One of the best parts about parenthood is watching your child develop friendships with other kids. Playdates and sleepovers are not only a fantastic way for little friends to spend quality time together but they’re also the perfect opportunity to try fun activities such as crafting and baking! Today we are sharing a super simple — and kid-friendly! — way to take dessert to the next level with delicious sugar cookie + frosting recipes.
Let’s start off with cookies! Here’s our favorite sugar cookie recipe:
SUGAR COOKIE INGREDIENTS:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
DIRECTIONS:
- Beat the butter until creamed and smooth. Add the sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high until fully mixed.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the mixer and beat until barely combined (on low speed). Add the rest of the flour and continue mixing until combined. (Add 1 additional tbsp of flour if the mix still feels too soft.)
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Roll each portion out onto a piece of parchment to about 1/4″ thickness. Stack the pieces (with paper) onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Chilling is mandatory for ensuring the perfect consistency and texture.
- Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies from the chilled dough. Bake for 8-11 minutes at 350°F or until very lightly colored on top and around the edges. Make sure you rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Next, gather your ingredients for the frosting.
FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pink food coloring (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Combine powdered sugar, salt, cream, vanilla, and a few drops of food coloring in the bowl with a stand or handheld mixer. Gradually increase the speed of the mixer until the frosting develops a creamy consistency.
Now for the fun part…
Give the children spatula and a bowl of frosting and let them decorate the sugar cookies to their heart’s content!
Don’t forget to sneak in a few bites here and there!
Once the cookies have been frosted and thoroughly taste-tested, have the mini bakers burn off that sugar high by racing through our Heart Girl Tunnel!
Measuring 6 feet long and 19 inches tall, the Heart Girl Tunnel is the perfect size for young children to work on their gross motor skills in a fun and stimulating environment.
It comes complete with radius-cut hook and loop fasteners as well as interior padding around the spring-steel frame to ensure safety and comfort.
Best of all, your child can stretch their imagination for hours both indoors and outdoors as this tunnel is lightweight and portable.When your little one has finished playing, simply wipe clean and fold flat for easy storage.
While we can’t guarantee that they will go to sleep early, we can promise that they will “heart” this tunnel!