's. You may want to cut a few extra just in case your cookies break or just for fun...you can always eat them later.
  • Step 3: Bake the Cookies
    Bake the cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes. They are done when the cookies look golden on top.
  • Step 4: Royal Icing
    NOTE: Make sure your mixer and bowl are completely clean before adding your royal icing ingredients because if any oil remains, the icing will not set up correctly.
    Beat the egg whites for 30 seconds with your mixer, then gradually add powdered sugar until it reaches the desired consistency. I made mine similar to honey.
    Optional: Add a few drops of lemon juice for taste.
    Separate the royal icing into 3 bowls. Stir red food coloring into one, stir pink food coloring into the other, and leave the last one white.
  • Step 5: Decorate the Cookies
    To make the tic tac toe board, use your spatula to spread the pink frosting over the top of the square cookie. Next, put some red frosting in your decorating squeeze bottle or piping bag. Draw the lines on the board (two lines down, and two lines across).
    To make the Hearts, put your red frosting in a decorating squeeze bottle and draw around the outline of the cookie, and then fill in the middle. (You could also use a piping bag or spatula.)
    To make the O's, put your white frosting in a decorating squeeze bottle and draw around the outline of the cookie, and then fill in the middle.
    Optional: Add sprinkes or use extra frosting to decorate your cookies.
    Once the frosting is dry, they are ready for your Valentine!

Notes

Pro tip: Make sure you allow the cookies to cool completely before you decorate or package them. 
Keyword Dessert, Valentine's Day