Valentines Day Cookies

Yield: ~12 cookies

Oven Temperature: 350℉

Ingredients:

For the Cookies:

• 1/2 c. salted butter, softened
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• zest from one lemon
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 3/4 c. flour
  

For the frosting:

• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 4 tbsp. softened butter
• 1-2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• food coloring (optional)
• sprinkles (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, salt, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix in the flour until just combined. If you would like, you can add more lemon juice to get a stronger flavor. 
2. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least two hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Take your cookie dough out of the fridge and roll it to 1/4" thickness. Cut the dough with cookie cutters in your desired shape. I used two heart-shaped cookie cutters, each one two inches in diameter, one with scalloped edges. Place six cookies on each baking sheet and chill while your oven preheats.
4. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
5. To make the frosting, beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the sugar, one cup at a time. You can adjust the amount of powdered sugar to suit your own tastes. Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice.
6. If you would like, split the frosting into different bowls and use food coloring to make the frosting different colors. I used red, pink, and white. Decorate the cookies with frosting and top with sprinkles.